“Does Diversity Really Matter?” is the theme of this year’s Diversity and Inclusion Week, September 30 to October 3, hosted by the College of Communication and Information (CCI).
The four-day event will feature panel discussions on a wide range of diversity and inclusion issues. Rickey Hall, vice chancellor for diversity, will deliver the keynote address, “Does Diversity Really Matter?,” at 5:45 p.m. Wednesday, October 2, in the Communications Building Auditorium (Room 321).
The week concludes with the annual CCI Diversity Festival, Thursday, October 3, from 5:00 to 7:00 p.m. in Circle Park. The festival will include a barbecue, music, dance, a photo booth, and performances by students from the college and Knoxville area entertainers. Click here for more information and a complete schedule.
“Diversity and Inclusion Week is an all-college event that allows us to come together to celebrate and discuss diverse ideas and concepts across a broad array of issues,” said CCI Dean Mike Wirth. “The sessions stress the importance of dialogue, open–mindedness, and inclusion as important tools for solving problems and building communities.”
Seven panels plus a workshop and an open forum will take place throughout the week in the CCI Auditorium and Scripps Convergence Lab (Room 402).
Discussion topics include:
- “Accepting Each Other,” featuring panels on families and diversity and profiling.
- “Working Together,” with sessions on diversity in public policy and the workplace, plus an open forum on diversity and inclusion.
- “The Mediasphere,” with discussions on diversity in both traditional media and the emerging world of social media.
- “The Power of Words,” with a workshop on hate speech and a panel on humor and diversity.
“Understanding how to work and interact with those who are different from us is a critical part of being successful in the workplace,” said Alice Wirth, chair of the college’s Diversity and Inclusion Week planning committee and a lecturer in the School of Communication Studies. “This week, along with everything else we are doing in this area, helps provide our students with the skills and knowledge they need to successfully enter and thrive in an increasingly diverse workplace.”
All sessions are free and open to the public and will be streamed online.
CONTACT:
Donna Silvey (865-974-6727, dsilvey@utk.edu)