“Diversity and inclusion” are two coinciding buzzwords that we hear on this campus and in our extracurriculars. But what do these words mean for our campus specifically?
They are used frequently, but it’s important that the campus community doesn’t use them flippantly. If our goal is to turn these words into actions, then it’s important for us to know what those actions look like.
Sometimes diversity and inclusion can be implemented in our lives in simple, yet important ways. For example, joining an organization that you wouldn’t typically join, attending multicultural events on campus just to educate yourself and, most importantly, going out of your way to make connections with people and faculty members that challenge your ideas and beliefs.
Russ Tallchief, director of student diversity and inclusion, said diversity is already present at OCU, but the key is to draw attention to it.
“Diversity is inherent in our campus community,” Tallchief said. “I think that we oftentimes have to point to it so that people can be more aware and more conscious of it, and, I think, more respectful of it, and so the ways that we can point to those things are through programs.”
Diversity and inclusion begin with peaceful, respectful conversations and interactions with people who make you consider things in a way you never have before. Does it mean you have to completely alter everything you’ve ever known or believed in? No, but you can at least develop a dialogue of understanding and diversify your overarching knowledge of the world around you.
Tallchief said dialogues about diversity should also not be limited to just one differing aspect.
“I feel like a lot of times, diversity and inclusion can be limited in scope in terms of what we consider that to be,” he said. “It could be limited to someone’s race or ethnicity, and that’s not really the scope of diversity and inclusion. It extends beyond that.”
This year, OCU had one of its largest incoming freshman classes in recent history. The class of 2022 has rich diversity that returning students and transfers should get to know. Not only does this help encourage inclusion on campus, but it will help new students feel like they have a new home.
Student Government Association and Black Student Association will host a “Culture of Cultures Potluck” at 6 p.m. Friday in the Great Hall in Tom and Brenda McDaniel University Center. Different multicultural groups on campus will bring a dish of their own cultural cuisine to the potluck. This is just one of the many ways that the student body can make the words “diversity and inclusion” truly mean something.
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