Stephen F. Austin State University’s Office of Multicultural Affairs is slightly reworking its upcoming fifth annual Diversity Conference to increase the opportunity for student attendance and support.
“This year, we are working to ensure that the conference is student driven,” said Jalon Berry, OMA assistant director. “We really want SFA students to be excited about the Diversity Conference. We also have adjusted the time so that more students are able to attend.”
The purpose of the conference is to promote diversity and inclusion on the SFA campus by providing a platform for presenters to share their diversity-related work and experiences with conference attendees. Like many of the OMA’s initiatives, the conference also allows the community to engage in vital multicultural dialogue.
“This year’s theme is ‘Leading Lumberjacks from Me to We,’” Berry said. “We want everyone to realize that there is strength in numbers and, in order to obtain equality, we must first be educated on the various inequalities and injustices that are transpiring. We must then work together as social justice advocates to promote change.”
OMA staff members, along with members of the OMA Caucus, which comprises SFA faculty and staff, host the conference. Organizers expect a minimum of 15 conference presenters and 250 attendees.
“We are excited to have Shyla Driver and Courtney Roberts, both students at Nacogdoches High School and social justice advocates, close out the conference as the keynote speakers,” Berry noted.
The fifth annual Diversity Conference will be held from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. Friday, Feb. 8, in the Baker Pattillo Student Center Grand Ballroom. Check-in begins at 10:30 a.m.
SFA students, faculty, staff and Nacogdoches community members are invited to attend. There is no cost to register; however, there is limited seating available for the luncheon.
Attendees may pre-register on the OMA’s website, sfasu.edu/oma, or online at sfasu.qualtrics.com/jfe/form/SV_8rd5n7Ra77UVx6R.
For more details, visit the conference website at sfasu.edu/multicultural/190.asp.
By Christine Broussard, senior marketing communications specialist at Stephen F. Austin State University.
