 DIVERSITY 411 BRINGING A FRESH OUTLOOK TO CHICO STATE
There are many subjects that are hard for people to speak about, let alone ask an honest question about. The Cross-Cultural Leadership Center (CCLC) at California State University, Chico was started in August of 2007 and has quickly become an important part of campus life for students, faculty, and staff. One of the ongoing goals of the CCLC is to become more noticed on campus. To help attain this goal the CCLC is now working with groups like the LGBTQ community and other groups to help create a more understanding environment on our campus. Among the various opportunities the CCLC provides at Chico State is Diversity 411. This program is a result of the Faculty and Staff Diversity Summit that took place this past September. During the summit, one of the activities was a fish bowl exercise, which allowed anyone to put an anonymous question in a bowl and someone else with knowledge on that topic could answer. The only downfall to the activity was there was not enough time to delve into topics as much as everyone wanted. That is where the idea of Diversity 411 was born. Some of the topics that have already been addressed this semester include the suicides of young teens in the LGBTQ community as well as a discussion titled "Black Women: An Invisible Voice." Every second and fourth Tuesday of each month Diversity 411 is held from noon to 1 p.m., and everyone on our campus community is welcome to attend. Diversity 411 not only gives our campus a place for people to ask questions about potentially uncomfortable subject matter, it also has a variety of people attending, which will help to promote increased awareness among the Chico State community. "It's an important opportunity for people to ask honest questions in a safe and respectful environment," CCLC Program Coordinator Amy Hormann said. The various groups of people in attendance help faculty to have a better understanding of their students. It also humanizes faculty members for those students and gives them a new found respect and understanding for those who may have had to overcome difficult experiences and obstacles to get where they are today. Hormann acknowledged that the CCLC wants to target freshmen because learning from people of different backgrounds and races can positively shape your overall college experience. "Being exposed to the world of diversity is eye-opening and holds a lot of value," Hormann said. The CCLC hopes to continue to grow, and with their hard work and dedication to diversity their success will certainly increase. If you would like to attend a Diversity 411 session and would like a specific topic addresses contact Amy Hormann or CC Carter with your suggestions. Contact CC Carter's via e-mail at cecarter@csuchico.edu, or you can reach Amy Hormann at her e-mail address, adhormann@csuchico.edu.
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