New organization makes plan to bring diversity awareness to campus

Candace Buckman / Features Editor

The Multicultural Center has been working diligently over the past few months in preparation for the launching of new diversity initiatives.

“We really want to bring about awareness and begin to celebrate diversity on campus,” said L’Tanya Richmond, Director of Multicultural Affairs.

A group of 15 students make up the new diversity peer educator program named DEEP, which creates ways to show the importance of multicultural awareness in an educational environment.

“This is something that impacts the entire campus,” said Richmond. “And it’s really important to hear from the students themselves.”

One of the first events being brought to campus is a workshop with Deollo Johnson, a consultant for the National Coalition Building Institute. Johnson has already visited Elon’s campus several times, giving motivational summer workshops to students who are part of the NC Teaching Fellows and orientation leader program.

His techniques have proven to be very popular among students. Johnson has lead over a hundred workshops at such schools as UNC-Chapel Hill and Duke University.

“We had to get him back to campus,” said Richmond. “His energy is contagious.”

Johnson prefers not to lecture students in his workshops, but rather use exercises that keep people moving and talking, while sending out a message that promotes diversity. It was during a brainstorm session in one of Johnson’s workshops that students developed DEEP.

Richmond hopes Johnson’s visit will help students finally see the “diversity problems” that are now present on campus.

Sunday from 3 to 4:30 p.m Johnson will lead a diversity workshop sponsored by DEEP and the Multicultural Center . for any interested students, faculty, and staff.

Richmond wants students to be aware that this program is available to anyone and hopes to gain support from the entire campus.