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It was a time to provoke thought, confront conflict and grow in character.
From race and gender to socioeconomics and ecology, more than 40 student leaders tackled these hard-hitting issues at a two-day summit in Woodland Hills over the weekend. The event was made possible by the Intercultural Affairs Office and a grant from the James Irvine Foundation.
“We wanted a creative and safe environment for student leaders to ask tough diversity questions, debate on provocative diversity issues and experience some ways to mediate and handle conflict resolution within a heated discussion,” said Larisa Hamada, Intercultural Affairs coordinator.
The Summit on Leadership and Diversity at the Warner Center Marriott featured five intensive workshops designed to engage its participants through multiple techniques: games, debates and multimedia.
Intercultural Affairs intern, sophomore Trent Allen, spent two months organizing the event.
“The first step in taking action against social injustices is becoming aware of what exactly is going on,” he said. “I believe that all of the topics discussed at the summit relate in one way or another to the students on our campus.”
Junior Mariko Wilson, another intern for the office who attended the summit, said she was impressed by its take-action focus.
“Talking doesn’t make anything happen,” Wilson said. “We made commitments about going back to campus and not making assumptions and taking the time to get to know somebody.”
The Intercultural Affairs Office, which was initiated this academic year, is still developing its programs and perspective.
“Our office strives to be student-inspired,” Hamada said. “We want to make sure that our students understand that diversity is a process, and in order to be successful, it must incorporate everyone on the Pepperdine campus.”
The next workshop open to all students, scheduled for Feb. 19, will be a one-day program focused on Asian-American identity. Students will tour the Japanese American Museum in Little Tokyo and visit the cultural center at Nishihonwanji Temple.
Submitted 01-27-2005
MALIBU, CA
