Highline’s Center for Cultural and Inclusive Excellence Planning Committee will be hosting its 25^th Annual Unity through Diversity event next week via Zoom on April 25-29.

Unity through Diversity Week will feature learning activities, events, and programs for participants to explore the diversity of race, gender, religion, class, sexual orientation, and ability. It will be centered around this year’s theme: Lean on Me: Embracing Humanity as a Radical Act of Resistance. 

“This week invites students, staff, faculty, and community members in for community conversations as they relate to our theme. All are welcome,” said Chairperson Edwina Fui. Fui is interim director for Highline’s Center for Cultural and Inclusive Excellence. 

This year the committee has invited three program presenters who they feel are aligned with their theme and who will also share topics and experiences related to the theme for this year. 

Dr. Derek Greenfield is former Highline professor who has gone on to a career as a diversity officer, speaker and professor at other colleges. He will provide the Unity Week keynote on Monday, April 25 at 9-10:30 a.m. speaking on “Better Together: Affirming Our Authentic Identities as a Vehicle for Inclusion and Equity.” 

“A keynote address is typically seen as a presentation that frames or sets the tone for a particular event,” said Dr. Greenfield. 

Dr. Greenfield’s keynote will give its audience the opportunity to create inclusive communities where everyone will come together as one and can become their best version of themselves, he said.  

“Our similarities help foster unity; our differences make us collectively smarter and stronger,” also said Dr. Greenfield. 

To see Dr. Greenfield’s presentation via Zoom on Monday, April 25, click on Dr. Greenfield Zoom Link with the passcode: unityweek. 

Next will be Michelle Williams and Rachelle Bensoussan, who are the co-founders and managing directors of Being Here, Human. The two will present a workshop on “Grief Literacy” on Tuesday, April 26, at 10:30-11:30 a.m. and again at 1-2:30 p.m. 

Williams’ and Bensoussans’ workshop will cover understanding grief, definitions, misconceptions and dealing with various kinds of grief. 

To see Williams and Bensoussan workshop via Zoom on Tuesday, April 26, click on Williams and Bensoussan Zoom Link with the passcode: unityweek. 

Unity Week’s final event will be a talk by Dr. Derrick Brooms on “Navigating the Stakes: The Lives and Experiences of Black Boys and Men,” on April 28, 10-11:30 a.m.

Dr. Brooms is a professor of Africana studies and sociology at the University of Tennessee. 

To see Dr. Broom’s Lecture via Zoom, click on Dr. Broom’s Zoom Link with no passcode required.  

“Our goal for Unity through Diversity week is to celebrate, honor and be in a community with one another. Our identities are important to how we learn, work, and engage with one another, so we hope that attending our programs will give room to unpack diverse topics and content from our guest speakers,” said Chairperson Edwina Fui. 

Fui said the program’s success is due to the hard work of many people. 

“This program has become successful over the last 25 years due to the collective work of individuals who are invited year after year to share ideas, heart work and care for our Highline community,” said Fui.