The URI student organization, the Multicultural Unity and Students Involvement Council (M.U.S.I.C), hosted its first Diversifying Individuals via Education, Rhode Island (D.I.V.E, RI) conference last weekend. D.I.V.E, RI conference seeks to promote intercultural competence and inclusion on college campuses through workshops and discussions.
The weekend was packed with enlightening workshops, keynote speakers, and numerous interactive activities and events. Some speakers and workshop presenters included Senator Juan Pichardo, Yelitsa Jean-Charles, Keynote Anthony Johnson, and Keynote Dr. Marc Lamont Hill. Some of the weekend’s activities included the SAWA “Hair It Goes” Hair Show and performances by eXposure and NASA.
This student-led conference was was centered around initiating dialogue based on race and ethnicity in higher education and was geared towards sustaining, empowering, and creating student leaders.
More than 280 students registered for the conference from Rhode Island and Massachusetts colleges universities. This conference really opened up an opporuntiy to promote work towards positive change at URI.