Members of the UW-Madison community continued conversations surrounding diversity this week during the 17th annual Diversity Forum at Union South.
The theme of this year’s forum, Call to Action: Taking Our Diversity Work into Broader, Deeper and More Inclusive Waters, focused on diversity efforts both on campus and in the larger community.
The two-day event commenced Tuesday morning with a presentation from Pulitzer Prize winner and Chicago Tribune columnist Clarence Page, who then held an open discussion with co-founder of Young, Gifted and Black M Adams about intergenerational community activism, racial justice and social advocacy.
“We’re going to dive into the continuing urgency to define and address some of the long-standing issues of our time with a specific focus on our region and state,” Vice Provost and Chief Diversity Officer Patrick Sims wrote in the event program.
Another event highlight included a showing of a Wisconsin Public Television documentary on UW-Madison Law School alumna and former Wisconsin politician Velvelea “Vel” Phillips, which detailed her time as the first black judge in the state.
Diversity Forum organizer Mary Czynszak-Lyne said this year’s event stands out in terms of reach, as its events are of interest to both undergraduate and graduate students, along with faculty and staff.
Wednesday’s forum focused on diving into specific breakout sessions, each allowing attendees to contribute to smaller conversations focused on specific topics such as LGBT issues and understanding race and gender biases in science, technology, engineering and mathematics.
“In these times between the violence, the lack of tolerance, we have to learn how to appreciate each other,” Czynszak-Lyne said. “We have to appreciate and celebrate our differences and recognize what we all can contribute.”
