Unity Week is kicked off by community breakfast, celebration

Unity Week Events

“I Stand For.” Wall & “I am.” Photo Shoot
9:00 a.m. – 2:00 p.m., Tuesday Jan. 21
Student Center, Tally
Participants will take creative photos with their completed “I Am” statement.

Minority Workshop
5:00 p.m. – 7:00 p.m. Tuesday, Jan. 21
Student Center, Cardinal Hall B & C
Participants will go through simulation activities related to the experiences of various cultural and identity groups.

MLK Speaker: Coach Ken Carter – “Use Your Passion to Succeed,”
7:30 p.m., Pruis Hall, Tuesday Jan. 21
Ken Carter is a coach, author, educator and inspiration for the movie Coach Carter.

Tunnel of Oppression
5:00 p.m. – 9:00 p.m., Wednesday Jan. 22
Student Center, Ballroom
Participants will engage in an interactive exhibit that highlights contemporary issues of oppression.

Mural Painting
9:00 a.m. – 9:00 p.m., Thursday Jan. 23
Arts and Journalism Building, Atrium
Members of the Ball State community will have the opportunity to collaboratively paint a mural of the icon Beneficence.

Latinopalooza
6:00 p.m. – 8:00 p.m., Friday Jan. 24
Pruis Hall
The Latino Student Union will sponsor a talent showcase of Ball State students, faculty and staff.

Unity Week Diversity Symposium
9:30 a.m. – 4:00 p.m., Saturday Jan. 25
Student Center
Attendees will attend workshop sessions related to diversity and presented by faculty, staff and students of Ball State University.

Source: Office of Student Life

Ball State has played host for the last 11 years of a breakfast to celebrate Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.’s legacy in Muncie.

The community breakfast, which led into youth retreats and a job fair, serves to bring representatives from throughout Muncie to discuss bridging gaps in diversity and working toward fulfilling the dream of racial equality.

Sanovia Garrett, a senior and student assistant at the Multicultural Center, has been a part of the breakfast since her childhood in Muncie.

“It’s important to remember that programs like these shouldn’t be pushed to the side, they should be things that we put up at the forefront,” Garrett said. “We can’t say this is a day off just because it’s Martin Luther King day, but it should be a day of volunteering, a day of sharing, a day of learning and growing.”

Tasha Griffin, president of the Indiana Black Expo Muncie chapter, hopes that the success of these kind of diversity focused community programs are a signal of hope for the future.

“The events here at Ball State are great,” Griffin said. “I’m just excited to see what the future holds. I just hope that [students] rally around each and support each other in a non-judgmental way so that we can continue to let Dr. King’s dream ring true.”

The volunteer programs on Monday focused primarily on King’s civil rights campaign in the 60’s, but the programs also highlighted diversity efforts in the community today, President Jo Ann Gora said.

“It’s just a wonderful example of the collaboration between the university and the community,” Gora said.

Events, like the interactive exhibit Tunnel of Oppression and the Latino Student Union’s Latinopalooza, will be part of the week’s focus on diversity and unity open to students and the Muncie community alike.

See more on events from Martin Luther King Jr. Day:

VIDEO: Diversity breakfast highlights community unity

VIDEO: Youth programs featured at MLK event

VIDEO: Job fair promotes diversity in hiring