Belmont University recently wrapped up its 7th annual Diversity Week, which ran from September 17—24. Diversity Week at Belmont began in 2015 to celebrate diversity, equity and inclusion initiatives across campus and to foster meaningful conversations within the Belmont community and beyond.
With a goal to help students experience various cultures and spark dialogue, the event lineup started September 17 with the playing of the Korean film Minari and the serving of Korean food at Harrington Place Dining Hall.
On September 19, this year’s First Year Seminar guest speaker, Dr. Mary Frances Berry, discussed diversity, equity and inclusion. The recipient of more than 35 honorary doctoral degrees and many awards, Berry’s experience in African American studies is extensive. She currently serves as a Professor of History and Africana Studies at the University of Pennsylvania.
Dr. Berry also held a more intimate conversation with the Belmont community on September 20, met with Belmont faculty and staff of color for breakfast on September 21, joined a panel discussion on civil rights on September 21 with Belmont History Professor Dr. Pete Kuryla and Vanderbilt University Law Professor Dr. Karla McKanders and visited Belmont College of Law for an exclusive student-only event on September 22.
On September 21, ‘Celebrate Chinese Culture: Mid-Autumn Festival,’ the Chinese Cultural Association sponsored the Mid-Autumn Festival. The annual event for the Belmont community celebrated Chinese culture and the Mid-Autumn or Moon Festival. Presentations were given by officers of the Chinese Cultural Association and Asian American Association. All attendees received free ‘MoonCakes.’
On September 22, Rev. Henry Beecher Hicks, Jr. hosted God of Diversity. Hicks led the Metropolitan Baptist Church in Washington, D.C. for 37 years, growing it to become a 6,000-member congregation with more than 60 ministries. Rev. Hicks is the author of five books and was designated by Ebony magazine as one of ‘America’s 15 Greatest African American Preachers.’
‘Minding the Gap: A Diversity in Entertainment Industry Symposium – A Call to Action’s’ was a symposium which included film screenings, student music performances, conversations and more, including the role the entertainment industry plays in shaping what we know, see, and believe about ourselves and others—as well as a timeline that spans the history of African American music in Nashville.
