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May 8, 2013
THE
COMMUTER Linn-Benton Community College • Albany, Oregon
Volume 44 | Issue 26
Campus Celebrates Diversity
Ted Holliday
Deanna Page (left) and Chelsea Baker exchange rings at Diversity Day on May 3. Ted Holliday Copy Editor
The campus community celebrated diversity by devoting a day to promoting inclusion last Friday. The courtyard Diversity Day celebration focused on “Connecting Cultures” through dance, performances, and education. During the events, the LBCC Gay Straight Alliance arranged a demonstration to reflect on a hot topic in the news: gay marriage. Four students stood face-to-face, showing their support for the same rights as married couples. “That was a perfect example of bringing up something that people don’t want to talk about,” said Javier Cervantes, director of
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In-Service pg. 2 .
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WEB: COMMUTER LINNBENTON EDU
the Diversity Achievement Center. “This is exactly what we want to talk about and see other people’s perspectives.” “It was an honor to have the president of the school come to me to tell me that this was the best Diversity Day,” Cervantes added. Thanks to a little help from Mother Nature giving us nice weather and great planning, attendance was phenomenal. Planning for the event started in December by Megan Rivas and the DAC. Rivas was the student in charge of the event. “It was her planning to details and organization that deserves a lot of praise,” said Cervantes. Rivas brought in the Native American dancers, Chinese dancers, Folklorico, and African drummers, which connected various cultures in one place.
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Taylor Higgins pg. 8
Mary Hager, artistic director for the Painted Sky Native American dancers, said it was a pleasure to share their traditional performances with the college. “This is who we are, not something we do, like an actor,” she said. Students were encouraged to pick up a passport and collect stamps throughout the day. Tables placed around the perimeter of the courtyard allowed visitors to gather information and talk to representatives of various campus organizations. Students who collected stamps and turned in their passport were entered into a drawing for a $25 LBCC Bookstore gift certificate.
Diversity: more photos on Pg. 6
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Student Art pg. 12
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