Diversity conference slated Saturday

By Larry Meyer
Argus Observer
Tuesday, October 6, 2009 11:13 AM PDT

ONTARIO — The community is invited to the Treasure Valley Community College campus Friday and Saturday to join an exploration of cultures, shared values and opportunities for awareness at the college’s diversity conference.

Activities will begin  at 5 p.m. Friday with a community celebration which will feature ethnic entertainment and a cultural cuisine food court, in the Weese Building. Saturday will be the formal diversity conference, starting at 8:30 a.m., in the Four River Cultural Center.

“It’s all about education,” Cathy Yasuda, TVCC foundation and executive director, said. Yasuda will facilitate a panel discussion on exploring cultures at 11:15 a.m.

“It’s an opportunity for people to explore (various) aspects of diversity. We’re providing information,” she said.

Friday’s celebration, with free admission, will include the Toei Japanese Dancers, Basque Dancers, the Habibi Nada Middle Eastern Dance Troupe and the Home Again Singers Drum Group for the Metis Tribe of Community Nations.

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“We really encourage families to come,” Yasuda said.

Vendors will feature Basque, Chinese, Irish, Japanese, Mexican and Native American food.

Phi Theta Kappa will set up interactive displays in the Weese Building that will provide information on the organization’s efforts to provide supplies to medical charities, local and international. Members will ask the public to become involved. Keynote speakers for Saturday conference, which has an admission fee of $35, will be Sam Byrd, a consultant who focuses on diversity issues  whose topic will be “Diversity Works and will focus on educators and schools, business and the community at large, and Michael Eselun, co-chair of GLIDE — Gays & Lesbians Initiative for Equality. Eselun will focus his remarks about equality and understanding. Byrd will speak at 10 a.m. in the Meyer-McLean Theater. Eselun’s presentation will be at 3:30 p.m., also in the theater.

Topics for the diversity workshops include, Global Health Initiatives, Immigration — Where Do We Fo From Here, Human Rights and Equality, Native Americans — Community and Culture, Women’s Issues and Disability Awareness. The workshops will start at 1:30 a.m. and 3:30 p.m.

 The event is sponsored by the TVCC Diversity Council, but speakers may not represent the view of the college, Abby Lee, public information officer said. “We’re facilitating the discussion.”