Diversity: It’s Not Stupidity, It’s Reality (Contributed Photo)

Earlier this week, as I was working in the BCC, action on the lower level caught my eye. A crowd was gradually, but exponentially, increasing at an event thrown by student leader and FUSA Senator Darryl Brackeen Jr. ’10. Little did I know that the increase in eyes looking at the event would not be nearly as important as the way in which it would be perceived.

The event was a diversity forum, sponsored by Brackeen’s diversity project, “Diversity: It’s Not Stupidity, It’s Reality.” Brackeen’s diversity forum featured acts of student talent. I turned my head when I realized that my friends were performing, but the reason my work wasn’t going to get done was that act after act included friend after friend.

It was then, standing in front of over 200 students, that I realized I am very much part of diversity on campus.

His mission is clear: to stimulate the conversation, to enhance the simulation of difference, and to prove there is more to this issue than we think.

“I believe that Fairfield is definitely on the right track enhance cultural and ethnic diversity, but we need to begin to use diversity correctly and be more specific as to what aspect of diversity we are talking about,” said Brackeen.

The test of the diversity will be see this Friday, when Fairfield’s community will observe a day of Dare to Act-Act to Change Summit produce by the Office of Service Learning. The Summit plans to showcase different student activist movements from women’s rights to the combating of poverty. Many will not view the event as part of “diversity” but as many students move from event to event, they will be listening to diverse opinions.  That is where the “passions” that Brackeen referred to will be voice and more importantly listened to.

Brackeen says that diversity is undergoing many efforts for clarity. His biggest advantage is that as the efforts continue the masses grow. At some point more and more of the students curiously looking will realize that they are participating in diversity.

It is at that point that the diversity, and Brackeen, will be as recognized as it has always been expected.

According to Brackeen, diversity’s image on campus needs to be defined. In an exclusive interview with The Mirror Brackeen talked about his visions for the project:

The Mirror: What is your definition of diversity? What is Fairfield’s definition?

Darryl Brackeen: My definition of what diversity is variety; of opinions, ideas, talents and most of all passions. Diversity should not be placed in a mentally constructed box. The Fairfield University definition of what diversity is actually very similar to mine, but after having the conversation with many students actual explanation of what the definition means has not been clear. The university is definitely undergoing many efforts to clarify what diversity means and how we can apply it to our everyday lives.

TM: What do you think should be Fairfield’s goal in creating a more diverse campus?

DB: I believe that Fairfield University is already diverse. When we as students apply to be accepted to Fairfield we don’t put down the things that make us the same as the person next to you. We put the ideas, opinions, talents and passions that make us different which in effect will enhance diversity. Now I believe that Fairfield is definitely on the right track enhance cultural and ethnic diversity, but we need to begin to use diversity correctly and be more specific as to what aspect of diversity we are talking about.

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