Above: Spanish teacher Mayce Makani teaches Latin dance to students
during community period on February 3.

Unity Week Celebrates Diversity

From discussions about gender unity to lessons in Latin and Greek dance, Xavier’s diversity has been cause for celebration during this year’s Unity Week.

The Student Leadership Council (SLC) spearheaded planning of the week’s events, which touched on race, religion, gender, and sexuality. The week kicked off with Spanish teacher Colleen Rober’s keynote, “Gender Unity: Breaking the Binary and Challenging Expectations,” and went on to include the creation of a community mural and cultural celebrations featuring everything from Italian and French cheese to Tai Chi.

“I am extremely impressed with the SLC’s efforts and desire to give of themselves in order to open up a dialogue about how we can increase care, inclusion, and understanding in our community,” said Johanna Tanzman, Director of Student Activities.

Tomorrow night on 16th Street, Unity Week will conclude with Diversity Night, an evening filled with food, music, poetry, and cross-cultural understanding. All members of the Xavier community are welcome at the event, which runs from 4:30-6:30 p.m.

“Unity Week is a period where we get to come together as a community and celebrate what makes us different and unique,” said SLC President Justin Westbrook-Lowery ’16. “We get to find community in the fact that we are all different—and embrace those differences. We get to learn more about the people around us and learn about what makes us special.”