Although events may be held a little differently this semester, the Mary V. Jordan Multicultural Center is providing a number of events and opportunities for ETSU students.
“With COVID, it sort of took us to a different level where we had to social distance, and then also we could not have a lot of the in-person events,” said Carshonda Martin, director of the Multicultural Center and access and student success programs. “So, we had a great schedule of events going on. We have something every week around the semester. However, most of it is virtual, so most of our things go moved via Zoom and Facebook and Instagram.”
Martin also said that events offered by the multicultural center concentrate around diversity, inclusion, social justice, leadership, and building community and a sense of belonging.
“We really have a wide range of programs that we do, but ideally, we want to be mindful that we celebrate different backgrounds, different cultures,” said Martin.
According to Martin, the Multicultural Center hosts monthly events that project awareness.
The celebration of diverse cultures will continue throughout the semester. From Disabilities Awareness Month and National Coming Out Day to Hispanic Heritage Month, the Multicultural Center works with other programs around campus.
For National Coming Out Day, the Multicultural Center is working on LGBTQ programming. For Hispanic Heritage Month, which is celebrated from Sept. 15 to Oct. 15, the center is pairing with the ETSU Language and Cultural Resource Center.
The Multicultural Center also holds many open conversations where one can participate in discussions about a chosen subject.
“We try to create a space where students can come and talk about certain issues that they feel passionate about,” said Martin. “We’ve created that space where we can facilitate that conversation in a positive and supportive atmosphere. We try to hit all identities. We really try to be inclusive in our programming.”
