By Jessica Lewis, News Editor
Jeff Johnson, journalist, social activist and political commentator spoke at the University on Wednesday and challenged students to answer the question of how to celebrate diversity. Johnson, who has been on BET and is a commentator on the Tom Joyner Morning Show, kicked off diversity awareness month through this presentation held in the Student Center Theater.
Many campus organizations sponsored the event, including the Hofstra University Museum, the Division of Student Affairs, Office of Multicultural & International Student Programs, the Hofstra Chapter of the NAACP, Black Student Union, Hofstra International Club, The Pride Network, Black and Hispanic M.B.A./M.S. Association and the Black and Hispanic Alumni Association.
Johnson encouraged the audience to be actively engaged throughout his presentation by instructing them to say, ‘I feel you,' and ‘mhm,' when in agreement with something he said. Associate Dean of Student and Community Development, Sara Hinkle was enthusiastic about having Johnson speak to the students. "I think [Johnson came] to inspire and motivate our students to think about how they as leaders can promote diverse communities on campus."
Johnson also made it evident to students that simply being in class with a diverse group of people doesn't make it a community. "Just because you have blacks and whites and Asians and gays and Catholics and Muslims in a classroom does not mean you have a community, it means you have an academic environment that is diverse," he said. Johnson explained that stepping out of the comfort zone and engaging with other cultures is what makes up a community. "Once you start in the corner, it's difficult to get out," Johnson said. "Being an aggressive black person is sometimes considered being anti-white."
The floor was then opened up to a question-and-answer session with Johnson, which turned into a discussion about the separation of race at the University. Students defined the Student Center as racially separated, saying that the white students sit in the back and the black students sit in the front.
President of the Hofstra Chapter of the NAACP, Nicholas Firs-Aime, was enthused about Johnson's presentation and said that the students have an opportunity to work together and be a community. "What I hope this did was open eyes and have students realize that diversity and community can be done at Hofstra," he said.
University student and a member of the African Caribbean Society, Dameon Morris was able to grasp a major point of Johnson's presentation. "Don't be afraid to interact with other people that don't look like you," Morris said.
The University hopes to keep the momentum beyond Diversity Month and have students actively engaged in a diverse community. "We are collecting names and emails to take to our office so we can reach out to the students to bring everyone together," Hinkle said.
At the close of the event, students rushed to the front of the theater to put their name and information down to form a committee that will eventually be started to help encourage diversity at the University.
(Sean M. Gates/The Chronicle)