Ebony and Ivory Week 2001, with the theme "Free your mind and the rest will follow," begins today and will continue through Thursday night.

For 16 years the scope of the weeklong event has expanded to include issues of racial and ethnic diversity, gender, culture and sexuality.

Chair for the event, Jean Celestin (senior-political science) said he hopes the event will address current issues such as hate mail and death threats on campus.

"This year is especially important because of the things that have happened in the last semester -- I think it's very important in terms of finding a common ground and promoting unity," Celestin said.

The week is sponsored by a series of Greek organizations with cultural and ethnic interests, as well as the Eberly College of Science and the University Park Allocation Committee. The Undergraduate Student Government, Multicultural Resource Center and College of Communications are also supporting the activities.

Tonight students will display personal art from a variety of media, including visual and performance art, at "Expressions: Venturing Outside Your Box."

Meliza Fermin (sophomore-graphic arts) will be one of the artists exhibiting works that emphasize unity.

"I look forward to this event every year because it's nice to see everyone learning from each other," Fermin said.

Other programs throughout the week will include a lecture by a Pennsylvania police officer about the facts and figures on racial profiling and a keynote speech from author and journalist James McBride.

McBride will discuss the issues addressed in his book, The Color of Water: A Black Man's Tribute to His White Mother, which is the story of how his white mother raised twelve black children.

"Race Within," an interactive discussion on race relations within different racial and ethnic communities, will take place Thursday.

The week will end later that night with a "Cultural Extravaganza" at the Sigma Phi Epsilon fraternity, 524 Locust Lane. Attendees must have a stamped handbill from at least one of the week's programs to be admitted.

Dameon Proctor (senior-electrical engineering), treasurer for Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity Inc., said he hopes to incorporate as many students in the event as possible and to foster healthy relationships between and among different groups.

"I think it's about bringing people together so they can understand those who they stand beside everyday," Proctor said.