The Penn State community will come together to focus on several potentially divisive issues Monday as Unity Week begins. Discussions about topics ranging from sexual assault to interracial dating to racism will be held throughout the five days.
Undergraduate Student Government Town Sen. Bridget Van Osten, who coordinated the week's events, said the main purpose of Unity Week is education.
"I think if people are more educated, they would be more understanding of everyone on campus," Van Osten said.
She said the theme, "Putting the Pieces Together," came from the idea that there are a lot of issues surrounding different communities, but many of them are related.
"If everyone could see the common bonds between different groups and how they relate," Van Osten said, groups might get along better and have fewer problems.
The USG Department of Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender and Allies (LGBTA) Affairs will sponsor The Family Flag starting at 9 a.m. Monday in Heritage Hall in the HUB-Robeson Center. Jennifer Storm, LGBTA Affairs director, said the project will serve to create awareness of hate crimes within the LGBT community. The flag will consist of panels representing the six colors of the rainbow. Each color will have a different meaning, from orange representing victims of physical violence to green representing those who have suffered sexual discrimination.
Storm said the atmosphere will be casual, and people can come in at any time during the day to make a panel. Storm said the project could function as a healing tool for those affected by hate crimes, and serve another purpose for those who have not personally dealt with such issues.
"It would really serve as an eye opener to people who are not a member of the LGBT community to see what people go through," Storm said.
On Wednesday, the Commonwealth Campuses will hold a Unity Day of their own. Bhaumik Desai, the chair of the CCSG Diversity Affairs Committee, said each of the campuses are observing the day differently. Desai said the DuBois campus is having a spaghetti dinner, the Shenango campus will feature Mexican food tasting, while students at other locations may pass out ribbons. He said CCSG tells students at other Penn State locations what is going on at University Park and encourages them to get involved, but it is ultimately up to them to decide to do so.
"I'm really happy people are choosing to do something," Desai said.
USG Community Education Director Rubina Javeri said the Classroom Without Walls at noon Wednesday on Old Main Lawn will look at conflict, locally and globally. Speakers will discuss different aspects of the topic, including conflict resolution, international conflict, and positive results of protest.
"The purpose is to question your assumptions," Javeri said. "Classroom Without Walls tries to answer those questions."
Javeri said an interracial dating forum at 7 p.m. Thursday in the Pollock Cultural Lounge will deal with an issue that people do not like to talk about. The discussion will explore issues interracial couples may face in their relationships.
"Getting this issue out there will generate discussion and put a voice to this issue," Javeri said.
