January 12, 2006

Nova Southeastern University Honors the Memory of Dr. King with Unity Week 2006

FT. LAUDERDALE-DAVIE, FL— The principles on which Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., lived and died – justice, equality, and peace - will be honored at Nova Southeastern University during Unity Week 2006, January 17 – 28. NSU’s Unity Week is designed to celebrate diversity, create peace, and to foster community.

NSU President Ray Ferrero, Jr., believes NSU’s Unity Week is an excellent way to highlight hot-button topics in society such as poverty, intolerance, and violence. “These events are designed to confront head-on the issues—whether ideological or otherwise—which continue to divide us. They serve to remind us that though we have made great progress in recent decades, there is still a long road ahead of us. Together, they offer a profound tribute to the lasting legacy of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.”

Activities for NSU Unity Week, which are free and open to the public, include:

Tuesday, Jan. 17

• Screening and discussion of the acclaimed film, “Crash,” 7:00 p.m., Flight Deck Theatre in Rosenthal Student Center. The film, released in 2005, explores the circumstances under which people of different racial/ethnic backgrounds in Los Angeles collide in one incident, and how accepting stereotypes affect judgment, beliefs and actions.

Wednesday, Jan. 18

• Hunger Banquet, 7:00 p.m. Goodwin backyard.
  
  
  
  • A hands-on illustration of inequitable distribution of food, and homelessness in the U.S. Students will receive one of three cards which will identify them as 1st, 2nd or 3rd World citizens. First World citizens will eat at tables with tablecloths and will be served a full course meal by waiters; 2nd World citizens will sit at a bare table and will eat rice, beans and salad, while 3rd World citizens will sit on the bare floor and will have to share two bowls of rice.
    
    
    
• “Grate” American Sleep-out, 8:30 p.m., Goodwin backyard.
  
  
  
  • During the Grate American Sleepout, (spelled “grate” because scores of homeless people in the north sleep on grates for warmth in the winter), students will learn first-hand some of the discomforts that the homeless must endure.  Students may bring only a bedroll (no electronics: iPods, cell phones, etc., and no personal toiletries), and will sleep outdoors on the grounds of Goodwin Residence Hall. The evening will include discussion and several homeless people will speak about their experiences living on the streets.

Thursday, Jan. 19

• Cultural Taste of NSU, 11:30 a.m. – 1:30 p.m., Library Quad. Attendees will enjoy a “taste” of cuisine from several different cultures, while enjoying live performances by students in traditional garb. The event, sponsored by he International Student Association, assists in increasing awareness and appreciation of the diversity that exists on the NSU campus.

• Interfaith Dialogues, 5:30 p.m., Flight Deck, Rosenthal Student Center. Representatives from various faiths will share the unique cultures, traditions and beliefs of their religion.  This annual event showcases individual and collective ideologies that display how the extraordinary differences among people are just as important as the differences that bring them together.  Faiths represented include Baha’i, Judaism, Scientology, Buddhism, Muslim, and Christianity, among others. A question and answer session follows the discussion.

Friday, Jan. 20

• Wall of Hate, Noon, Library Quad. The NSU Community will tear down the barriers built by discrimination, oppression and inhumanity in this 3rd annual event. Through the act of deconstructing the wall which represents the oppression of others, participants are reminded that each has the power to create a positive change in the future.

Monday, Jan. 23

• Take Back the Night, 7 p.m., Goodwin Backyard. This event highlights the issues related to sexual assault and domestic violence, serving as a means for NSU and local community to unite in the fight against violence this year. Take Back the Night is dedicated to the memory of Nichola Seegobin, a third year student at NSU’s College of Optometry, who was murdered off -campus in July 2005 by an ex-boyfriend. Nichola’s parents, Reggie and Chandra Seegobin from Orlando, FL will be in attendance to remember their daughter and to receive a special recognition. The evening will culminate with a candlelight vigil in honor of those who have been victimized and/or lost their lives due violence and a march around NSU’s campus.

Saturday, Jan. 28

• NSU Diversity Summit, 9:30 a.m. – 4:00 p.m., Carl DeSantis Building. The inaugural Diversity Summit will feature participation from other South Florida schools, including Florida Atlantic University, Lynn and Palm Beach Community College.  The theme is “Awakening Hearts, Engaging Minds, Igniting Souls,” and will feature roundtable discussions, interactive exercises, and the opportunity for reflection.  Each participant will receive a journal to use during the reflection periods. The Summit will conclude with a Diversity Action Fair which will provide students with information about how they can take action and make a difference.

For more information about NSU Unity Week, visit www.nova.edu/studentleadership/ or call (954) 262-7294.