About 25 people of all ages, skin color, religions and backgrounds gathered on Wednesday not just to listen, but to speak together about how their shared histories and experiences can transcend the divisions that arise out of prejudice and oppression.
The first of its kind at DU and part of the annual Diversity Week, Wednesday’s Multicultural Story Circles experimented with a new form of activity: storytelling as a vehicle to cross-cultural unity. Those in attendance split into two circles, establishing a forum of discussion and personal storytelling, describing topics such as “a time you were made to feel different” and “a time you felt connection to another group.”
Rachel Pinsker, campus director of Hillel at the University of Denver, said she and others got the idea for the event by engaging in conversation about how to preface the “Let my People Go” concert that evening, which drew about 300 people, mostly adults in the DU community.
“The program definitely turned out as expected.B The conversations were extremely insightful and those in attendance seemed to really gain a deeper awareness of our differences and similarities,” said Pinsker.
Pinsker said that there is a plan to make unifying events such as the story circles annual, with a hope for more students attendance in the future.
“Anybody can tell a story,” said Associate Provost for Multicultural Excellence Jesus Trevino. He added that all people can learn lessons in integrity from these stories, as well as how to use humor to cope with difficult situations and about community building.
The event also included a kosher Passover meal complemented by an explanation of what the foods represent. Visiting musicians Kim Harris and Rabbi Jonathan Kligler spoke to the group prior to their performance in the concert.
Though from seemingly disparate backgrounds, Harris and Kligler started the “Let my People Go” project years ago, when their families’ friendship grew into a realization of the African American and Jewish communities’ common experiences with a struggle for freedom.
Kligler said that many African American gospel songs and songs from the civil rights movement drew inspiration from the Hebrew story of Moses, centering on the theme of the struggle for freedom.
In the same spirit of concern for humanity across cultures, the rest of Diversity Week comprised celebrations honoring cultures and were sponsored by a mCB)lange of DU organizations, such as DUPB and the Latino Student Alliance. A celebration of Asian-Pacific culture, a Latina play performed by a local high school at the Newman Center, an international House movie and dinner night, and a screening of the film “Glory Road” were some of the events, in addition to a Write on the Wall Project display and activities on Driscoll Bridge throughout the week.
