Pierce College Diversity Committee hosts Diversity Day

Pierce College Diversity Committee hosts Diversity Day

Los Angeles is said to be a diverse melting pot of cultures, and many Pierce College students celebrate that.

On Thursday, May 1, the Diversity Committee of Pierce College hosted the “Pierce Diversity Day” to let students from all around the world share talents and history of where they come from.

This event gave students knowledge about how important diversity is. The Committee supported and encouraged students to share all forms of creativity.

“We are here to celebrate and learn about different cultures, people with disabilities, and different religions,” said Associate Dean of Special Services Stephanie Schlatter.  “We try to bring this event together for students to participate in and share their diverse background and to teach each other.”

There were many performances from musical bands to presentations to poetry. Students were able to express their work and feel comfortable while doing it.

“I think being able to perform is actually very interesting and pretty good. We’re all pretty happy we got the opportunity to do it,” said the lead singer of The Voxes Javier Valenzuela. “So we thank whoever was arranging the event that put us into the slot to perform.”

Diversity Day exposed students to different cultures and ethnicities, and students were able to share with one another the situations they have experienced by being a minority here at Pierce College.

“I thought the event was pretty cool. I was able to see and learn things about different countries and get a broader perspective about the different areas,” MC of Pierce Diversity Day Alex Turkzadeh said. “I didn’t think it was going to be this crowded. But there were a lot of people who showed up.”

To prepare students for the diversity in a workplace and to give them a better understanding of what diversity is, the Pierce Diversity Committee wants to enhance their appreciation of unity and student retention.

“Diversity is very important. Everyone should love and respect one another. Without respect and love, you can’t really have diversity,” Valenzuela said.