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Posted: 9/03/20

TAMIU Launches New Diversity and Inclusion Site, Reinforces Commitment to Equality for All

 

Dr. Thomas Mitchell
Dr. Thomas Mitchell  

Texas A&M International University’s (TAMIU) commitment to equity, diversity and inclusion is affirmed by the launch of a new Diversity and Inclusion website that captures the multifaceted and multicultural aspects of the University community.

Created by TAMIU’s Public Relations, Marketing and Information Services office in collaboration with the University’s Inclusion, Diversity and Equity Committee (TIDE), the site presents diverse faculty research and features, cultural book and film recommendations, world music, recipes and a complete list of various heritage month activities.

It complements the University’s Office of Compliance site, which outlines TAMIU’s overarching rules and expectations for its University community, including equity, diversity and inclusion.

TAMIU’s Diversity and Inclusion site can be found at: https://www.tamiu.edu/diversity/index.shtml

Dr. Thomas Mitchell, TAMIU Provost and Vice President for Academic Affairs, said everyone is encouraged to visit the new site to learn about various and distinct cultures, backgrounds and participate in engaging and thought-provoking heritage month activities.

“The greatness of America is the diversity of its people – the melding of diverse peoples and cultures into a democratic union,” he said, “At TAMIU, we are especially proud of the fact that we have the largest percentage of Hispanic students of any university in the United States, but that we have assembled a faculty that brings the world to our campus.  We have an incredibly diverse faculty – faculty originally from Spain, Scotland, Ireland, Poland Jordan, Canada, Colombia, China, Korea, India, Bangladesh, Sri Lanka, Ghana, Saudi Arabia, Iran, México, Russia, just to name a few countries represented on campus.”

During the months of September and October, TAMIU will present virtual events for Hispanic Heritage Month and Día de los Muertos (Day of the Dead), said Mika Akikuni, TAMIU associate director of marketing and TIDE committee co-chair.

“The year 2020 has been a year of unforeseen challenges that prevented us from offering in-person heritage month events, but we are now excited to present them in a virtual format so that anyone can participate from wherever they are,” she said.

Upcoming events  open to the public include a Facebook LIVE forum on why TAMIU values diversity and inclusion, a reading and discussion of Mexican folktales featuring “500 Years of La Llorona,” a discussion titled, “Decolonizing ‘Diversity’: On the Epistemic Value of Diversity in Higher Education,” and a PBS documentary livestream and discussion of Día de los Muertos and virtual altar.

TAMIU students will also participate in virtual events such as the traditional El Grito and Lotería as well as in Social Justice Leadership Series events titled, “Latino Masculinities” and “Colorism in the Latinx Community.”

Charged by the office of the Provost and Vice President for Academic Affairs, TIDE is committed to The Texas A&M University System’s normative principles of diversity, equity and inclusion. It is further committed to advancing the cause of these principles by pursuing cross-cultural exploration, inter-cultural relationship- building, and mutual learning and growth through events and activities that celebrate the unity of cultures in a democratic environment.

For more information, please contact Mika Akikuni, at 956.326.2184 or email makikuni@tamiu.edu.

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