Hunter Deiglmeier – Review staff writer. The Linfield Activities Board switched its event schedule this year, having Diversity Week run Oct. 26-30, the earliest it has ever been held.
LAB decided that it would be easier to move Diversity Week, normally slated for Spring Semester, to the fall to avoid competition with other events, lectures and guest speakers usually scheduled during April.
Rovinghorse Henna provided henna tattoo art Oct. 26 to begin the week’s festivities. Junior Lauren Funtanilla, LAB cultural events chair, said she asked the henna artists back to campus because of the overwhelming turnout of more than 150 students they brought the previous year. Rovinghorse Henna drew approximately 110 tattoos that afternoon.
The movie “Milk” was screened that evening, which was followed by a lecture about the diversity of sexual orientation.
About 15 Fusion Club members and 35 outside students came to see the movie and participate in the discussion.
Fusion Club president Jesse Aerni invented the idea for this event. He said he planned it for last year’s Diversity Week but couldn’t fit it into the schedule.
“We decided on this movie because it is politically aware of the diversity in sexual orientation, and it just seemed appropriate for the discussion,” Aerni said.
Guest speaker Matt Glowacki presented his lecture, “Diversity according to ‘South Park’ and ‘Family Guy,’” in Ice Auditorium on Oct. 27. Glowacki focused on characters’ differences by singling out how they are exaggerated within the context of their respective programs and the reasoning behind it.
Glowacki said he and his friends watched “Family Guy” and “South Park” and that he understood and laughed at jokes that his friends didn’t. So, he decided to try use diversity to help others comprehend what he found humorous.
“Diversity is learning from people’s differences and getting to know people on the inside,” Glowacki said.
LAB discovered Glowacki at the National Association for Campus Activities, where comedians, guest lecturers and other artists perform and are booked for college shows.
The Linfield College Chaplaincy next put on a “Discovery of Faiths” panel discussion Oct. 28. The lecture featured three religious representatives who discussed their religious backgrounds and beliefs.
Diversity Week events culminated Oct. 29 with “Diversity Week Celebrates Culture.” The cultural show is an annual event hosted by the International Club in partnership with LAB. It highlighted a variety of multicultural routines, such as dance and musical numbers, as well as a fashion show.
After the show, a dinner featuring international foods prepared by students in a buffet style was held in Jonasson Hall. Contributions from restaurants, such as Geraldi’s Italian Café, El Primo and Thai Country, were also available.