The Bismarck Human Relations Committee and Bismarck State College Embracing Diversity Committee will host a Diversity Day Event, Thursday, Oct. 4, 7:00 p.m., at the Bismarck State College Student Union, Missouri Room, 1425 Schafer Street, Bismarck.
The Diversity Day program will consist of three topics including: Resettlement, Intercultural Understanding, and American Indian Tribes of North Dakota. Various speakers will share their experiences and personal journeys to becoming new Americans, intercultural opportunities, and distinctions among American Indian tribes of North Dakota. Refreshments will be served and there will be time after the program concludes to ask questions and to meet with the speakers.
October is Diversity Awareness Month, and the first Friday of October is National Diversity Day. “We’ve organized this event to celebrate diversity and to increase awareness of diversity in our community,” said Sonvy Sammons, Human Relations Committee Chair. “Diversity Day is a day to reflect on different cultures and ideologies in our community and to commit to acceptance and tolerance. This is a day to celebrate and embrace who we are despite our differences.”
ResettlementDarci Asche, Acting New American Services Program Director and Turdukan Tostokova, Resettlement Coordinator, both of Lutheran Social Services and a member of the Bismarck refugee community will tell of the journey of new Americans resettling in the Bismarck Mandan community and services available to new Americans.
Intercultural UnderstandingSunanda Jain will speak about settling into life in the Great Plains, far from her home in India. New American, Sreevani, will dance a short classical Indian dance, Bharatnatyam; and Aruna Seth will speak about the International Club of Bismarck Mandan.
American Indian Tribes of North DakotaNative speakers will tell of the cultural differences and similarities among Native American tribes in North Dakota including: Brenda Finn, Standing Rock; Lorraine Davis, Sisseton/Wahpeton and Amber Mathern, Turtle Mountain.