2019 Diversity Forum

May 2, 2019

On April 30, students, faculty and staff gathered in the Lincoln Park Student Center for the 2019 Diversity Forum, presented by the Office of Institutional Diversity and Equity.

This year's event featured Ericka Huggins, from the World Trust. Huggins is a former Blank Panther Party member, political prisoner and human rights advocate. She is an expert on topics related to the physical and emotional well-being of women, whole-being education, the incarceration of men and women of color, and the role spiritual practice plays in sustaining activism.

Liz Ortiz, vice president of The Office of Institutional Diversity and Equity, welcomed faculty, staff and student attendees to the annual Diversity Forum on April 30. (DePaul University/Jeff Carrion)

Ericka Huggins, from the World Trust and a Black Panther Party member, political prisoner, poet and human rights advocate, delieverd this year's keynote address. (DePaul University/Jeff Carrion)

Ericka Huggins, from the World Trust and a Black Panther Party member, political prisoner, poet and human rights advocate, brings a legacy of spiritual practice and social justice activism to her work. (DePaul University/Jeff Carrion)

Huggins facilitated a screening and discussion of the documentary Cracking the Codes: The System of Racial Inequity. (DePaul University/Jeff Carrion)

Peridocially during the screening, attendees were asked to pause and discuss their reactions to the topics mentioned in the documentary. (DePaul University/Jeff Carrion)

Groups of faculty, staff and students took time to talk about diversity topics during the event in the Lincoln Park Student Center. (DePaul University/Jeff Carrion)

A. Gabriel Esteban, Ph.D., president of DePaul University, took part on the discussions. (DePaul University/Jeff Carrion)

For 38 years, Ericka Huggins has lectured and facilitated groups throughout the United States. She opens minds and hearts to an expanded view of humanity by turning participants to their family and work relationships. She values non-verbal communication and observes the room insightfully. (DePaul University/Jeff Carrion)

For 38 years, Huggins has shared her experiences and expertise with groups throughout the United States. (DePaul University/Jeff Carrion)

Following the screening and discussion, representatives from several of DePaul's employee resource groups including MERG, ELEVATE, LEAD and the DePaul Women's Network, responded to questions about how they work to serve DePaul's diverse community. (DePaul University/Jeff Carrion)