Free and Open to All
The public is invited to celebrate and explore diversity and contemporary social justice issues during Unity Through Diversity Week at Highline College, April 25–29, 2016.
Now in its 19th year, the weeklong program looks at the diversity of the south King County community in all forms: race, gender, class, sexual orientation, ability and religion.
United by the theme “Rewiring Our Minds: Reconnecting Our Roots Across Invisible Borders,” Unity Through Diversity Week will include free lectures and workshops by guest speakers and campus experts.

Doris Martinez
“This year’s program focuses on dismantling what is blocking humanity from connecting authentically,” said Doris Martinez, who is one of the organizers of the event and Highline’s Director of Student Diversity and Inclusion.
“With the various challenges our global community faces, our planning committee is deeply committed to providing our community the space to partake in conversations regarding various topics highlighted throughout the week, but also to celebrate the strengths of our diverse intersections.”
Unity Through Diversity Week is sponsored by Multicultural Affairs and the Center for Leadership and Service.
Questions?
Doris Martinez: (206) 592-4319 or dmartinez@highline.edu
Multicultural Affairs: (206) 592-3296 or mca@highline.edu
Event Schedule
All events are free and open to the public and will be held on Highline’s main campus.
Monday, April 25, 2016
“Learning and Teaching the Truth of the Last 500 Years of Colonialism”
Lecture by Olin Tezcatlipoca, Director of Mexica Movement
9–10:30 a.m.
Building 7
During his talk, Tezcatlipoca will present a short outline of the unknown, and hidden, pre-1492 history of cities, civilizations, and scientific and other accomplishments on this continent by the Nican Tlaca (the indigenous people) of this continent, with the goal of breaking the lies of “savages and a people with no history and no accomplishments.”
“Learning and Teaching Truth As a Solution to the Colonized Minds That We Have Inherited”
Workshop by Olin Tezcatlipoca, Director of Mexica Movement
1:30–3 p.m.
Building 8, Mt. Constance room
We will learn that learning and teaching truth and making demands for justice is what brought about the abolition of slavery, the women’s movement, the labor movement and the end to European direct colonization of most of the world. Europeans still have indirect colonial control of most of the world through control of media, commerce, monetary systems and a world cultural focus on European interests.
The books recommended will serve as a foundation to learning and teaching solutions to the ignorance of self, stereotypes, a media that serves the interests of maintaining our colonized lives, the Eurocentric education system, and the poverty of minds and living conditions that the majority of non-European people in the United States live and suffer under.
Tuesday, April 26, 2016
“Intersections of Oppression: An African American Muslim Perspective”
Lecture by Imam Benjamin Shabaaz
10–11:30 a.m.
Building 7
Poetry Reading
Reading by Rick Barot
11 a.m.–12 p.m.
Building 8, Mt. Constance room
“LGBTQIA Safe Zones, Part 1”
Workshop by LGBTQIA Taskforce
12:30–3 p.m.
Building 2
Wednesday, April 27, 2016
“Bystander Intervention”
Workshop by Barbara Talkington, Highline Multicultural Leadership Advisor, and Richelle Enriquez, Associated Students of Highline College Vice President
11 a.m.–12:50 p.m.
Building 2
Thursday, April 28, 2016
“Indigenous Thoughts on Borders: Clearwater”
Lecture and film presented by Tracy Rector of Longhouse Media
11 a.m.–12:30 p.m.
Building 7
“The Leap: From Ordinary to Extraordinary”
Workshop by Jeffon Seely
1:30–3 p.m.
Building 8, Mt. Constance room
Friday, April 29, 2016
“Syrians Also Have Dreams: Refugees, Islamophobia, and Media Misrepresentations of the Syrian War”
Lecture by authors Robin Yassin-Kassab and Leila Al-Shami
10–11:30 a.m.
Building 7
“Burning Country” is a vivid and groundbreaking look at a political and humanitarian nightmare. It explores the horrific and complicated reality of life in Syria today with unprecedented detail and sophistication, drawing on firsthand testimonies from human rights activists, opposition fighters, exiles lost in an archipelago of refugee camps and others.
Their talk at Highline will tie in these developments to the way prevailing attitudes about Muslims have influenced the way the conflict has been narrated in Western media, and in particular, how the democratic struggle at the heart of the conflict has gone nearly unnoticed in the midst of fears of terrorism and suspicions about refugees.
“Exploring Social Interactions Beyond Invisible Borders”
Workshop by Dr. Leticia Nieto and Yvette D. Murrell
2–4 p.m.
Building 8, Mt. Constance room