UW-Platteville’s Diversity Committee is hoping to expose students to different cultures when it hosts Unity Week on campus from March 31 to April 5. Expanding on the Diversity Week last year, the committee has compiled a weeklong series of events that aim to unite students for equality.

Monday, March 31, is Advocates Day. The event will run from 11 a.m. - 1 p.m. in the Pioneer Crossing. During this time period those who wish can come up to an open mic and express to others the causes that they advocate for, such as civil rights or gay rights.

“Hopefully this will encourage good discussion on a wide variety of topics,” Emily Hadorn, public relations officer for both the Alliance and Diversity Committee, said.

“It gives us a chance to hear what other people feel,” Devine Nzegwu, president of Diversity Committee, said. “I think students can get a lot out of listening to what other people think.”

From 7 - 8:30 p.m. on Monday students will also be able to take part in the global hip-hop forum. This forum, held in the Lundeen Lecture Hall in Doudna Hall, will be led by Professor Jennifer Mandel who will give a lecture on hip-hop styles around the world.

“Every culture has its own hip-hop,” Hadorn said. “It’s not just an American thing, it’s really worldwide and that’s something a lot of people in the States don’t realize.”

“It will unite people to see how other people use hip-hop,” Nzegwu said.

On Tuesday, April 1 those in attendance will be able to “walk a mile” in the shoes of different diversity groups. Attendees will walk from room to room and watch a skit from each group that explains an event that happened in the past that affected their culture’s community. After the skit the groups will talk about why that event was important to discuss.

“The Alliance will be doing the Matthew Shepherd incident,” Hadorn said. “SOL, BSU, the Women’s Center and other organizations will also have rooms.”

“Some people might have heard of these events, but going to these will let you see them in-depth,” Nzegwu said. “I am excited to learn.”

The committee will be hosting a diversity trivia game night from 6 - 8 p.m. on Thursday, April 3, at the Pioneer Haus. The event will be a Jeopardy-style game involving topics such as African-American history; gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgender history; and religion.

“I think people are going to learn a lot because it isn’t like a lecture,” Nzegwu said. “You’ll have a lot of fun and learn at the same time.”

A silent march will be held from 1pm-3pm on Friday April 4. The march will begin on the patio of the Pioneer Student Center and will move around campus.

“The march is in protest of the humanities against groups like African-Americans,” Hadorn said.

Awareness Through Performance from LaCrosse will be performing at UW-P at 1pm on Friday April 4. The group from LaCrosse aims to raise awareness about social problems.

The week will wrap up with the Taste of Nations dinner at 5:30pm at St. Augustine’s perish. Food from many different parts of the world including Africa, Europe, the Mediterranean, Asia and Latin America will be offered.

“This will expose students to food they wouldn’t normally eat,” Hadorn said. “Food is a big part of culture and through food you can be exposed to culture.”

During the dinner there will also be a drawing for a grand prize. Students who attain a Unity Week ticket and get at least four stamps you earn by attending the events during Unity Week. Tickets can be picked up at the Pioneer Involvement Center or MERC office.

“Other prizes will be given away throughout the week,” Hadorn said. “You have to be present to win all prizes excluding the grand prize.”

“I hope students will learn about diversity, open their minds, and get to know their fellow human,” Hadorn said.

The Diversity Committee that is hosting Unity Week was created last semester in response to the racist and homophobic graffiti that was becoming more common on campus. Hadorn said that Student Senate saw that problem, and representatives from all the diversity groups on campus sent representatives to come together and help eachother.

“We all had the same goal, making human rights universal,” Hadorn said.

Dean of Students, Rich Egley, said that these events help bring students together to discuss different beliefs and that is of great benefit to the campus.

“We are not trying to get students to adopt other students beliefs, but we want to give students a chance to discuss and debate,” Egley said.

Egley couldn’t recall any reports this semester of racist or homophobic graffiti, but he wanted to remind the campus community that it takes more than one event to curve these attitudes.

“To the person throwing bricks in the lake, it doesn’t look like it has much impact until there is an island…that is why it is important to continue providing these educational opportunities,” Egley said. “That is why these educational opportunities are so important.”

“I think Devine and the other students involved are doing this under the banner of unity,” Egley said. “We do our best things when we do things together.”