C.E.A.D. conference

2016 Celebrate, Educate and Appreciate Diversity Conference

January 4, 2016

LA GRANDE, Ore. (EOU) – Registrations are being accepted now for the fifth annual C.E.A.D. Conference at Eastern Oregon University Saturday, Feb. 13, 2016.

C.E.A.D. stands for Celebrate, Educate and Appreciate Diversity and the event is free for EOU students. The first 75 students to register will also receive a free T-shirt.

Faculty, staff and community members are also invited to attend for a registration fee of $25. The fee includes coffee service, lunch, other refreshments and a certificate verifying participants will have the base model to present information and lead activities that reinforce diversity.

Guest presenter Ron Jones, executive director of Dialogues on Diversity, will lead the central conference workshop illustrating the shifting face of America.

Using current data, Jones will show the growing need and necessity to engage difference – not just for the sake of understanding cultures beyond our own – but to see diversity as an emerging philosophy which will help individuals deal with the very nature of change itself.

Educator, writer, actor and social activist Ron Jones will be at EOU Feb. 13.

The workshop also targets specific principles found within the diversity matrix and expands upon those philosophies. All of these principles come together in an entertaining, engaging presentation with interactive games to help participants see how having a greater sense of diversity can turn perceived obstacles into opportunities to engage in an emerging world.

In the afternoon, actor Jeff Marcus will join Jones for a feature comedy presentation, “The Black-Jew Dialogues.” The play on the history and absurdity of prejudice and racism within the context of the American Black-Jew experience combines fast-paced sketches, improvisations and multi-media to create a show that has gained praise across the U.S. and the U.K.

“The Black-Jew Dialogues” won the Campus Activities Magazine and The Association for the Promotion of Campus Activities (APCA) 2013-2014 Best Diversity Program Award.

Jones has been an educator, writer, actor and social activist for over 25 years. As a founding member of the Emmy-winning Urban Improv program, he gave 250 workshops a year throughout New England for young people using improvisation as a tool for self-expression and violence prevention. He is also the former artistic director and executive director of the popular comedy troupe ImprovBoston.

“We are excited to have Dialogues on Diversity as the highlight of C.E.A.D. this year,” said Bennie Moses, director of the Multicultural Center at EOU. “The company will feature two fun and interactive programs that will engage and motivate participants to have genuine and compassionate conversations on critical topics challenging our campus and society today.”

Conference Schedule: Saturday, Feb. 13

8:30 a.m. – Registration and coffee hour
9:00 a.m. – Welcoming remarks from Vice President Xavier Romano
9:20 a.m. – Dialogues on Diversity Workshop
12:30 p.m. – LUNCH
1:00 p.m. – EOU President’s message
1:30 p.m. – “The Black-Jew Dialogues” performance
3:00 p.m. – Conference ends

Register for C.E.A.D. online at www.eou.edu/mc or e-mail mccenter@eou.edu. The conference is made possible with support from the Multicultural Center and Student Council for Multicultural Affairs at EOU.