MOORHEAD – The Student Government Association (SGA) and the Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Commission (DEIC) held a Martin Luther King Panel on Jan. 15 at 10:30 a.m.
Assistant Dean of Students and Director of Student Engagement, Nathalie Rinehardt led a panel discussion between students Fanan Nizam and Alisha Debleye, as well as staff members Heidi Rogers and Sunet Rubaclava.
The panel titled “Communities in Action, Empowering the Dream” aimed to share personal stories, reflections and advice for engaging in direct action on campus, with special focus on the legacy of Martin Luther King Jr.
Rinehardt kicked off the event with an open discussion about education, reflection and discussion with the panel aimed at how Concordia students and staff are Empowering the Dream of Martin Luther King Jr. Rinehardt asked questions about how the four panelists live with Martin Luther King Jr. as an inspiration, and how they try and use his story to inspire others interested in social activism.
“I see MLK as a human being first. (When put on a pedestal) It sort of overshadows the struggles he went through,” said Nizam, a junior majoring in Political Science who also serves as the lead commissioner for DEIC on campus.
“I wouldn’t have enough time to talk about everything that we did this fall semester. As the lead commissioner, I do a lot of the background and administrative work for DEIC,” Nizam said.
Debleye, senior, also sat on the panel. Debleye is the marketing and food pantry assistant at the Cobber Food Pantry, the community engagement intern with Kenneth Foster, the lead coordinator for Mentorship Opportunities for Students of Color (MOPOC), and a member of the Reading for Inclusion, Diversity, and Equity Program (RIDE).
“Understand what the problem is, (and) understand the issues for what they are. Start by going. It doesn’t hurt to attend discussions; it doesn’t hurt to listen. Come to actually digest what they’re talking about. Do some research on your own,” Debleye said.
With MOPOC and RIDE, Debleye discussed her involvement within the Moorhead High School System, and how she has been able to help students get ahead. “Students may not know these things are even available. We’re here to give you guys information and give you guys tools,” Debleye said.
Nizam and Debleye were joined by two faculty members of Concordia College, Sunet Rubaclava and Heidi Rogers. Rubaclava is an academic counselor and diversity support coordinator for two of Concordia College’s scholar-leader programs.
“I think it’s important to not be afraid to learn from each other. Tolerance is what the Germans had to the Jews until the holocaust. We need total respect to each other,” Rubaclava said, urging for instead of just tolerating differences within others, accepting and respecting differences between individuals.
When looking into culture at Concordia, Rubaclava said, “Within this little universe, we can figure things out ourselves. We need intersectional unity. How we can take care of each other. How we can continue building on top of our strong community.”
“I started (at Concordia College) in 2017. I’m not local to North Dakota or Minnesota. I had no idea where Fargo, North Dakota is or even Moorhead, Minesota is. I definitely see a lot of change and improvement. It’s sometimes hard to point at and say, ‘it’s this or that’. But I feel like it’s a different space than it was 7 years ago,” Rubaclava said.
Heidi Rogers, the Assistant Dean of Students and the Director of the Center for Student Success, discussed her role within Concordia College and how she is trying to make a difference daily.
“I see MLK’s dream linked very closely to the theme of our day today. What are my spheres of influence and how can I make Concordia more equitable?” Rogers said, “If you have any dominant identity and you’re entering anywhere where your identity differs, walk in with humility and with an open mind.”
The panel concluded with insights on knowledge on diversity, equity, and inclusion.
“When you think about DEI work, or social justice: we think about this really big thing, but at the core of it, it is respect and manners. DEI work is everyday work, and it never stops,” Nizan said.
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