“Diversity Day” features events focusing on cultural, academic, artistic and athletic opportunities at Iowa State.

The daylong celebration of multiculturalism, which begins today, will include a diversity fair, a series of speeches and a presentation by the Zulu African Drum and Dance Connection.

All events are free and open to the public and will be held in the Memorial Union.

“We want to bring all groups together to celebrate diversity and [have them] be open to what diversity means,” said Nina Grant, minority liaison officer for the College of Agriculture. “Racial, ethnic, social, gender, sexual orientation — any aspect of diversity we wanted to include.”

The celebration begins in the Gallery Room at 10 a.m., with a keynote address by George Jackson, assistant dean for the Graduate College. His speech, titled “Diversity Means You,” will highlight diversity in American higher education.

“I think American higher education has an obligation to speak to the needs of all students who seek education after high school,” Jackson said. “American higher education should not be a system that merely reinforces the advantages, but they must be about developing potential in each and every student.”

Grant said Jackson was selected because of the projects he has initiated in honor of ISU alumnus George Washington Carver.

Jackson said American higher education is a great opportunity to enhance diversity because young people come to America’s universities to “study, share and learn.”

“The saddest thing that could happen is for American students to refuse to take the opportunity to learn from someone who may have a culture that is different from their very own,” he said.

Following Jackson’s speech, a series of concurrent sessions on a range of topics will be held on the second floor of the MU from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m.

“We have sessions on the Hispanic/Latino culture; lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender [issues]; becoming a cultural explorer; minority student retention and ethnic identity,” Grant said.

He said 100 buttons reading “Diversity, Strength and Unity” will be handed out to the first 100 people at the concurrent sessions.

“The buttons have different lines of color [showing] unity,” Grant said. “White, yellow, brown, black and red colors unite in the middle, symbolizing strengths of diverse groups getting together.”

At noon, Sedric McClure, admissions counselor at Concordia University, in St. Paul, Minn., will speak about “The Myth of Race” in Room 244.

A diversity fair will be held in the Sun Room from 3 to 5 p.m. “There will be opportunities to get involved with the multicultural groups at the fair,” Grant said.

The Zulu African Drum and Dance Connection will be held at 9 p.m. in the Great Hall.