Student Government held its semesterly Respect the Pack event, which promotes diversity and inclusion, at Talley Student Union on Thursday.
SG selects a different theme for Respect the Pack each semester. This one focused on promoting intersectionality, which helps people understand their social identities and how they overlap.
Pallavi Patil, a third-year studying political science and the assistant director of equity and accessibility within SG’s executive branch, said Respect the Pack is an impactful event for students to attend.
“I think the importance is just to show students like our commitment to issues that impact them,” Patil said. “I thought intersectionality would be a good topic for this spring’s Respect the Pack just because it ties together all the students’ identities.”
Students visited the tables of various organizations and groups on campus, such as the Disability Resource Office, the Native American Student Association, the Women’s Center, the Muslim Student Association and the Office of Global Engagement.
Later, students could attend workshops centered around the theme. Patil taught a “Gender 101” workshop. The workshop aimed to teach the attendees about transgender students in higher education and how they can be better supported and included in everyday life.
An intersectional relationships workshop discussed the impact of intersectionality in students’ everyday lives. A seminar on cancel culture focused on the impact of cancel culture on campus inclusivity and the dangers of being quick to assume people’s intents and experiences.
Nivi Gupta, a fourth-year studying psychology and English, is involved with the Women’s Center on campus. She said Respect the Pack is important because it helps spread information about spaces on campus that help students feel welcome in the community.
“A lot of our events are focused on different aspects of people’s identity to provide a space for people to find like minded communities and to just feel a space where they can feel accepted and like they belong,” Gupta said. “… A lot of spaces on campus may not feel as comfortable for some people, so we really strive to cultivate those spaces in our events and our just centers in general.”
Timothy Reid, student body president and a fourth-year studying business administration, spoke at the event.
“We just have a wealth of talent and energy and enthusiasm for students, and you just get to learn about all different facets of the University.” Reid said. “… It’s a continual learning experience. We really just want to start the second half of the year and this new semester off on a note, you know, really emphasizing the importance of community, but also diversity, equity and inclusion here on campus.”
Reid said participating in Respect the Pack is about witnessing the values and the relationships of the people through the organization.
“I think it is cultivating a welcoming and nurturing environment, not only for those who are returning but especially for those who are new [to campus],” Reid said. “I think it’s just a great way to set the tone for our semester and the kind of community that we not only are, but the community that we aspire to be.”
