The day before the first day of class, Student Government hosted “Respect the Pack,” an event focused on intentionally building community and encouraging conversations surrounding diversity and inclusion.

The event included the Arts Village painting the Free Expression Tunnel and speeches from Chancellor Randy Woodson, Student Body President Emma Carter, a fourth-year in international studies, Student Body Vice President Nicole Teague, a third-year studying business administration and Director of Diversity Outreach Zakiya Covington, a graduate student in college counseling and student development.

Campus community centers, through the Office for Institutional Equity and Diversity, the counseling center, the Disability Resource Office and University Activities Board, were also present at the event encouraging students to participate in the event. Carter spoke about part of the event that challenged students to take part in difficult conversations about diversity and inclusion.

“There was also a buzzwords station, so that brings a common language — things we always talk about,” Carter said. “Like being an ally, having intersectionality and different things like that. But, the fishbowl questions were for students to show that we’re ready to engage in these difficult questions or difficult topics.”

Carter said that her speech centered on the common reading for this school year, “Born a Crime” by Trevor Noah, and how to encourage an individual’s surroundings to tackle tough topics to create a community.

“I was able to talk about a little bit of stuff that [Noah] talked about, like realizing that he can build community by pushing other people to resilient and to strive to be brave and be uncomfortable and create community,” Carter said. 

Carter also discussed Teague’s speech and said that she challenged people to see not just the perception of Teague, but what she fights and stands for and to be unapologetically herself.

“Nicole talked about her experience here at NC State,” Carter said. “I think Nicole challenged everyone, with her experiences, to be more intentional, but also breakdown those stigmas and stereotypes because, I’m quoting Nicole, ‘stigmas and stereotypes have one sole purpose, to control or to manipulate.’”

Mitchell Moravec, a second-year graduate student in public administration and the Student Senate president, talked about how he hopes that big controversial events that have to deal with free speech, and the impact that it can have on several communities, will encourage large discussions and debates in the student governance chambers. 

“A reminder of what … Student Senate can be,” Moravec said. “I would hope the Senate is willing to take up issues like this and kind of look at free speech or the Board of Governors developing their diversity strategic plan and being able to hear that and receive it but also have these discussions. While we don’t need to be unanimous in the senate, we should be having the critical discussions, and hopefully I can lead those debates fair and equal to hear and represent what students want at NC State.”

Moravec also said the physicality of Respect the Pack would likely compel students to take a look at what is going on around them and encouraged more students to think about their experiences and thoughts about diversity and inclusion.

“Also, the physical presence on campus being right in the Talley lobby, you have to walk around us and most students stop and check the event out,” Moravec said. “Also the free expression tunnel, it’s the night before students are going to be walking in the morning and hopefully seeing that bright, colorful mural and everything on it. I think the physical presence is what makes Respect the Pack more intentional and impactful, because you put it right in the students faces.” 

Carter said that she wants Respect the Pack to be remembered by all students.

“I want the big takeaway this year to be, we need to come together as one Wolfpack,” Carter said. “We might all come from different backgrounds with different experiences and  … be open minded, learn new things, but also be respectful of one another.”