‘It’s a perfect marriage’
New art project combines community and creativity to explore definitions of diversity
Posted on February 21, 2008
Some words can have countless meanings. Diversity is one of these words.
“Defining Diversity” is a project developed by the International Beliefs and Values Institute to explain its concept of the term to students, faculty and community members.
Through the competition, anyone from Harrisonburg, Rockingham County or JMU can submit essays, photographs, short films and other art forms to define diversity.
The two specific focuses of the competition are on exploring the general concept of diversity and showcasing specific examples from the region.
Jennifer Coffman, associate executive director for the Office of International Programs, said IBAVI wanted to extend their core mission about beliefs and values into a more engaging concept.
“As an instructor, I see a lot of students who are here during their whole career that don’t realize what makes Harrisonburg and Rockingham County unique, or diverse, or special,” she said.
Coffman submitted the idea for an Innovative Diversity Efforts grant during the fall semester, and received it in December. Several other organizations became involved with the initiative, including the Office of International Programs, the Orientation Office and the Madison Art Collection.
Coffman believes that having the connections between the different organizations is essential.
“It’s the perfect marriage of ideas,” she said.
Committees of specialists and volunteers will review the submissions individually and then choose the finalists together. Winners will receive cash prices and be included in a film for the Orientation Office. Entries will also be showcased in the Madison Art Collection’s Prism Gallery during August and September.
Kate Stevens, director of the Madison Art Collection, is excited to include the pieces in the multimedia gallery.
“The Prism Gallery is the perfect place to display the pieces,” she said. “So many people walk through this huge open space on the lower level of Festival, and there’s so many dynamic conversations carried through.”
A local resident throughout her life, Stevens recognizes the importance of a community understanding.
“I applaud Coffman’s efforts,” she said. “Having both JMU and the community is essential to this project. JMU tends to be a pocket campus, which isn’t always good. As a local person, I want to see the two groups permeate, and produce a richer dialogue about diversity.”
Craig Shealy, executive director of IBAVI, is also enthusiastic about the community involvement.
“Harrisonburg is an incredibly diverse community by any standard,” he said. “Yet, the word evokes many different expectations.
There’s no common or shared understanding of the construct of diversity. We all assume we understand each other, but that’s not necessarily the case.”
Without one definite definition of diversity, the program hopes that each entry will reveal a different understanding of the concept.
“The term can refer to specific areas, such as race, ethnicity, or religion, or it can cover a wide range of ideas, including rural or urban, rich or poor, or highly educated or not,” Shealy said. “All the values that go into the terms we use affect our ability to communicate.”
Shealy and Coffman said they have no set expectations about the number and type of submissions they will receive.
“With the different forms of expression, we can showcase the diversity of diversity,” Shealy said. “This gives a richer lens for everyone to look through.”
