OEI events are open to the entire college community and encourage interaction, dialogue, and solidarity. Events are planned throughout the semester with details listed on Engage, Whittier's student activity portal.
Cultural Graduations
Whittier's cultural graduations are a part of the College's long-standing tradition of celebrating the diversity and resilience among the APIDA, Black, Latinx and LGBTQIA+ communities. The cultural graduations are a celebration for the entire family and honor graduates and those who helped them reach the completion of their degree. All ceremonies are organized, planned, and coordinated by students.
Intersectional Poetry Slam (IPS)
In honor of Womxn Herstory Month, National Poetry Month and Diverse Identities Week during the spring semester, the planning committee creates a brave space for students to showcase their art and talent. The purpose of this event is to allow for the stories of womxn, people of color, LGBTQIA+, and any and all intersections of those identities to express themselves through spoken word, poetry, and open mic. Featured Poets are invited, and staff and faculty are also encouraged to participate.
Poet Pride Drag Show
Drag attempts to subvert traditional gender roles and expectations to demonstrate a broader and more inclusive perspective of gender. It has historically been an important activity for members of the queer community. The Poet Pride Drag Show creates a safe space for students, staff, faculty, alumni and professional performers to freely express themselves and share their art with the Whittier community. The show is open to the public.
This event is in collaboration with Transgender, Other-identified, Bisexual, Gay, Lesbian, and Allies for Diversity (TOBGLAD) club.
Spilling the Tea on Diversity Dialogues Series
Spilling the Tea on Diversity is a monthly dialogue series that empowers students to engage in critical conversations in order to increase their diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) awareness and engagement on and off campus. The dialogues are facilitated by DEI Ambassadors, and the model supports participants through critical reflection processes that lead to allyship and action. The series is open to students, staff, and faculty at Whittier College.
Past conversations include
- Black Lives Matters vs. “All Lives Matter”
- Co-Switching
- Cultural Appropriation
- Decolonizing Self-Care
- How to be an Ally: Ally is a Verb, not a Noun
- Indigenous Invisibility
- Identity Politics and Family Conflicts
- Inclusive Language, Words Have Power
- Microaggressions: See It. Stop It.
- Navigating Dialogues around the COVID-19 Vaccine and the Impact on Communities of Color
- Post-Election Community Organizing
- R Kelly vs. MeToo Movement
- Student Activism
- White Savior Complex!
Thriving Authentically
In collaboration with the Center of Career & Professional Development, Thriving Authentically is a series where alumni and employers are invited to serve in a panel to share their lived experiences in the workplace. It’s an empowering space for historically marginalized students to learn how to navigate the world, culture, and their rights as professionals.
Tour of Black LA
In honor of Black History Month, students have the opportunity to experience African American/Black culture and heritage in Los Angeles by visiting local organizations/sites and support Black owned restaurants.
