Pictures of the first woman who died in Iraq, a Harvard professor, a gay man, a Ku Klux Klan member and a ballerina flashed on a PowerPoint. Before learning their identities, audience members described each image with one word, such as pride, innocence and strength.
Audience members were surprised when they learned who the pictures were of, but it proved the presenter's point that people often make inaccurate stereotypes and judgments about others before they truly get to know them.
Ball State University students gained peers' perspectives on biases and stereotypes during an interactive workshop by Pa'Trice Pettaway Day on Tuesday night in the L.A. Pittenger Student Center Forum Room.
"The presentation was interactive and at first it took the crowd awhile to warm up to her (Day), but you could tell the dynamics in the room began to change," Tiffany Washington, assistant director of Student Life, said.
Day, a former Marine now pursuing a doctorate in educational psychology at the University in Toledo, came to Ball State to give a presentation called "Who Lives in Your Neighborhood." It was designed to inspire audience members to think about what kind of a person they are or would like to become in the future.
LaTessa Black, public relations officer for the Black Student Association, said the goals of Day's presentation were to unite Ball State's campus and bring people together for a fun and educational experience.
During her presentation, Day discussed values, attitude, perception and self and discussed with the audience about how fear is often one reason why people don't unify. Day said people avoid unity because they are afraid they might offend others, or they are afraid to step out of their comfort zone.
"Fear is a great resistance for change," Day said, "I know unity is with people, and it takes change. If there wasn't a need for unity, we wouldn't have a Unity Week."
While the goal of the presentation was to help uncover biases, stereotypes, values, perceptions and attitudes about race, class and gender tensions in society, students also learned other lessons,
"The message she is trying to send out is how people should be more open-minded and closed minded about things," Unity Week Chairwoman Malena Pannhanouvong said.
Audience member Jessica Tindal said Day's energy and ability to discuss complex issues was the best aspect of the presentation.
"I love talking about differences and embracing them," Tindal said.
Although Day had to cut her presentation because of a room scheduling problem, she said afterwards she hoped the students learned from the workshop.
"I hope they look a little deeper at who they are, and why they are the way they are and if they wish to make changes, I hope I gave them food for thought on how they can make the changes," Day said.
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