I am beautiful. I am not my anxiety. I am a male feminist. I am plus sized and proud. I am a drag queen.
These are some of the statements showcased in a video played during Unity Week’s Check Yourself that took place Thursday night. Check Yourself is a new event meant to probe discussion on diversity, sexuality and inclusion.
Romelle Taday, vice president of Gamma Phi Omega, a Latina sorority, hosted the event. Taday began the discussion by asking the audience to define truth.
"I really appreciate honesty," said Nick Rowlett, graduate assistant in the Office of Student Life. "Most people were really honest [on the I Am video] and I don’t know if you see that level of vulnerability everywhere."
Taday facilitated discussion on inclusion, feminism and openness.
“I’m surprised so many people admitted they were feminists," Taday said. "Usually being a feminist has a negative connotation so it’s really refreshing to see that."
Taday introduced the central focus of Check Yourself, the SoulPancake Ball Pit video. The video features pairs of strangers sitting in a ball pit, asking each other personal questions and making connections. In the video, two complete strangers find common ground by both having fake teeth.
The audience was instructed to break up into groups and get to know one another. Pairs moved to secluded wooden chairs and began discussing things like movies, interests and backgrounds.
“Small groups are good. We started out talking about movies and wound up really opening up to each other,” said Barry Hawkins, the assistant director of student life. Hawkins coordinated the Check Yourself event.
“I would rather every [Unity Week event] allow for the conversations that took place tonight," Hawkins said. "When people really get to talking and the dialogue opens up, that’s when change happens. I could tell that tonight had some impact. It impacted me."
The event had seating for 100 but only 25 attended. The small attendance was not a determinant of success, Hawkins said. This event was expected to receive less participation because Unity Week usually has one night that is a smaller event.
“I think it was a good-sized crowd for a first time event," Hawkins said. "It’s about what we expected for Thursday. I would have liked to see more people, of course, but I’m very pleased."
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