Eliyahu Gasson | Opinions Editor
Friday evening’s Spirit of Diversity Celebration, hosted by The Center for Excellence in Diversity and Student Inclusion at Duquesne, has welcomed many keynote speakers who discuss multicultural issues. This year’s speaker was Ed Gainey, the first Black mayor of Pittsburgh.
“I’m honored to be here,” Gainey said to The Duke. “When any major university asks you to speak about diversity and inclusion and what it means, I think it’s a great opportunity to uplift all people.”
The event served as a time for the center to recognize select students for their leadership and academic excellence with the Spirit of Diversity Award and the Dr. Ron L. Swain Award for Social Justice.
“I think it’s great,” Gainey said. “All great revolutions started with the youth. So I think that the more you have the youth out there doing [the work], the better the world will be.”
Quincy Stevenson, the executive director for diversity and student inclusion at Duquesne, was running the event. According to Stevenson, Gainey was asked to come because he represented the style of leadership The Center for Excellence in Diversity and Student Inclusion wanted to foster.
“Ed Gainey … is a visionary leader and a dedicated public servant known for his commitment to improving the region and the people he serves,” Stevenson said. “Gainey’s leadership style is characterized by empathy, collaboration and a deep understanding of the challenges faced by Pittsburgh’s diverse population.”
Following an hour-long reception in the Fiddes Shepperson Suite featuring two open bars and hors d’oeuvres, the ballroom opened up for the main event.
The doors to the ballroom opened at 6 p.m. Well-dressed attendees took their places at their assigned tables.
“I am excited about tonight,” Stevenson said in his opening remarks. “I am excited because we get to acknowledge our students and we get to acknowledge servant leadership on our campus.”
Following Stevensons’ opening remarks and a prayer from Spiritan Campus Minister Gio Cuchapin, attendees were welcomed, one table at a time, to get food from the buffet.
“I am excited about tonight,” Stevenson said to the audience. “I am excited because we get to acknowledge our students and we get to acknowledge servant leadership on our campus.”
Ron Swain is the namesake of the Ron L. Swain Award for Social Justice. He graduated from Duquesne in 1970 with a Bachelor’s in history and is the chaplain and director of Spiritual Life at Southwestern University. He addressed the audience prior to the recipients of his award being announced.
“The university has come a long way,” Swain said. “We’ve come a long way as a society, but we still have much more work to do, and I’m just so honored to be a part of this program to encourage young leaders to continue the work that has been begun.”
Quincey Stevenson, the executive director for diversity and student inclusion announced the winners of the Spirit of Diversity award, which included Lindsey Harris, Samiya HenryHenrey, Chispa Kayonga, Anna Nguyen, Elisha Shoeneck and Marie Sullivan.
Winners of the Ron L. Swain Award for Social Justice included Jakobie Green and Lei’asha Battle.
Jakobie Green, a junior finance major at Duquesne, said his win was a welcome surprise.
“It was not expected whatsoever, but I was very happy to know that I won an award,” Green said.
Green is the executive vice president of Duquesne’s Black Student Union. He also serves as the president of the Collegiate 100 at Duquesne, a national campus based student organization.
“In order for us to be vital role models for our communities, we have to be present within our communities, and that’s what we do,” Green said.
“What we’re celebrating tonight, quite frankly, are our students that promote equality and inclusion on campus and strive for academic excellence and do everything that they can to assist us with promoting a sense of inclusion for all students on campus,” said Stevenson.