Diversity Dialogue: Gina Brown

The Office of Diversity and Inclusion was honored to have Ms. Gina Brown at Tarleton State University to discuss HIV/AIDS. Gina currently serves as a Medical Case Manager at Priority Health Care, Inc., on the Positive Women’s Network; United States of America’s Board of directors and is a regional organizer for AIDS United.  Among all of these things Gina Brown was recently sworn in as a member of the Presidential Advisory Council on HIV/AIDS (PACHA). The event was held on November 12, 2014 with nearly 100 attendees. During the event, Gina told her story, gave some advice about how to prevent HIV/AIDS, and how to live a life with HIV/AIDS. She concluded with answering some questions from the audience.

Gina’s story is one of an individual living with HIV/AIDS. She learned she was infected in 1994 while pregnant with her daughter. She assumed her diagnosis was a death sentence and she began to plan her funeral. With the stigma surrounding HIV at that time she felt isolated and humiliated only telling her mother and two sisters about her disease. A year later she was still alive and decided she was going to live. Through her journey with HIV she learned her voice was an important asset in helping other women living in her similar situation.

Following the event with Gina, free HIV/AIDS testing became available to the Tarleton community through a partnership with Student Social Work Association, Gay Straight Alliance, and Diversity and Inclusion. Many walked over to the humanities building for a chance to participate. Over 50 individuals took advantage of this free testing, proactively discovering their status.

Gina’s mission of spreading her message and the story of HIV/AIDS was actively given to the Tarleton community. This event touched the lives of many, giving them the knowledge needed to live a healthy and long life, HIV positive or negative. The Office of Diversity and Inclusion is proud to have sponsored such an event and continues to be dedicated to sharing Gina’s message. Any questions regarding this event are always welcome to be brought to the Office of Diversity and Inclusion through email at diversitytsu@gmail.com or via phone at 254-968-9488.

“We've got to educate and empower women. We've got to get them to understand that HIV can affect anybody.” – Gina Brown

Multicultural Ambassadors Habitat for Humanity

Every day as we look around we can see people different from ourselves. People can be different in their study habits, in their skin color, in the way they talk, in their living situation, and much more. Every person, because of our differences, has something to offer and in some way is in need of help. Our multicultural ambassadors, dedicated to respecting and promoting diversity, saw a couple’s need and used their ability to offer help.

On November 1^st, 2014, nine multicultural ambassadors drove out to Granbury to volunteer with Habitat for Humanity. In 2013, a tornado destroyed many homes in the area. They performed essential tasks for a couple’s home to be reconstructed. Traivohn was actively involved in the roofing process, making the home safe and ready for living. Many of the ambassadors, including Hope, Iyaesha, Leticia, Morgan, Randi, SummerDay, Vanessa, and Zulema, were involved in caulking and painting, protecting the home from extreme heat and cold as well as putting on those finishing touches. All of these tasks were accomplished in order to try and reach out to someone who was different and, in that moment, in need of help.

The multicultural ambassador program is dedicated to not only respecting diversity, but taking action on their beliefs. This is where the drive to help a couple rebuild their home came from. This is why in February the ambassadors will be volunteering for the Tarrant Area Food Bank. It is also the reason for ambassadors meeting on a weekly basis to plan out a diversity conference being held in March. These individuals have proven their commitment to promoting and helping those different from themselves.

We challenge everyone to explore how they can promote and help those different from themselves. Whether it be holding a door open for someone, standing up for our friends, or attending the diversity conference this March, we believe everyone has something to offer.

Meet members of MENtal Freedom and Bold!

Meet students in the Diversity & Inclusion MENtal Freedom and Bold Mentoring programs on Wednesday, November 5, 2014 at 5:30 p.m. in the lobby of Heritage Hall. Learn about these exciting mentoring programs and their impact on participants and the campus as a whole.