Diversity Workshop Offers Film-Based Learning
(Posted September 2, 2009)
HUNTINGDON, Pa. -- Racism, sexism and intolerance can take many forms, not all of them easily recognizable, and a workshop called "We've Scene It All Before," at 7 p.m., Sept. 9, in the Sill Boardroom in the von Liebig Center for Science, will show Juniata College students examples of such behavior through film clips from various movies.
The workshop is free and open to the public.
Led by Brian Johnson, a workshop facilitator with CAMPUSPEAK, the event seeks to use scenes from popular movies to spark discussions on the conscious or subconscious messages viewers get from such films.
Johnson allows every student to see himself or herself as diverse by examining how students perceive identity, similarity, symbols and culture within American society. In addition to racial diversity, the workshop also addresses religion, socio-economic status, sexual orientation and disability.
Brian Johnson served as director of multicultural affairs and special assistant to the president at Susquehanna University from 2001 to 2007. He also helped found the Pennsylvania Consortium of Multicultural Minority and Diversity Affairs Personnel, a consortium that promotes best practices in higher education. In addition he is a former trainer for the National Coalition-Building Institute and writes a featured column on the Antiracistparent.com Web site.
Johnson earned a bachelor's degree and a master's degree from California University of Pennsylvania and is pursuing a doctoral degree from Nova Southestern University. Johnson is an ordained minister and serves on the ministry team at Revival Tabernacle in West Milton, Pa.
Contact April Feagley at feaglea@juniata.edu or (814) 641-3131 for more information.