Mercer Law School will host its annual Diversity Day Celebration on April 4, 2018, which marks the anniversary of Martin Luther King, Jr.’s, assassination. Diversity Day is a day where the school comes together to honor and recognize our institution’s commitment to diversity and inclusion. Diversity Day is sponsored by the Student Bar Association and the Student Diversity Committee.
Several events will take place during the day including a “Speak Up” campaign, where students will wear stickers to symbolize their commitment to speak out against uses of oppression or statements that are derogatory in nature. Additionally, immediately following the SBA meeting at 3:30 p.m., a panel will discuss Affirmative Action. Panelist include J. Kevin Jenkins, Associate Professor of Education at Mercer’s Tift College of Education; Shaton Menzie, intellectual property attorney at Finnegan, Henderson, Farabow, Garrett & Dunner, LLP; and Robi Ragan, Associate Professor of Economics at Mercer’s Business School. Following the panel, students will be able to sign the Mercer Law Diversity Pledge indicating their commitment to embrace diversity, promote cultural awareness and foster inclusion.
Mercer Law School Diversity Pledge
At Mercer University School of Law, we pledge to embrace diversity, promote cultural awareness, and foster inclusion.
We are committed to:
- An all-inclusive atmosphere devoted to respecting all persons regardless of, but not limited to, ethnicity, race, religion, sexual orientation, disability, gender, gender identity, language, socio-economic background, marital and parental status, geographic origin, and age.
- Responsibly addressing any social justice concerns that arise within our law-school community and communities past our walls.
- Encouraging inclusion and embracing humanity by refraining from the use of derogatory language that frustrates social progress within our community and contributes to harmful and prejudicial stereotypes.
- Demonstrating our intolerance of hate and discrimination by individually challenging ourselves to increase our awareness towards cultural competency through diversity training and exposure.
- Expanding our own, personal intellect through actively involving ourselves in intercultural discussion groups, academic improvement, and participation in community events.
- Evaluating how the intersectionality of our cultural differences affect the practice of law and our professional growth.
- Fostering a safe environment free of violence, judgment, and any behavior that furthers apprehension, division, and separatism.
- Continuing our devotion to this pledge beyond Mercer Law and into society at large.
We pledge to actively promote these commitments, knowing that it is our duty to embrace diversity and cultural awareness in an effort to consciously serve our communities by bringing forth an active practice of respect, inclusion, equality, and unity.
