The Diversity Steering Committee hosted its second annual Dinner with the League event on Thursday, May 19th. Held at Café Iberico in River North, over 25 members and guests attended. JLC Diversification Director, Timnetra Burruss, welcomed guests and discussed the purpose of the evening. The goals of the dinner were to connect members across placements, provide potential members with an opportunity to get to know the League, and foster conversations around diversity.
Those in attendance included incoming associates, friends of members, as well as members with varying tenures in the League. The night featured a delicious ten course tapas meal with options such as patatas bravas, paella, octopus, shrimp, croquetas de pollo, and strawberry tiramisu. Over the course of the evening, attendees had the opportunity to introduce themselves to the group as well as discuss what diversity means to them.
Many attendees defined diversity as transcending conventional attributes such as race, ethnicity, gender, sexuality, and religion. Similarly, many emphasized the importance of listening, kindness, having an open mind, and treating others of all backgrounds with respect. While everyone offered a personal definition of the term, it was clear that those in attendance sought to be informed and inclusive in their interactions with others. Some referenced personal experiences interacting with friends or family while others expressed a desire to make an effort to connect with others who are not like them.
Overall, the evening was very thought-provoking and engaging. In addition to the group discussion about diversity, attendees conversed with one another throughout the night on a variety of other topics.
The committee also leads diversity training for new associates as well as members of the Community Council. Keep your eye on Connections to learn about future events hosted by this group.