Meet The DEI: Khristina Rhead

Thu, 11 Oct 2012 13:20:32 -0400
diversity, leadership, mosaic, student-life, umbc

Khristina is a senior studying Anthropology with a minor in Sociology. In addition to her studies, she participates in several extracurricular activities, particularly those that have to do with volunteerism, activism, and social justice. Currently, she is a member of SGA’s Service & Volunteer Activism department, Vice-President of the student org Students Abolishing Slavery, and a Campus Ambassador for the organization “Half the Sky,” which raises awareness about the oppression of women and girl’s worldwide and works to turn the oppression into opportunity.

*The DEIs are undergraduate/graduate students who co-facilitate cross-cultural & diversity awareness discussions & educational workshops across campus.

Q. What made you get involved with The Mosaic Center as a Diversity Educator Intern?

A. I wanted to be a DEI because I felt that in this position I would be able to foster cultural sensitivity, openness, and unity on campus by educating my classmates on issues of diversity and intercultural communication.

Q. What's your favorite moment as a DEI so far?

A. My favorite moment so far has been spending time with my fellow DEIs. They are all great people!

Q. What has surprised you most about working in a Center for Culture and Diversity?

A. I’m surprised by how much work is put into teaching people about culture and diversity. There is a lot of planning involved in developing the presentations and the materials used in them.

Q. Do you find anything challenging about being a DEI? If so, explain.

A. Sometimes it is difficult to balance my DEI duties with my student duties. There have been times outside of my internship hours where I have been thinking about my duties as a DEI when I should have been focusing on homework.

Q. What might someone be surprised to know about you?

A. I don’t think there is much about me that would surprise people, as I’m a pretty honest and open person.

Q. What's it like to be a Diversity Educator Intern for The Mosaic Center?

A. Since this is only the second semester of the program there are a few kinks to be worked out, which can be frustrating at times. For the most part though, it’s great. I feel that through the presentations we put on I’m becoming more confident in my public speaking and I’m learning important skills such as how to successfully interact with an audience and how to be a better teacher.

Q. When you aren’t performing DEI duties, what are you most likely doing?

A. Homework and extracurricular activities such as, Anthropology Council of Majors, Oxfam Club, Amnesty International Club, and SGA Service & Volunteerism executive board!

Q. How would (someone) describe you?

A. People would describe me as extremely motivated, friendly, and outgoing.

Q. What do you wish other people knew about The Mosaic Center?

A. I would like my fellow students to know what The Mosaic Center is and what we do! So many of them still have to ask, which makes me sad. We offer a lot of great programs and the space is available for them to make it their own. I wish students would come inside and eat lunch, talk to friends, and do homework.

Q. What would you say are some of your strongest beliefs about diversity?

A. I believe that diversity should be something that brings us together instead of separates us. We are all different and we should celebrate these differences and experience what life is like for those who are unlike us.

Q. What's your personal philosophy on what should be done about promoting communal diversity and inclusion?

A. I believe that talking about racism, sexism, discrimination, prejudice etc. is the only way that communal diversity and inclusion will succeed.

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Want to know more? Contact mosaic@umbc.edu - to request a workshop for your group or org complete a workshop request form! http://my.umbc.edu/groups/themosaic (form must be submitted at least two weeks in advance)