For over 15 years, the Multicultural Student Development Office (MSDO) has hosted UnLearn 365 Week, offering a week’s worth of speakers and events with the goal of providing a safe campus-wide forum for panel discussion on conversations about race, prejudices and stereotypes.

UnLearn 365 encourages students to personally evaluate their attitudes and actions toward other students with different cultural values, as well as increase awareness and knowledge of other cultures. This year’s theme is “UnLearn the World You Know, to Be a Leader in Changing it!”

UnLearn will take place next week, October 8–13. The yearly event hopes to encourage students to take the knowledge and skills they acquire from the events and apply them not only in that week of learning, but 365 days a year.

Khayree Williams, director of the program and assistant dean of multicultural student development, explained, “UnLearn Week is the kickoff to UnLearn 365, which serves as an important co-curricular series to increase students’ experiential knowledge of God and themselves through exploring cultural awareness.”

Williams added, “None of us are free of the sins of stereotypes, biases and racism. It is our responsibility to be intentional about our learning so we can treat our neighbors, brothers and sisters with kindness, empathy and understanding!”

A few of the events Williams is looking forward to include, “Intergroup Dialogues: Working Together to Be Leaders for Change at Calvin College,” presented by Student Senate on Tuesday, October 9, 6–7:30 p.m. in the Commons Lecture Hall and “Moving from Knowledge to Action Healthy Coping in Justice Advocacy,” presented by Shayne McNichols, counselor from the Center for Counseling and Wellness, on Friday, October 12, at 3:30 p.m. in the Commons Lecture Hall.

In addition, the MSDO will be hosting a free showing of “Black Panther” in the CFAC Auditorium on Wednesday, October 10, at 6 p.m., followed by a discussion. Several educational events will take place next week.

Students interested in attending will receive “UnLearn swag” along with an “UnLearn Week” stamp card: after attending 3 eligible events, students can receive an UnLearn 365 long sleeve shirt. Be on the lookout for the poster pictured above around campus for more information.