UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. — The Law and Equity (L&E) Committee, part of Penn State Law in University Park’s Student Bar Association, is hosting its annual Diversity Banquet at 6 p.m. on Friday, April 8, at the Toftrees Golf Resort. The banquet is open to all Penn State students, faculty, staff, and alumni.
Tickets are free for Penn State students. Space is limited and registration is required.
L&E’s annual Diversity Banquet celebrates members of the Penn State Law community who have contributed to the promotion of diversity, equity, and inclusion. The evening will include dinner, awards, and highlights from Penn State Law student affinity organizations.
The theme of this year’s banquet is “Through the Looking Glass: Celebrating Intersectionality.” L&E co-chairs Diane Le and Sidnee McDonald, who are both 2022 J.D. candidates at Penn State Law, emphasized that the theme was selected to encompasses the many identities within the Penn State community and to affirm a shared commitment to diversity and inclusion.
“As two women of color, Diane and I have found that our unique experiences caused by the intersecting of our identities are often ignored or overlooked,” McDonald said. “We wanted to find a theme that would shine light on these experiences and celebrate all the identities within the Penn State community.”
Le added, “We wanted to emphasize that the perspectives developed from these intersecting identities are unique, invaluable, and welcomed.”
The banquet’s keynote speaker is Dwayne Kwaysee Wright, Penn State Law alumnus and visiting assistant professor of higher education administration at George Washington University.
“We are honored to welcome Dr. Wright and are looking forward to his keynote speech, which will include walking us through his path, successes, and the importance of prioritizing equity and inclusion,” Le and McDonald said.
Originally from Port of Spain, Trinidad and Tobago, Wright earned a juris doctor from Penn State Law in 2015. While in law school, he participated in numerous organizations and activities, including Phi Alpha Delta law fraternity, the Moot Court Board, the Law and Education Alliance at Penn State and the Black Law Student Association. He was the chair of the Penn State Law Student Bar Association’s Diversity Committee from 2014 to 2015, and helped plan the first Diversity Banquet.
At a broader university level, Wright served as a member of the Penn State President’s Commission on Racial/Ethnic Diversity for three years, was a member of the board of directors for the Daily Collegian, and facilitated the Penn State Multicultural Resource Center’s Black/Latino Male Empowerment Group.
After graduating from Penn State Law in 2015, Wright went on to earn a doctorate in higher education from Penn State in 2018. His current research and social activism seek to advance educational opportunity and equity for all students, particularly those historically oppressed and marginalized in American society.
Banquet attendees are asked to wear cocktail attire and are encouraged to wear cultural or traditional attire. The dinner menu will highlight dishes reflective of various ethnic groups A cash bar will be available; guests must be 21 years or older and show a valid government ID to purchase or consume alcohol at the banquet. Doors open at 5:30 p.m.
For more information on the 2022 Diversity Banquet, visit the event webpage. To learn how you can support efforts in equity and inclusion, contact Law and Equity Committee Co-Chairs Sidnee McDonald or Diane Le.