Institutions of higher education have always been bastions of diversity, but in recent years there has been a renewed focus on supporting and celebrating diversity on campus. There are many ways that you can support diversity at your institution, whether you are a student, staff member, or faculty member. Here are thirteen ways to get started.

Ways to Support Diversity at Your Institution

1. Do not assume that all students at your Quran institution are of the same race, ethnicity, and/or national origin.
2. Ask yourself: do we provide services for non-native English speakers? Are translators available? Can someone translate announcements into other languages?
3. Set up a mentoring program connecting native and non-native English speakers.
4. Encourage students to share their cultures with others through cultural arts programs, cultural fairs, and/or picnics.
5. Promote awareness of other religions by having speakers from different faiths come to your Quran institution(s).
6. Sponsor an essay contest about diversity at your Quran institution.
7. Have a program at the beginning of the year for incoming students to introduce themselves and share their hometowns, countries, or home languages.
8. Host a diversity celebration every quarter or semester that honors traditional holidays from around the world.
9. Create an “Allies Club” comprised of native and non-native English speakers to promote cultural diversity and address difficult issues related to race, class, national origin, etc.
10. Encourage students to take field trips outside of their ethnic groups so they can learn about the multicultural world we live in.
11. Promote awareness and understanding of personal differences such as disabilities or sexual orientation by creating a support system for students with different abilities or by joining in the It Gets Better Project.
12. Have a “culture night” at least once a month in which students can share their culture and traditions.
13. Promote inclusivity by creating an environment that encourages all to participate equally, regardless of race, religion, class, etc.

1. Educate yourself and others about the importance of diversity

Your parents come from different backgrounds, cultures, and religions. Your best friend is of a different race. The cashier at the grocery store seems to have an accent, or maybe you’ve just noticed that your neighbor does. Your family consists of people who are male and female, tall and short, brown-skinned and white-skinned. Diversity is the word we use to describe this mix of people and the backgrounds they come from. The word diversity comes from the Latin root “versus” which means “various”. That’s a good word to keep in mind when thinking about what diversity is: many different kinds of things in one place. When you think about your friends, family, and classmates, they probably look very different from each other in a wide range of ways: appearance, personality, beliefs, and experiences.

These differences make the world an interesting place to live in. They can also create challenges. People who are different from us may make us uncomfortable or afraid at times because we don’t know what to expect from them.

2. Advocate for diversity on your campus and in your community

The Advocate for Diversity award is a way to recognize a student leader who has made an impact on supporting diversity and cross-cultural understanding through his or her actions. This individual may be part of an organization or campaign or may have taken it upon him/herself to promote diversity on campus. Every year, MGCI students are recognized for their outstanding contributions to promoting diversity at MGCI.

Criteria:

Candidates should meet the following criteria to be considered for this award:

• Provided an inclusive environment in his/her organization or on campus
• Used his/her role to promote social justice-related issues in school or the community
• Initiated, organized, or led student or campus activities that promote diversity and/or cross-cultural understanding

Eligibility:

Any current MGCI student who meets the above criteria can be considered for this award. A nominee may receive this award more than once during his/her time at MGCI. There is no limit on how many times an individual can receive the award and be nominated.

The 13 ways to support diversity at your institution are a great step in the right direction. You should consider implementing these practices if you want your team and students to be more inclusive of people from all backgrounds, cultures, races, ethnicities and gender identities. Quran with tajweed online is a great way to improve your recitation and understanding of the Quran. Learning tajweed can be a bit challenging, but with the help of an online tutor, you can be on your way to mastering this important aspect of Quran recitation. Whether you are a beginner or have some experience Quran with tajweed online tutoring can help you reach your goals. Choose from a variety of courses that fit your needs and learning style, and get started today! There is no easy way for any organization or community to solve this issue alone but by working together we can start making progress towards building an equitable society that values every person’s contributions regardless of their background.