(UPDATE April 26 – 4 p.m.: this version reflects details about admission to the Gina Rodriguez talk April 28. The talk is open only to Fresno State students and employees with a ticket and Fresno State ID. See details below and bit.ly/FSN-GinaTix).

Fresno State’s Diversity Awareness Week includes a talk by Gina Rodriguez, star of the hit TV series “Jane the Virgin,” at 7 p.m. Friday, April 28, at the Satellite Student Union.

The April 20 to 29 commemoration, presented by the Fresno State’s Cross Cultural and Gender Center, kicked off Monday with the Armenian Genocide Commemoration at the Armenian Genocide Monument in the Maple Mall with several free, public cultural events planned throughout the week. Several activities were also held last week.

A second commemoration at the Armenian Genocide Monument will be held from 6 to 7:30 p.m. Monday, April 24, with Fresno Mayor Lee Brand as keynote speaker. The first commemoration was hosted by the Armenian Student Organization. The second will be hosted by the Armenian Genocide Commemorative Committee.

Rodriguez will be on campus to talk to Fresno State students and employees for “Social Justice and Leadership Day,” a series of workshops and lectures, for her talk, “I Can and I Will.” Tickets may be obtained with a Fresno State ID card at the USU Information Center in the University Student Union or the Cross Cultural and Gender Center Office in the Thomas Building (Room  110).

The event, which is not open to the public, is sponsored by the Student Involvement Office, honors Latina leaders. Rodriguez has also appeared in a variety of other films and television series, such as “Law and Order,” “Our Family Wedding” and “Army Wives.” In her breakout role, she played a rising rap star in the film “Filly Brown.”

Dr. Larissa Mercado-Lopez, Women’s Studies professor and Latina/o Faculty and Staff Association member, will also speak with a presentation, “Who Gets to Tell Our Story? Diversity, Representation and Latinas in Film and Television” at 3 p.m. Friday in the Kremen Education building (Room 54).

Diversity Week culminates with Pilipino Culture Night “Katipunan,” hosted by the student club Magkaisa, at 7 p.m. Saturday at the Student Satellite Union.

Remaining Diversity Awareness Week events include:

Tuesday, April 25

  • 6 p.m. – “Denial” film screening – hosted by the Jewish Studies Certificate Program in McLane Hall (Room161).
  • 5 to 7 p.m. – Queer Asian Pacific Islander – hosted by LGBTQ+ Programs and Services and Asian Pacific Islander Programs and Services in the Thomas building (Room 110A).

Wednesday, April 26

  • 5:30 to 7:30 p.m. – Diversity Dinner – hosted by the Cross Cultural and Gender Center in the Vintage Room.
  • 6 p.m. – “Listen, We Need to Talk” – Melissa Michelson explores attitudes toward marriage equality – hHosted by the Department of Political Science and the LGBT+ Allies Network at in the Henry Madden Library (Room 2206).

Thursday, April 27,

Noon to 2 p.m. – Don’t be Self-Conchas – hosted by Gender Programs and Services, LGBTQ+ Programs and Services and Latina/o Programs and Services in the Thomas building (Room 110A).

  • 4 to 6 p.m. – music performance by Richard Hagopian – hosted by the Armenian Studies Organization in the Alice Peters Auditorium.
  • 5 to 7 p.m. – Diversity Dance Workshop – hosted by the Cross Cultural and Gender Center in the South Gym (Room 134).

Friday, April 28,

  • 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. – Hmong Day – hosted by the Hmong Student Association at the speakers platform.
  • Social Justice Leadership in Action
  • Noon to 3 p.m. – Yosimar Reyes: Performance and Writing Workshop – hosted by American Indian Programs and Services in the Kremen Education building (Room 54).
  • 3 to 5 p.m. – Dr. Larissa Mercado-Lopez “Who Gets to Tell Our Stories? Diversity, Representation and Latinas in Film and Television.” – Hosted by the Women’s Studies Program in the Kremen Education building (Room 54).
  • 7 p.m. – “I Can and I Will” A Social Justice Leadership Experience with Gina Rodriguez from “Jane the Virgin” – hosted by the Student Involvement Center and the Cross Cultural and Gender Center in the Student Satellite Union.
  • 200th Anniversary of Deaf Education – hosted by Communicative Sciences and Deaf Studies, Presidents Commission on Human Relation and Equity and the American Sign Language Club.
  • 8:30 a.m. to noon – Celebration of Diversity – Satellite Student Union.
  • 1 to 3 p.m. – Silent Garden Lecture Series – North Gym (Room 118).
  • 4 to 7 p.m. – Deaf Saturday Night Live – North Gym (Room 118).

Saturday, April 29

  • 2 to 5 p.m. – Pilipino Culture Night: “Katipunan” – hosted by the student club Magkaisa at the Student Satellite Union.

For more information contact the Cross Cultural and Gender Center at 559.278.4435.

 (University news intern Ron Camacho contributed to this copy.)

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