The Diversity in Action Council hosted an informational booth called “The Words We Use” in the Martin Luther King Jr. University Union to start conversations about the power of words.

The DAC was brought back to campus in 2019 to discuss alternatives to student requests of flying a Black Lives Matter flag in the south quad during the month of February last year, a petition that was controversial at Eastern last spring.

“The Words We Use” was the third event hosted this week for its DAC Week of Events.

On Monday, it hosted a mental health informational booth, and on Tuesday it hosted a “colorism” event.

Samira Abdoulaye-Pedila, a psychology senior and Student Senate’s vice president of student affairs, said the week is meant to start discussions on a variety of issues.

“Yesterday we had our colorism event, and then Monday we talked about mental health,” Abdoulaye-Pedila said.

At “The Words We Use” table, DAC members handed out brochures containing words that the DAC felt should not be said along with the meanings behind each of them.

The DAC also passed out stress balls.

Abdoulaye-Pedila said the purpose of the information booth was to help students understand how the words they use can affect others, especially those of different backgrounds.

“We all come from different backgrounds, and some people are just unaware of the words they use and the context they have in those words,” said Arcadus Nance, a criminology junior and student senator.

Abdoulaye-Pedila said the DAC believes it is important to have these kinds of conversations, even if it is difficult.

“Our overall goal is to start having those uncomfortable conversations that people are so afraid (of),” Abdoulaye-Pedila said, “But most importantly to promote that everybody comes from a different background, and before you go and judge somebody, make sure you sit down and actually get to know a person because we all have different stories.”

Nance believes this is a good way to spread information and promote communication education.

The DAC will have two more events this week on Thursday and Friday.

Thursday’s event is Community Fishbowl Conversation, and it will be from 5 p.m. to 6:30 p.m. in the McAfee Gym.

Friday’s event is Taste of Diversity, which will feature cuisines from around the world; it will be from 5 p.m. to 7 p.m. at the Cultural House.

The DAC’s purpose is to bring together multicultural organizations and promotes diversity.

Kate Figlewski can be reached at 581-2812 or at kjfiglewski@eiu.edu.