In the wake of the indictment decision in the Ferguson trial, and nationwide tension and attention on the racial issues that tear at our country, I have begun reflecting on some of the great discussion that I had in a university program called My Iowa.  During the My Iowa retreat, there was ample amount of time made for students to connect with each other and talk about the deep stuff. That is why I loved My Iowa, because some of the conversation that I had there, proved to me that I’m not alone in some of my experiences of injustice and that there are some good people out there (black, white, brown, red, and yellow) who care about making the world a better place. Today you can meet some of them in my post!

Four years ago I had the opportunity to participate in My Iowa: Multicultural & International Student Summit, and this year I applied and became a Peer Leader for the summit. I had an amazing time facilitating discussion and creating cross-cultural friendships with some of the best folks on campus! If you can’t already tell, I met some amazing people through the summit, and so instead of just telling you what I thought about the summit I asked a few of the other participants to share with you all what My Iowa is to them.

Below you will find a collection of bus ride reflections on the My Iowa experience of my peers and of course they are accompanied by a My Iowa T-shirt selfie!

My Iowa is…a great summit that everyone should participate in. I got to meet so many different diverse group of people I wouldn’t have met if it wasn’t for My Iowa. I’ve gained so much more knowledge about other culture and background of other people, it was an amazing experience!! -Gocale

My Iowa is strong, genuine,diverse, welcoming, supportive, united, non-stereotypical, appreciative. -Efe

MY IOWA: Multicultural & International Student Summit

The next MY Iowa is next year, don’t miss out on an opportunity like this! Individuals with disabilities are encouraged to attend all University of Iowa sponsored events. If you are a person with a disability who requires an accommodation in order to participate in this program, please contact CSIL in advance at 335-3059.

The MY IOWA Multicultural and International Student Leadership Summit is an overnight retreat. Open to all UI students, MY IOWA will give participants a chance to build connections and leadership skills with a diverse group of people who want to make the university a place where all feel welcome. This is a fun and exciting way to start your semester off, and build strong relationships throughout your time at Iowa! The curriculum has strong connections with The National Coalition Building Institute (NCBI) model and other leadership development experiences. This year, MY IOWA will occur on October 24-25, 2014, with 45 student spots available. The event will be held at Crooked Creek Camp in Washington, Iowa, with transportation and meals being provided free of charge for all participants.

After the MY IOWA retreat, participants will be invited to several events, and dialogues throughout the year to build upon the relationships formed, and also to help connect these leaders to campus resources, administrators, faculty, staff, and fellow students.\

For additional information click here.

Lastly, thank you to everyone who helped contribute to this post.