Category: Diversity, Equity and Inclusion

SC4 Hosts Indigenous People Celebration

SC4 is proud to partner with the North American Indigenous Council to present the Indigenous People Celebration. The celebration will be held on Thursday, November 7, from 6:00 to 7:00 p.m. in the SC4 Fine Arts Theatre. Entry is free and open to all.

This event provides the opportunity to gather to celebrate and learn more about the culture of indigenous people. Festivities include cultural dancers, a water ceremony, an outdoor Teepee tour, drummers, smudging and a tribe and land acknowledgment. Additionally, artwork will be displayed in the SC4 Fine Arts Building lobby, and vendors will be on-site selling cultural items.

“I am thrilled to celebrate the traditional culture of our Indigenous people, honoring their historical stewardship and presence in our community is a tradition we plan to offer years to come,” said Jessica Brown, SC4 chief diversity officer and senior advisor. “The celebration aims to raise awareness about history and the importance of honoring our indigenous sovereignty.”

For more information on the event please visit https://sc4.edu/event/native-indigenous-american-celebration/

For media inquiries, please contact Sarah Rutallie, Chief of Staff/ Senior Vice President, at srutallie@sc4.edu

SC4 Hosts Wolverine Invitational Wheelchair Basketball Tournament

SC4 is hosting the fourth annual Wolverine Invitational in collaboration with the University of Michigan. This weekend-long event will feature twelve teams from throughout the United States and Canada, including the University of Arizona, the University of Wisconsin Whitewater and Eastern Washington University. All games are free and open to the public.

Fans will have a chance to meet some of the best adaptive sports athletes in the world, including some who recently returned from the Paralympic Games in Paris.

The invitational begins on Friday, Oct. 4, at the SC4 Fieldhouse and continues all weekend through the championship game at noon on Sunday, Oct. 6. The SC4 Skippers will take on the U-M Wolverines in a main court feature game on Friday night at 8:30 p.m.

Fans are asked to bring non-perishable food items or hygiene products to support the Skip’s Pantry on the SC4 campus.

Tournament details and a full listing of teams can be found at https://rsvp.umich.edu/event/WolverineInvitational/summary.

For media inquiries, please contact Sarah Rutallie, Chief of Staff/ Senior Vice President, at srutallie@sc4.edu

SC4 Hispanic Heritage Day Celebration

SC4 is hosting its annual Hispanic Heritage Day Celebration—Juntos Podemos, Together We Can! This event is a recognition of Hispanic Heritage Month and an appreciation of Hispanic culture. Food will be included, and participants will enjoy speakers, cultural fashion and special entertainment from the band Los Estrellas Se Oro.  

“The Hispanic Alliance of Southeast Michigan (HASM) is proud to partner with SC4 for their Hispanic Heritage Month celebration,” said Maggie Toole of HASM. “It is our duty as leaders of the local Hispanic community to educate the public about our diverse cultures and honor the history and traditions that make up who we are today. We invite anyone who is interested in learning more about HASM or about Hispanic culture in general to come and celebrate with us.” 

SC4 chief diversity officer and senior advisor Jessica Brown, who organized the event, added, “National Hispanic Heritage Month is a national recognition of the culture, contributions and heritage of Hispanic Americans whose ancestors came from Spain, Mexico, the Caribbean, Central and South America. Each year, Americans observe National Hispanic Heritage Month from September 15 to October 15. I am proud that SC4 is part of this amazing celebration!  We will continue to make this a long-standing tradition. This is American history, and I look forward to everyone coming together to celebrate.”

The event will be held in the SC4 College Center Atrium on October 3 from 6–7:30 p.m. For more information, please visit https://sc4.edu/event/hispanic-heritage-month-celebration-juntos-podemos-together-we-can/.

For media inquiries, please contact Sarah Rutallie, Chief of Staff/ Senior Vice President, at srutallie@sc4.edu

Juneteenth Celebration Success

SC4 hosted the community event A Taste of Heritage, Freedom, and Unity on June 19. The event was a remarkable success, with over seven hundred members of the community joining in a proud celebration of African American culture.  

President Kramer responded, “SC4 is committed to providing opportunities for learning and reflecting. Juneteenth 2024 was a collaboration by SC4 with several local entities to be present today through knowing our yesterday. SC4 is here for everyone to succeed.”

Attached image: SC4 President Kirk Kramer, SC4 Nursing Instructor Kevin Watkins and Jessica Brown, SC4’s Chief Diversity Officer.

For media inquiries, please contact Sarah Rutallie, Chief of Staff, at srutallie@sc4.edu