On Wednesday evening, May 13, the first-ever “Diversity Dinner” will take place in the Kiszka Alumni Suite at Mount Carmel High School.  The event is sponsored by the school’s newest student club, R.O.O.T.S.,

The members of R.O.O.T.S. invited friends of various cultures, backgrounds, and ethnicities to join them in bringing some of the traditions and foods of their different cultures to the table.   The goal of the evening is for everyone to get to know a little more about the other cultures.

Mr. Gawaine Perkins and Mrs. Shanta’ McKay-Wheeler are the faculty members responsible for organizing the group, and serve as co-moderators.  The group’s name evolved out of early discussions about the need to help African-American students to better understand who they truly are and to see the accomplishments of their ancestors.  Thus, the acronym R.O.O.T.S. stands for “Recognizing Our Own True Selves.”

The Diversity Dinner is the culmination of this year’s club activities, which have included guest speakers and a field trip.

In a recent field trip to the DuSable Museum, students viewed the African and Black Musicians’ exhibits. A tour guide explained the significance of each artifact, and following the tour, the group was given a project to come up with a list of legacies they would like to leave behind after they are deceased.

Nathaniel Bentley, a senior member of the group, enjoyed the experience.  “Learning more about my ancestors was amazing to me; the DuSable museum holds many memories for our people.

The group’s guest speakers this year included Evan J. Roberts, a motivational speaker, who spoke of the existence of a “ghost plantation” mentality that continues to influence some in the African-American community, compromising their sense of responsibility and ability to work as a team.

Drawing inspiration and motivation from Roberts and their discussions which followed, the Diversity Dinner, according to Bentley, should be “a great opportunity for kids of different backgrounds to see how we are different and the same.”

R.O.O.T.S. has gotten positive feed back from its members, who all agree to continue to support the club next year..