Diversity Month is October; Motivational Speakers, Comedy and Live Music to be Featured

The University of Findlay will host a variety of events in recognition of Diversity Month during October.
No tickets are required for any program. Admission fees will be collected at the door, cash only; fees are noted where appropriate.
Questions may be answered by calling the Office of Student Activities, Commuter Services and Leadership Development at 419-434-4606.
Click here to read about a Salsa Dance Party, which also is part of Diversity Month. The dance party will be Wednesday, Oct. 3.
On Thursday, Oct. 4, spoken word artist Katie Wirsing will perform at 6 p.m. in the Alumni Memorial Union. Click here to read about Wirsing.

Mark Zupan, Oct. 17

Mark Zupan, star of the independent film “Murderball,” will speak at 7:30 p.m. Wednesday, Oct. 17, on campus in the Alumni Memorial Union Multipurpose Room. Admission is free.
Zupan will talk about life in a wheelchair as an athlete, family member and actor. Born in Cleveland, Ohio, Zupan is a wheelchair rugby player and the captain of the United States wheelchair rugby team, which competed in the Paralympic Games in 2004.
He is best known for his appearance in the 2005 film “Murderball.” Zupan also was part of the 2008 United States gold-winning team at the 2008 Beijing Paralympic Games. He has been featured as a customer in Miami Ink, depicted in Celebrity Deathmatch and featured in a 2008 episode of “30 Days.” The show featured former NFL athlete Ray Crockett using a wheelchair for 30 days.

T.J. Leyden, Oct. 18

Motivational speaker T.J. Leyden will present, “Turning Away from Hate” at 7 p.m. Thursday, Oct. 18, in the Alumni Memorial Union. Community members are welcome; $1 at the door.
Leyden will share his experience of fighting against hatred after serving more than 15 years as a leader in the neo-Nazi movement. Leyden has worked for the Simon Wiesenthal Center in Los Angeles for more than five years as a member of their anti-hate task force. He has been featured in Time Magazine, an episode of CBS’s “48 Hours” and several episodes of the “Gangland” series on the History Channel.

Galen Abdur-Razzaq, Oct. 19

From 11:30 a.m. to 1 p.m. Friday, Oct. 19, community members are welcome to enjoy “Smooth Jazz Sounds” featuring flutist Galen Abdur-Razzaq in the Alumni Memorial Union. He will be accompanied by three musicians from Detroit, Mich. Admission is free.
Abdur-Razzaq, from Florida, and has been educating audiences to the art of Jazz music for more than 20 years. His show will include history of jazz trivia; gifts will be given to those who answer the trivia questions correctly. He has performed and recorded with some of the world’s greatest recording artists, including pianist Billy Taylor, Sonny Phillips, Gwen Guthrie, Eddie Gladden, Grachan Moncur III, Jimmy Heath, Clifford Adams, Curtis Boyd, John Patton, Melba Moore, Freda Payne and Sun Ra.
Individuals are invited to bring a lunch or purchase one at The Cave, located in the Alumni Memorial Union.

Alfred and Seymour, Oct. 20

Comedians Alfred and Seymour will take the stage at 8 p.m. Saturday, Oct. 20, in the Alumni Memorial Union. Community members are welcome to attend; $5 at the door.
Alfred and Seymour, also known as “The Blackstreet Boyz” perform a comedic act. In addition to performing on college campuses, they perform on Disney Cruise Lines and are professional choreographers for the Jackson sisters. Alfred and Seymour combine hip-hop dancing with “side-splitting” comedy.
They have appeared on NBC’s “The Tonight Show with Jay Leno” and “Friday Night Videos,” UPN’s “Jenny Jones,” MTV’s “20’s Countdown,” several music videos and commercials for Pepsi, Sprite and American Express. Their unique personalities have made them regular guests on Nickelodeon’s “Roundhouse,” and they regularly tour the world to perform.

Jennifer Knapp, Oct. 25

UF will wrap up Diversity Month with a concert by Jennifer Knapp at 8 p.m. Thursday, Oct. 25, in the Alumni Memorial Union. Community members are welcome; $5 at the door.
Recognized as a premier artist in the Christian contemporary music genre, Knapp chose to confront long-held speculation with a very public “coming out” in 2010. From interviews with CNN, The Advocate and Christianity Today, to countless Internet blogs and a featured appearance on Larry King Live, the main question on everybody’s lips was: “Can you be Gay and Christian?”
Under heavy scrutiny, Knapp has unashamedly claimed her faith and her sexual orientation with astonishing straightforwardness and honesty. Her candor and compassion have led to overwhelming appeals for her to engage the challenging issue of LGBT (lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender) inclusion and affirmation in religious communities.