Cross Cultural Center Announces ‘Choose a Better Word’ Campaign

The Cross Cultural Center campaign events will take place Monday, Oct. 8 through Wednesday, Oct. 10.

These events will showcase the power of words and how hurtful and impactful some can be. This campaign will help educate the SLU community on word choices and challenge them to take action to end the use of hurtful and oppressive words.

The campaign will kick off on Monday, Oct. 8, and last until Wednesday, Oct. 10. Every day there will be a “Wall of Words” that will be placed in front of the CGC. The wall will allow students, staff, and faculty the opportunity to write words on the wall that they deem offensive and inappropriate. The wall will stand from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. each day. There will also be “Story Cards” in which participants can write down a word that has been impactful to them and the story behind that.

Each evening a small group discussion will take place 7 p.m. in the CGC Auditorium allowing students to express how the “Wall of Words” impacted them. The discussions will be led by staff members who will then challenge the participants to become advocates of change and educate them on how to do so.

The campaign will end on Wednesday, Oct. 10, by the “Wall of Words” being covered up with affirmations by the SLU community. This will symbolize the community not only holding others accountable for their words and their impact on the campus but also to our continuing commitment to further the conversation.

For more information, contact Sharmin Mason at mason.mason@slu.edu.