Students will host multiple events on campus in February and March as a part of Eagle PR’s “Create Space” campaign.
According to the global multicultural-focused magazine known as Culturs, there are more than 238 million people worldwide who do not have one, single cultural identity. This geographically mobile group of individuals is expected to continue to grow, presenting a world with more hidden diversity than ever before. That hidden diversity is also part of the magazine’s name, which helps others to see the hidden e in those from multicultural backgrounds. To help Cutlurs build awareness of the world’s growing cultural diversity, the Oklahoma Christian University Eagle PR team is kicking off their “Create Space” campaign.
Partnering with the Public Relations Student Society of America, Culturs has challenged students like those in Eagle PR to raise awareness of the growing multicultural community at OC and worldwide. Eagle PR students are encouraging their peers to foster fellowship with those of different backgrounds, cultivate a welcoming environment that feels like home and spread inclusive messages for those who straddle cultures, especially with resources from the Culturs organization. Culturs was founded to amplify the voices of third-culture kids, global nomads and cultural in-betweeners. The OC campaign is called “Create Space” to inspire students to create a welcoming space for those who do not necessarily have a place to call home. The campaign has three objectives: “acknowledge, belong, connect.” The ABCs are Acknowledging less recognized cultural identities, reaffirming that they are warmly welcomed, creating Belonging at OC and Connecting with cultural in-betweeners to enhance community at OC.
Eagle PR is a student-led public relations firm on OC’s campus. In addition to increasing awareness, the students hope to mobilize OC to share resources among their networks of friends; many multicultural students do not feel as if they have a cultural home and are overjoyed when learning that Culturs has fostered a community for students just like them. Eagle PR’s campaign welcomes anyone who is a multicultural student or knows someone who is. These are the very audience Culturs seeks to reach and celebrate.
Eagle PR invites the community to join the campaign by offering multiple events on campus. Team members will stage tables multiple times a week in the Brew coffee shop and the Student Center at lunch time through March 5. Students can learn more about multiculturalism at OC and Culturs magazine, including resources for supporting the cultural inbetween on campus, such as OC’s longstanding Third Culture Kids who grew up in cultures different from their passport country or the home countries of their parents.
At the tables, students will also be invited to take part in a competition involving OC’s social service clubs. Students are asked to follow the Create Space campaign on at least one social media platform and take a picture with a Culturs Instagram selfie background. The student will then post the photo on Instagram with the hashtag corresponding to their club (#deltaabcs, #lambdaabcs, etc.). If a club is unable to make it to a table, they can take a picture with the 6-foot tall space ship outside of the Eagle PR Sparks Media Lab in Garvey Center. The club with the most entires will win Texas Roadhouse rolls and cinnamon butter at their next meeting.
An individual contest will also take place on campus with a reward of $50 in Eagle Bucks for on-campus dining. To be entered into this contest, students must stop by the tables set up in the Student Center or the Brew and follow Create Space on at least one social media account. For an additional entry, they may also sign up to receive free access to one issue of Culturs via email.
The Eagle PR team believes recognizing and including different cultures and backgrounds is vital to a more civil and respectful world. A person’s outward appearance does not determine their background – hidden diversity means there is more to many people than meets the eye. Many people straddle culture through travel, nationality, race or ethnicity. Therefore, it is increasingly important to openly embrace global nomads, Third Culture Kids and cultural in-betweeners.
Eagle PR’s Director Trinity Langan is passionate about the cause behind the “Create Space” campaign.
“Recognizing hidden or less-known identities on Oklahoma Christian University’s campus is important to our mission. A part of Christianity is acknowledging the sometimes unseen, helping them know they belong and connecting with those around us.”
One Eagle PR member, Dickson Ganza, is a perfect example of a multicultural individual who represents 21st century diversity. Born in Rwanda, Ganza spent much of his formative years in Uganda, moved back to Rwanda and now studies in the United States.
“I don’t necessarily have one, single identity, but I know how to relate to people very different from me,” Ganza said. “Those who get to know me would be surprised by the many different places I have lived and the diverse perspectives I bring to situations and discussions. Culture magazine helps more people realize that students like me can be found here and around the world.”
To learn more and stay updated with the campaign, visit the Create Space website at Create.Space and follow @OCcreatespace on Instagram, Facebook and TikTok. Also, visit cultursmag.com to learn more about the Culturs organization.
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