Students were invited to celebrate a month of diversity at the third annual Diversity Awareness Kick-Off event on Oct. 6, hosted by the Diversity and Equity Office.

The event occurred at the Forum Plaza and showcased future events from their office, as well as other events hosted by different student organizations.

The event had a set of conga drummers as guest performers and displayed a table with a poster for students to sign pledging to pursue peace. Other diversity centers came together to attend the event.

Third-year student Maribel Gamez attended the event for the first time this year and spoke of her involvement.

“I love the staff at the Office of Diversity and also I love outreaching students telling them why we are here. Even though we are a small office we do a lot,” said Gamez, a student assistant at the Diversity and Equity Office.

The Interim Associate Vice President of the Diversity and Equity Office, Cynthia Chavez Metoyer, also attended the event.

“Student can get a lot of great information from other student organizations, departments and centers just about the work they are doing and to further connect with the university … [Students can] get involved in a different way if they have not considered some of the groups that are here,” said Chavez Metoyer.

Second year transfer student, Marlon Icban, had not heard about the event, but noticed it when walking with friends and decided to stop and learn about the event.

“There are so many colors and it looks like there are from many different countries. It is interesting because you hear some languages you have never heard before,” Icban said.

CSUSM uses the month of October to focus on campus diversity so students like Icban and Gamez can learn more about the world around them. The Diversity and Equity Office will conclude Diversity Month on Oct. 25. Their next big event will be the celebration of Cesar Chavez in March.