High school students from Lakeview, Lake Shore, and South Lake School Districts  are hosting a diversity day during which other students are invited to learn about various cultures and the value of diversity.

The St. Clair Shores Diversity Youth Council is working with the Michigan Roundtable for Diversity and Inclusion to host the first diversity  day at the Lakeshore YMCA on Thursday January 13.

The Michigan Roundtable for Diversity and Inclusion is  a non-profit human rights organization located in Detroit working to overcome discrimination and racism by crossing racial, religious, ethnic and cultural boundaries.

The seven students, who are part of the Youth Council and from various backgrounds, are hoping to recruit more youth with this event, the first of its kind in the area.

“The students represent a fairly diverse background, but it isn’t proportional to the population in the area. St. Clair Shores is still a predominantly white suburb,  but its community of people of color is growing quite a bit,” said Theresa Tran, youth program specialist for the Michigan Roundtable for Diversity and Inclusion.

The students are especially hoping to encourage Arab American and Muslim students to join the Diversity Council.

“They have been trying to do a lot of outreach to the local mosque here (Islamic Cultural Institute),” said Tran.

The day will include different stations that highlight different cultures and feature food, games and customs that are associated with each culture.

 There will also be stations that focus on specific  issues such as racism and how students approach these issues.

The Youth Diversity Day will be held at the Lakeshore YMCA, 23401 Jefferson Ave in St. Clair Shores, on January 13, 11:30 a.m. to 2:15 p.m.

For more information contact Thomas Costello from the Michigan  Roundtable for Diversity and Inclusion at 313.870.1500.