The Cultural Competence Council at Fulton State Hospital want to engage you in challenging conversation about diversity.
Their second annual Community Conversation returns May 1-2 in Ingle Auditorium at the Missouri School for the Deaf, starting off with renowned psychology professor Debra Hope giving a speech 7 p.m. May 1 titled "To Be or Not To Be Out: The Benefits of Authenticity in the LGBTQ Community."
The event will continue 9 a.m. May 2 with a panel-led discussion.
"We're focusing on how to create safe spaces for people to self-identify and feel comfortable," said Cultural Competence Council Chair Stacie Bickel, "in addition to talking about bullying a little bit more ; how to deal with that and counteract that."
Bickel said the event started last year focused on gay and lesbian issues and experiences with a grant left by social worker Jane Bierdeman-Fike who worked at the state hospital for 38 years and passed away March 2012.
"It was very important to Jane Bierdeman-Fike, and after passing last year she left some money and really wanted this to be a topic that we continued working with," said Bickel.