DeKALB — The Office of Academic Diversity, Equity and Inclusion hosted a think tank Thursday to hear ideas from students for possible social justice promotion programs.

The Social Justice Think Tank, an event organized for the Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Celebration week, took place in the Holmes Student Center. Student ideas promoting social justice that were generated during the program were considered to receive funding from the Office of Academic Diversity, Equity and Inclusion.

“It’s good that they’re coming to students about this,” said Milan Brown, senior marketing major. “In order to make this campus more inclusive, people need to understand other people so that they can find ways to come together and support other social justice issues.”

Gena Flynn, Center for Black Studies director, said the idea behind the event was to get student voices involved in school programs and to develop social justice programs the school could run to encourage diversity.

During the event, the Regency Room was decorated with posters supporting activist causes like #metoo, DACA and numerous pro-diversity causes, and circular tables with paper, writing utensils and Play-Doh were set up to encourage group work and creativity.

“Just coming in here and seeing all the posters addressing all the movements that were formed is pretty effective,” said Soha Huk freshman English major. “It’s a good demonstration of the school trying to give students opportunities to talk about what matters to them.”

Flynn said the think tank is a way to help the university achieve its goal of including everyone on campus, regardless of their background. Flynn said she would like if people stopped viewing diversity as a racial or ethnic subject; she said these groups have diversity from within from their thoughts, ideas and experiences.

“Just because people are from the same place, or are the same race, ethnicity or nationality, doesn’t mean there isn’t diversity within those groups.” Flynn said.

Khiree Cross, Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity, Inc. vice president, said giving students the opportunity to share their plans is a great opportunity for other groups to learn about their daily struggles.

“I think it’s a great idea; it’s what the students have been asking for,” Cross said.

Flynn said the inclusion office intends to develop three programs produced by students and faculty who attended the event. One program will focus on economic equity and fairness in the community and another will aim to improve communication between students and the police.

The third program will be similar to the Beloved Community dinners held in DeKalb, but for faculty and students. The Beloved Community dinners are held to bring together DeKalb residents and the campus community to address difficult topics in the DeKalb community.

“We really wanted to make sure the celebration of King didn’t last just one day but for it to have an impact at the institution that’s more long lasting,” Flynn said.