U.S. General Services Administration
Region 8 Hosts 18th Annual Diversity Training
“True diversity is the art of doing something individually but together.”
- Chief Master Sergeant Tamar S. Dennis
On Thursday, February 21, Region 8 hosted its 18th Annual Diversity Training Program at the Denver Federal Center (DFC). This annual tradition is one regional employees and the greater DFC community look forward to attending. Acting Regional Administrator, Tim Horne, said “it’s important to take some time to learn and reflect.” This year’s event focused on the Association for the Study of African American Life and History’s national black history month theme: Black Migrations. It highlighted the stories and journeys that have led to our country’s diversity and enriched our country’s culture. There were more than 150 attendees.
Keynote speaker, Chief Master Sergeant Tamar S. Dennis, shared her personal story of migration which she called: Igniting My Journey: Dare to Dream, Dare to Do, Dare to Change. “Migration was more than a geographic movement, it was also a mental one.” Growing up in Jamaica, she felt her adolescent dreams were restricted by her surroundings but she refused to limit herself; instead she decided to dream bigger and dared the audience to do the same. Further, she dared the attendees to do saying “it is one thing to dream, but dreaming requires action.” She concluded her address by encouraging the audience to “embrace change around you daily.”
The event was emceed by Krystyna Biassou, 9 News KUSA Anchor, and musical entertainment was performed by saxophonist Tony Exum Jr. James Foster, Black Employee Program Chair, and Katie Gates, Special Assistant to the Regional Administrator, gave final remarks and presented awards to the keynote speaker and special guests.
