Area students engage in dialogue to suppress stereotypes

Several schools in our area came together Wednesday to engage in a "Diversity Dialogue" day.

Around 120 students and teachers gathered at the University of Lynchburg for the workshop.

They discussed how to stand up to stereotypes at school and in the community.

Event organizers say the attendance number was a record.

This is the 11th time they've done an event like this, but only the second time for discussing stereotypes.

"We have noticed that there are students who are talking about this more openly and more readily in their schools and they want to address it, and they're seeing the prejudice and the stereotypes happening and they want to do something. So today is about that process of awareness to action so that they can stand up to those stereotypes," said Jessica Hawthorne, Director of Programs for Virginia Center for Inclusive Communities.

Participants did large group discussions, breakout groups and tried their hand at making infomercials.