Last year, junior Nailah Ware was working with Randy Williams, vice president of inclusive excellence and education, on a podcast called “Tell It Til’ It’s Told,” highlighting inclusive excellence through student’s stories. Not long after that, she got an email from university communications, asking her if she would be interested in being featured in the Huemanity of People project for the work she has done with diversity through her music. Ware said she was speechless when she received the email and felt honored to be featured later that year in April. 

“I hope it gives people hope,” Ware said.

The Huemanity of People is a storytelling project sponsored by the Office of Inclusive Excellence and Education. Its goal is to showcase the wide range of diversity that makes up Elon, according to Williams.

For Ware, she isn’t afraid to create a platform centering around diversity. As a musician and producer, Ware said she creates her sound in hopes of making people aware that diversity isn’t going anywhere, and she was able to showcase this on the project. Ware said it felt special to be seen and hopes this project gets students engaged in conversation about diversity, equity and inclusion. She said Huemanity of People is “laying the blueprint” for student engagement on DEI.

The project started with a blank wall. Williams said when the division of inclusive excellence and education emerged out of the COVID-19 pandemic, there were many empty walls within the second floor of the Powell Building where their offices are located.

“We need to get some decorations, spruce this place up that’s reflective of inclusive excellence,” Williams said. 

Director of Interior Design Holly Hodge wanted to find a way to get students to stop near the Office of Inclusive Excellence and Education and interact with art in a storytelling setting. She didn’t remember where she got the idea for the wall installation, but Hodge said she gets her ideas for designs through multiple platforms such as Pinterest and the Association for University Interior Designers. 

“I hope they’re being more aware and gaining knowledge about the university as a whole and the diversity we have here at Elon, and I’m just hoping that people engage with it and kind of take it to the next level,” Hodge said. 

It became more than just pictures on a wall, there were stories behind these pictures. The Huemanity of People is made up of students, faculty, staff and alumni that reflect some aspect of inclusive excellence, Williams said. People can be nominated by their peers and not only will they be featured outside of Powell 208, but also in Elon Today and The Magazine of Elon. 

“So the idea is that people are inclusive excellence,” Williams said. “Inclusive Excellence is within people. And so by telling these stories, we’re telling inclusive excellence.”

For Williams, this comes down to the shared responsibility everyone at Elon has to the mission of inclusive excellence. He said inclusive excellence is more than just social identities such as race and sexuality, but rather bringing people together across differences. Williams said the Huemanity of People can be a platform for spectators to realize that they can contribute to DEI.

Williams said the Huemanity of People has remained a signature program and has received praise outside the higher education world. He said a successful company commented about Huemanity of People and how they want to do something similar at their company.

“We’ve been very strategic in crafting stories that will bring forth people’s identities and how they are different and how they are alike and how they’re seeking this human flourishing, essentially,” Williams said.

For now, the installation remains right outside of Powell 208, but Williams said he hopes one day fill empty walls across campus with Huemanity of People as they continue gathering more stories. One goal, Williams said, is to feature more than just students, faculty and staff. He wants to maybe feature parents, donors or even trustees. He said there is not a science to how they go about picking their next subject, but they do look for someone who feels comfortable sharing their story.

“If people can see this, if people can identify how they can contribute, then we’re all in moving toward this whole high goal of student success,” Williams said.