This coming Tuesday, Union Board’s weekly Taylor Lounge Tuesday will look a little different. This week, the event is being co-hosted by Ed Studies Club.

“The event is basically an open mic night that is going to focus on students and faculty and Knox community talking about diversity and inclusion,” said Ed Studies Club exec member, junior McKenzie Caldicott.

The open mic is a lead up to the Ed Studies Department TEDx Conference at the end of March. Anyone is welcome to speak or sing, but speakers are encouraged to focus on the themes of diversity and inclusion.

“Part of our main goal is to provide educational materials for people, and this is a good way of getting students to not just help with that goal but also to collaborate on it by providing their own experiences,” said  another Ed Studies Club exec member, first-year Jay Kronbach,.

There will also be a raffle during the open mic. Ed Studies Club President senior Nyah Brown says the prizes will be things students could find useful, like umbrellas, hammocks, or dry erase boards.

All three exec members agree their event should be an informal and fun time for students to start conversations about the important topics of diversity and inclusion.

“I’m thrilled at the opportunity to hear people talk about things they care about,” said Brown.

The open mic is this Tuesday March 5, from 5 p.m. to 7 p.m.