The UNI College of Business’ Multicultural Business Leaders Association (mBLA) created a collaborative art installment to celebrate and spread awareness around diversity, inclusion during Black History Month, with the final piece being unveiled for Juneteenth. Students were encouraged to participate in contributing to the piece, named "Unity," they were invited to share their unique perspectives by artistic expression through a collage of hands. This concept serves as a reminder that when we come together with our diverse perspectives and experiences, we can create something extraordinary. 

Volunteers from mBLA’s executive board assisted participants and answered questions. Visitors could write any story they wanted to share about their experiences and add it to the composition. The final project will be hung in the Office for Professional Distinction.

Carissa Demings (‘25), mBLA’s president, said she hopes the project will encourage more people to get involved and spread awareness about diversity.

“We thought it was a perfect time to put something together that represents what UNI is striving to promote,” she said. “I was excited to see members of the college stop in and write their own stories and reminisce about how great their experience has been. I want to hear everyone's experiences and hear about the memories they’ve created here.”

Taija Tucker, mBLA’s adviser, a professional academic adviser and student diversity programs coordinator, said the idea for “Unity” came in late 2022. A graduate of the arts herself, she thought using the medium would be a perfect opportunity to bring people together. 

mBLA is a newer student organization in the College of Business, launching in February 2022. The group aspires to create a community for students of multicultural backgrounds to empower and strengthen their identities in the professional world.

While they’ve held several internal events, the “Unity” montage will be their first public-facing project. Students within the group hope this is the start of a larger presence on campus, helping spread a positive message about diversity, equity and inclusion.

“We’re pretty excited to start somewhere,” said Christian Johnson (‘25), mBLA’s vice president. “Hopefully in the future, we can do something bigger, maybe even campuswide. We hope this gives people a whole new perspective of other people’s experiences and knowledge at the university or life in general.”

Demings agrees, adding, “We’re happy to put something that leaves a mark on the College of Business, cement our place in it, and promote us and what we value. Doing this, we get the word across to everyone. We want everyone to feel welcomed and supported here.”