Acho Delivers Keynote During Gaughan Center Celebration

(KFOR NEWS march 25, 2021) Former NFL player, author and broadcaster Emmanuel Acho will headline a series of events celebrating the 11th anniversary of the Jackie Gaughan Multicultural Center and the continued work of the Office of Academic Success and Intercultural Services.

The weeklong celebration is March 29-April 2 and includes a lip-sync battle, open house and themed meetings for Dish It Up.

The keynote presentation, “Igniting Inclusive Dialogue with Emmanuel Acho,” is at 5:45 p.m. March 31. Participants must register prior to the event at https://go.unl.edu/057i to receive a link.

Acho, a Nigerian-American, was born to Igbo immigrants and grew up in Texas. After earning his degree in sports management from the University of Texas, Acho played in the NFL for the Cleveland Browns and Philadelphia Eagles. He retired in 2016 and began his career in broadcasting. He currently hosts the sports-centered program “Speak for Yourself” on Fox Sports 1.

Acho received acclaim in summer 2020 when he launched a web series, “Uncomfortable Conversations with a Black Man,” which addressed issues of race. He subsequently published a book of the same title in November 2020 and has announced a forthcoming version of the book for younger readers, “Uncomfortable Conversations with a Black Boy,” which will be published in May. Most recently, Acho hosted the “After the Final Rose” special of ABC’s “The Bachelor” and received further praise.

“Emmanuel Acho has used his social cache as a former NFL standout and current sports analyst to create space for dialogue about diversity and inclusion,” said Charlie Foster, assistant vice chancellor for inclusive student excellence and OASIS director. “Similarly, I am excited about how we can expand our dialogue about diversity on this campus. His willingness to have ‘uncomfortable conversations’ fits completely with the efforts the university is making through our anti-racist journey and commitment to Husker Dialogues. I am hopeful that we will reach a good number of students, faculty and staff through this creative speaker.”

The Jackie Gaughan Multicultural Center opened in 2010 and is home to many groups, clubs and events, along with OASIS, the Kawasaki Reading Room and the William H. Thompson Scholars Learning Community. The center continues the tradition of past culture centers at Nebraska, providing a home away from home for underrepresented students while welcoming all students, faculty, staff, alumni and guests. The Gaughan Center offers culturally relevant resources and activities for the entire university community. Additional information can be found at https://unions.unl.edu/jgmc.