By PAIGE ARCANO
Reporter

(WARRENSBURG, Mo., digitalBURG) — Youtuber and author Tyler Oakley is making his way to UCM.

The American Democracy Project is bringing the YouTube star to campus as part of Unity Week. Oakley will be speaking at 7:30 p.m. Thursday, Feb. 16, in Hendricks Hall.

Oakley is a social rights advocate and a prominent LGBTQ+ voice on YouTube, where he has more than 21 million social media followers and 8 million subscribers. He was named one of Forbe’s 2017 30 Under 30 and published his first book, “Binge,” in 2015. Oakley earned two Teen Choice Awards in 2014, the Streamy Entertainer of the Year and the Streamy Activist Icon of the Year.

Mitchell Campana, student coordinator of ADP and president of Spotlight, said there were many options for speakers, but Oakley was chosen because of his personality and how genuine he is.

“Unity Week as a whole is significant because it is a time to come together, talk about unity, trade ideas,” Campana says. “This event is very special because (Oakley) is coming to talk about unity, coming together as a campus and how we need to get past our differences… even though we are all diverse, we are all people.”

There will be a moderated question and answer session, a meet-and-greet session and a book signing following Oakley’s speech. Books will be available for purchase and will only be signed if purchased at the book signing.

Students will have the opportunity to win VIP access to the event, which includes front row seating, being first in line for the book signing and a free copy of Oakley’s book to be signed. ADP will have a table set up from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. Jan. 26, Feb. 1 and Feb. 9, in the Elliott Student Union. Winners of the VIP passes will be announced Thursday, Feb. 9.

Unity Week is scheduled to take place Feb. 13-17 and features other events including Let’s Talk: Community through Difference, Tunnel of Oppression and spoken word artist Louis Conphliction.