Race, affirmative action will debated in week of dialogue(blame whitey alert)(Report from Campus 4)

Student Life (Washington University student newspaper)(registration req'd) ^ | September 17, 2003 | Vinay Nair Kampath

[El Conservador]

Next week, students will gather around campus to voice concerns regarding race relations, minority issues and affirmative action.

The fifth annual Campus Week of Dialogue on Race Relations (CWD) has named this year's theme "LIV IN COLOR."

Campus Week of Dialogue originally began in 1999, following former President Bill Clinton's "One America Initiative on Race."

Senior Hrishikesh Belani, Co-Chair of the CWD Committee, said that the students at Washington University have kept the program alive because, "[Students] continue to perceive race as an important issue on our campus, worthy of discussion, and mandating priority."

Though the events will take place the last week of September, the CWD Committee already held an Open Mic Competition on Sept. 11. Students were invited to take center stage to reflect on race relations or the events of Sept. 11, 2001 as they pertained to the campus, community or the United States.

A panel of judges from the competition selected four speakers, David Giles, Vallory Booker, Michael Hines and Rob de Leon, to perform during the LIV IN COLOR finale.

Booker, one of two freshmen who will speak next Friday, said that she was very impressed with the talent of all of the performers.

Vijay Prashad, co-founder of the Forum of Indian Leftists and author of "The Karma of Brown Folk," will kick off the week on Monday, Sept. 22 at 4:00 p.m., with a lecture discussing the "model minority," a social phenomenon prevalent among the Asian American community. Prashad plans to address this with respect to its use in anti-Black racism in the United States.

That evening, Students Taking On Multicultural Pursuits (STOMP) will be holding a forum entitled "MinorityMODELminoritY." The forum, said Belani, will be held in Ursa's Fireside at 7:00 pm and will be an open discussion.

"[It] is intended to spark honest talk about the relationship between minority groups in this country and on this campus," said Belani.

Intended to supplement Prashad's lecture, the STOMP Forum will be an opportunity for students to discuss the model minority phenomenon with respect to the broader picture of race relations and equality.

Architecture professor Bob Hansman will deliver a presentation about his program, City Faces, on Tuesday in the May Auditorium at 7:00 pm. City Faces seeks to empower youth with skills they can use in order to better succeed in the future.

On Wednesday CWD will host "Not PC Jeopardy" at 7:00 pm in Ursa's Fireside. Belani said that this will not be a typical game-show event.

"[It is] designed to reveal knowledge about common racial slurs and stereotypes," said Belani. "[It] will be followed by a discussion about why these stereotypes and slurs persist."

Affirmative action will be the topic of "The Debate", held Thursday, Sept. 25 in Ursa's Fireside at 7:00 pm. This summer's U.S. Supreme Court case concerning the University of Michigan will be discussed. After both sides are presented, students will be asked to formulate their own decisions.

The LIV IN COLOR finale is scheduled for Friday at 5:00 pm in the Swamp. It will feature Black Elephant, a slam poetry and hip-hop group from Milwaukee. The finale will also include faculty and student speakers, the University Step Team, and the winners of the Sept. 11 Open Mic Competition.

Junior Durba Mitra, a member of the CWD Committee, said that she also hopes to draw in students for a walk on Saturday, Sept. 27.

"The finale is hopefully going to be a rally, in that students will be moved to act after the week of conversations," said Mitra.

According to Mitra, the students will head out to Delmar-Harvard Elementary School to paint inspirational murals with middle and high school students from the local community.

"It's important that people get to know each other in different perspectives," said sophomore Roger Tsai. "It will help us to all form a better community."

[El Conservador]

It's all the White Heterosexual Christian Conservative Male™'s fault!!! (/sarcasm)

[steve8714]

All one happy brown family? Why do I never hear the word Mexican without "theiving" in front of it?
Do not forget the kindnesses done to the Korean merchants in South Central.
The myth of a monolithic non-white culture only goes as far as a common agenda goes.
Disagree and you are Uncle Tom...or Taco...or Tojo...