NIOT:B/N's Rao Among Extraordinary 'Ordinary' Nominees

Mandava Rao, right, during a 2014 tour of India's Chicago Consulate.

Mandava Rao, right, during a 2014 tour of India's Chicago Consulate.

NIOT:B/N leader Mandava Rao is among Collaborative Solutions Institute's 2015 Extraordinary Ordinary Men of the Year Awards -- a recognition of ordinary men in our community who make a positive impact on others through volunteering in their neighborhoods, faith communities, schools, and social service agencies.

The award recipients and all nominees will be recognized at an Oct. 15 dinner, at 5 p.m. in the Carol A. Reitan Conference Center at Bloomington-Normal’s Marriott Hotel. To purchase tickets to this event, visit http://www.eventbrite.com/e/collaborative-solutions-extraordinary-ordinary-men-of-the-year-award-dinner-2015-tickets-18428845172

In addition to serving the NIOT:B/N Steering Committee, Rao was 2003 president of the McLean County India Association, and is a board member with For A Better Tomorrow, a global philanthropic group. He is a director with the Hindu Temple of Bloomington-Normal.

Other 2015 nominees include Grant Anderson, Merlin Anderson, Frank Beck, Bruce Bergethon, Anand Bhende, Robert Bosquez, Kevin Bradley, Hank Campbell, Phil Eaton, John Evans,  George Gordon, Paul Harmon, Jim Howard, Craig Luchtefeld, Mike McCurdy, Michael Predmore, Larry Taylor, Bill Tolone, and Doan Winkel.

Bill: Compassion Toward Refugees Humanizing Opportunity

Bill Fike

WJBC Forum

Europe, the Gulf States, and the “West,” including the United States, have been given the opportunity of a lifetime to destroy ISIS, with the influx of tens of thousands of Muslim refugees fleeing from Syria, Iraq, and Afghanistan.

The entire civilized world by humanely and compassionately, accepting these casualties of “radical Islam” into our respected countries, will demonstrate to all Muslims worldwide, that Christians and Jews are not the “Great Satan” as declared by the propaganda spewed out by likes of Al Qaeda and the Islamic State. Even Pope Francis has recognized the importance of this opportunity, by asking each Catholic Parish in Europe to sponsor at least one refugee family.

Secretary of State John Kerry announced today that the United States will host up to 70,000 worldwide refugees this year, 85,000 next year, and approximate total of 100,000 in 2017. He went on to explain that most of these immigrants will be Syrian.

In order to start their new lives in the United States, all refugees are fingerprinted and must pass both a security check and a medical exam before entering the country.  Upon arrival, the U.S. government expects working age immigrants to find a job within 6 months of arrival.  (Resettlement organizations often have employment specialists to help refugees find employment.)

Through my research*, I also found that our government gives new LEGAL refugees:  housing assistance, Medicaid, food stamps, and a small monetary stipend for at least 8 months to help with their integration into our society (Note: illegal immigrants DO NOT receive such benefits!).  And after one year in our country, a new refugee may apply for the much sought after “Green Card.”

I know my hard line Conservative friends are totally against taking in any Muslim refugees, and I understand their concern. But if these refugees are properly vetted so as to protect our country from possible embedded terrorists, this act of American hospitality and kindness, and the compassion shown by other countries throughout the civilized world, will help plant the seed of ISIS’s destruction in the Middle East, saving many American lives in the long run.

*http://www.refugees.org/about-us/faqs.html?referrer=https://www.google.com/

Bill Fike owned and operated Winnie’s of Bloomington, Inc., (Winnie’s Menswear) from 1973 until his retirement in May of 2009. Bill also owned Churchill’s Formal Wear, LTD. from 1996 until he sold Churchill’s to James Carroll in March 2007. Bill and Cheryl just celebrated 40 years of marriage this past June 12, 2011 and they have one son, Joseph, and one daughter, Carmen. Bill was in the second graduating class of Illinois Central College in 1971, and then went on to Clark School of Aviation-Flight, obtaining both VFR and IFR flight certificates. Bill has been able to trace his family heritage back to his great, great, great grandfather’s family, A.C. Herron’s, (on his grandmother’s side), who was one of the original settlers of Bloomington.

Celebrate Children at October 20 Vigil

Not In Our Town: Bloomington/Normal will focus on the plight of hungry children during its next prayer vigil October 20 at Bloomington's First Christian Church.

The hour-long "Celebrate Children's Prayer Vigil" begins at 6:30 p.m. The event also will include a canned goods collection competition among local K-12 students, with donations going to Bloomington's Clare House.

"We are planning to have our next Prayer Vigil focused around children within our community, state, and nation that are in need due to hunger," reported NIOT:B/N Faith and Outreach Committee Willie Holton Halbert.

"It is our desire to engage people of faith and our entire community in improving the lives of children and their families in our community, state and our nation."

The vigil is part of the 2015 Children's Defense Fund (CDF) National Observance of Children’s Sabbaths, “How Long Must I Cry for Help? Bending the Arc toward God's Vision of Justice for Children," October 16-18, which will focus on real solutions to significantly reduce child poverty. Thousands of churches, synagogues, mosques, temples, and other faith communities across the country are holding community-wide interfaith special worship services, educational programs, and/or advocacy activities to engage people of faith.

See more at: www.childrensdefense.org/programs/faithbased/faith-based-action-programs-pages/childrens-sabbaths/National-Observance-of-Children-s-Sabbaths.html#sthash.6ThxYFAi.mWCiP5qO.dpuf

CDF’s recent report, Ending Child Poverty Now, outlines steps to "make a huge down payment on ending preventable, costly, and immoral child poverty in our wealthy nation." By investing an additional 2 percent of the federal budget into existing programs and policies that increase employment, make work pay, and ensure children’s basic needs are met, our nation could reduce child poverty by 60 percent and black child poverty by 72 percent, lifting 6.6 million children out of poverty immediately, according to CDF.

 

 

Latino Heritage Month Events Encompass Arts, Politics, Policy, History

Illinois State University continues its observance of Latino Heritage Month Wednesday with a screening of the documentary Empire of Dreams at 7 p.m. in Felmley Hall Annex, room 133.

Following the screening, there will be a Q&A session, facilitated by Professor of Politics and Government Carlos Parodi. All documentary showings are sponsored by the Latin American and Latino/a Studies Program, Milner Library, and Conexiones Latinas de McLean County.

Ana Roncero-Bellido

Ana Roncero-Bellido

Meanwhile, Ana Roncero-Bellido will present “Latinas Anónimas: Articulating a Transnational Feminist Rhetorics of Solidarity Through Testimonio,” at 1 p.m., Friday, October 2, in Williams Hall , room 314.

Roncero-Bellido, a Ph.D. candidate with Illinois State’s Department of English, will present her research on the use of testimonio to theorize the complexity of Latina identity. By focusing on the anonymous testimonios written by The Latina Feminist Group (TLFG), she seeks to understand how testimonio becomes a form of healing and a space of solidarity.

The event, which is part of the Conversando Entre Nosotros: LALS Brown Bag Series Lecture, is sponsored by the Latin American and Latino/a Studies Program.

Then, enjoy arts in an afternoon of Latino music, poetry, and visual art with the Latino Arts Celebration at 1 p.m. Sunday, October 4, at the University Galleries in Uptown Normal.

Cellist Adriana Ransom will perform a recital featuring works of Gaspar Cassado (Spain), Mario Lavista (Mexico), and Leo Brouwer (Cuba), intertwined with literary readings from Spain, Mexico, and Cuba.

Works by Latino alumni artists will also be on display as part of the University Galleries’ Alumni Spectacular. The event is sponsored by the Latin American and Latino/a Studies Program, and the School of Music.

Immigration issues and immigration policy are in the spotlight as a central issue in the current presidential campaign debates. An immigrant rights and U.S. immigration policy panel will be at 6:30 p.m. Wednesday, October 7, in the Jaime Escalante Room of the Vrooman Center, in between Hewett and Manchester halls.

This panel has been organized with the expressed purpose to gather state and local community leaders to address the lack of immigration reform and the problems that this entails for immigrant families and communities.

Panel members include:
Fred Tsao (Illinois Coalition for Immigrant and Refugee Rights)
Jennifer Carrillo (Illinois People’s Action)
Carlos Parodi (ISU Department of Politics and Government)
Maura Toro-Morn (ISU, Latin American and Latino/a Studies)

The panel is sponsored by the Latin American and Latino/a Studies Program, the Department of Politics and Government, and the Conexiones Latinas de McLean County.

Anahi Russo-Gullido of the Metropolitan State University of Denver will host a Skype talk for the first of the Queer Talks Series. Her talk, titled “Negotiating Marriage and Polyamory in Queer Mexico City” will be at noon on Thursday, October 8, in the Vrooman Center, room 104.

Professor of Spanish James J. Pancrazio will give a talk titled “Rewriting, Invention, and Plagiarism: the Case of Enriqueta Faber, and the Writing of Transvestism” at 1 p.m. Friday, October 16, in Williams Hall, room 314.

Pancrazio will share a comparison of the literary versions of the case of Faber, the 19th century transvestite that resided in Cuba, in effort to show that each generation rewrites or recreates the image of the transvestite according to their own historical and ideological circumstances. The event, which is part of the Conversando Entre Nosotros: LALS Brown Bag Series Lecture, is sponsored by the Latin American and Latino/a Studies Program.

A screening of the documentary “Peril and Promise” will be 7 p.m. October 21, in Felmley Hall Annex, room 133. Following the screening, there will be a Q&A session, facilitated by Professor of Psychology Rocio Rivadeneyra. All documentary showings are sponsored by the Latin American and Latino/a Studies Program; Milner Library; and Conexiones Latinas de McLean County.

Hollywood actor Carlos Ponce will be the featured speaker at the Latino Cultural Dinner at 5 p.m. Tuesday, November 3, in the Brown Ballroom.

Carlos Ponce

Carlos Ponce

Ponce is known for his roles in Rio (2011), Spy (2015), and Couples Retreat (2009), and more recently known for his ABC show Cristela. During a Q&A session with Professor Rocia Rivadeneyra, Ponce will be sharing his experiences being a Latino actor in Hollywood.

Tickets will be available closer to the event. Visit Housing.IllinoisState.edu to purchase tickets. The cost is one meal swipe for meal plan participants and $20 for individuals without meal plans.

The Latino Cultural Dinner is sponsored by Campus Dining Services, the Latin American and Latino/a Studies Program, and the ISU Association of Residence Halls, The University Housing Services, Waterson Area Government, Waterson Diversity Coalition, Multi-Ethnic Cultural and Co-Curricular Programming and Advisory Committee.

Author of Brown in the Windy City: Mexicans and Puerto Ricans in Postwar Chicago Lilia Fernandez will give a talk titled Was the City Black and White? A History of Latinos in Mid-Century Chicago at 6:30 p.m., Wednesday, November 11, in Stevenson Hall, room 101.

Fernandez, of The Ohio State University, Department of History, will share research from her new book and speak on the presence of Latinos in mid-20th century Chicago, the dynamics they witnessed, the social change they championed, and the way they came to understand their place in the black and white metropolis.

The event is sponsored by the Latin American and Latino/a Studies Program and the Department of History.

Convergence of Queer Talks, Latino Heritage Month Illustrates Crossover Issues

Two major fall programs at Illinois State University share a significant connection that illustrates today's cross-cultural currents and how new channels are being opened to address them.

On Oct. 8, Anahi Russo-Garrido of Denver's Metropolitan State University will present “Negotiating Marriage and Polyamory in Queer Mexico City," the first of three 2015 ISU "Queer Talks" as well as part of the university's Latino Heritage Month observation. Polyamory is the physical state of being romantically involved with multiple people and having the consent of all parties involved.

Queer Talks is a new lunchtime colloquium series dedicated to the scholarship of lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender/queer studies.

The talks will be held from noon to 1 p.m. in Vrooman Room 107, and will include a Q&A session. They are co-sponsored by Illinois State University’s Women’s and Gender Studies Program, the LGBT/Queer Studies and Services Institute, Diversity Advocacy, and Pride.

An assistant professor of women’s studies, Russo-Garrido’s work focuses on gender and sexuality in Latin America, queer and feminist theory, transnational sexualities, and social justice organizing. She has worked with women’s rights organizations in Mexico, Canada, and the United States.

She is also the co-editor of Building Feminist Movements and Organizations.

As part of Latino Heritage Month,  Russo-Garrido's talk also is co-sponsored by the Latin American and Latino/a Studies Program.

On October 28, LaToya Eaves of Middle Tennessee State University will present “Place, Embodiment, and the Ethereal: On a Queer Black South.” The lecturer has taught at the University of Connecticut, where she was selected as an inaugural in-residence fellow with the Women’s, Gender, and Sexuality Studies Program. She has also worked at Florida International University and the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill.

The final Queer Talks program, Nov. 6, will feature Emily Hobson of the University of Nevada/Reno, who will present “‘A More Powerful Weapon’: Lesbian Feminists and the Revolutionary Underground.” An assistant professor of history, Hobson studies sexuality, race, and radical movements in the United States since 1945.

With joint academic appointments in the departments of history and gender, race, and identity studies, she teaches courses in the history of sexuality, LGBT history, social movements, multiracial and transnational feminisms, U.S.-Latin America borderlands, and gender, queer, and critical ethnic studies.

For additional information about the Queer Talks, contact Illinois State Assistant Professor Erin Durban-Albrecht at eldurba@ilstu.edu.

Aaron: Browsing the Human Library A Mind-Opener

Aaron Watson

I once met a freegan at the Human Library.  She scared me.

No, that’s not fair.  Actually, it was my idea of a freegan that scared me.  I believed freegans were mostly desperate, overly-righteous crusaders for some sort of ill-defined, ethereal cause.  My mind pictured an army of privileged, dirty people wearing second-hand clothes and dumpster diving for their food, all of them ready to pound me with rotten cauliflower for being such a wasteful consumer.  I met the freegan having already judged everything about her.  It was literally prejudice.

Illinois State's first Human Library in September 2014. (Photo by ISU)

Illinois State's first Human Library in September 2014. (Photo by ISU)

Of course I was not only wrong about her, but also about Freeganism.  She was a lot of fun to talk to, had some terrific ideas and didn’t once threaten me with any vegetables.  As with all fear in life, mine was based on prejudice and ignorance.  The Human Library gave me a chance to meet her, talk with her, and gain a better understanding of her.

And I did feel like I got to know her as a person.  After just a brief dialogue, I could accept that this intelligent person sincerely believed what she told me, and that her own life experience brought her to these choices.  And as the topic came to life through another human, freegans just weren’t as scary anymore. 

Don’t misunderstand, I did not become a freegan and she was not trying to somehow recruit me.  The Human Library is about education and understanding without being didactic.  In thirty minute sessions, participants (readers) meet with presenters (books) in a small group setting.  The topics vary, but after the book tells its story, the readers can ask questions which (hopefully) begins a constructive dialogue.  Readers receive a summary of all the available books and choose which topic to explore.

My own story centers on my malformed brain.  When I sit down as a book, and I have so far been a book in three Human Libraries, I always tell the readers that I am not there to inspire them nor to depress them.  I am a book in the Human Library because I want to give anyone the chance to speak with someone who has been through brain surgery, strokes, physical therapy, disability and depression.  I ask for neither pity nor empathy, but once I tell the story I do ask that the readers indulge their curiosity.

At the age of 24 I was diagnosed with an Arnold-Chiari malformation in my cerebellum.  I was having problems breathing, hearing, and even walking.  I underwent necessary brain surgery at the University of Missouri in Columbia, Mo.  After several months of full recovery, my symptoms slowly returned until, after several small strokes, I retired due to disability at the age of 32. 

In the midst of those years when my symptoms resurfaced, I became depressed to the point of even creating a plan for suicide.  My chronic pain and increasing inability to function at the level of my own expectations became overwhelming.  But I got help from a combination of counseling and anti-anxiety/anti-depressant medication.  So even as my physical symptoms continued to decline, my emotional health strengthened.  I was grateful to learn how to accept the reality of my ever-changing life even as I had to learn to use a cane (and occasionally a walker) just to get around my house.

When I was 38, I unexpectedly started to be able to walk again without having to use a cane or walker.  At 40 I had returned to working full-time at a university.  How I slowly regained enough of my health to return to work remains unknown.

And that’s it.  Sitting around a table with about seven or eight readers, I tell that story but in more detail of course.  We only get about thirty minutes together, so I spend about fifteen minutes detailing my story, leaving another fifteen minutes for questions.  I always tell my readers they can ask absolutely anything they want.  And, boy howdy, do they ever ask the most amazing questions. 

Allow me to illustrate.  My first time as a book in a Human Library, I expected people to ask about big-issue ideas:  What does it all mean?  What have you learned about Life?  What are you going to do now?  While these were similar questions to what I had asked during my years in counseling, I still did not have any clear answers.  Nevertheless,   felt very strongly that these would be the ones put to me.

So after telling my story that first time, I looked around the table at the handful of readers, their hands already raised for questions.  What would I say when they asked?  Why do they expect me to know the answer to life’s questions?  Just who do they think they are anyway?  And who is it they think I am?

I pointed at one person and waited, listening. 

Verbatim, without exaggerating, the reader asked, “You must have had a catheter during brain surgery.  What did that feel like?”  I didn’t speak for a few seconds.  My expectations had been so thwarted, I not only had to replay the question in my mind but I also had to ask him to repeat it, which he eagerly did, “What was it like to have a catheter?”

The other readers were nodding, approving of the question and waiting for my response.  They were sincere too, not any hint of sarcasm. 

I still had to clarify.  After surgery I had several IVs and tubes and wires connected to me.  So I asked, “You mean the urinary catheter?  What did that feel like?”

“Yes.  That must’ve been strange.”

Hesitantly, I answered, “Uh…well, actually it wasn’t too bad, until the nurse yanked it out.  That hurt.”  In unison, every reader at my table cringed.

From there we had a brilliant discussion, even touching on those life issues.  The spirit of the Human Library is best expressed by allowing an open dialogue.  In my case, having a urinary catheter was entirely unknown to them, so of course that’s what they asked.  I had encouraged it, after all. 

That question is emblematic of exactly what the Human Library can be for us.  Yes, it was a little embarrassing for me to answer, but it must’ve been strange for him to ask it too.  I credit the readers, the ones asking questions, as the real champions of this program.  They step outside of their comfort zone, if only for a brief time, hoping to learn something unexpected.

I had unexpectedly learned from a freegan.  Consider what one might learn from other books including an anarchist; a Muslim; an immigrant; a parent who adopted multi-racial children; a rape survivor; a recovering drug addict; a person living with AIDS.  If the Human Library creates an environment wherein readers can ask a man with a malformed brain what it felt like to have a post-surgical catheter, imagine what one could ask of others.

Illinois State University conducted its latest session of the Human Library Wednesday at Bone Student Center

LGBT Film Festival Explores Sports, Tab Hunter, Family Secrets

The 2015 Your Normal LGBT Film Festival kicks off Oct, 15 with an examination of gay and transgender athletes, continuing through the weekend with two dramas and the story of actor Tab Hunter.

The annual festival, featuring top current films dealing with gay, lesbian, bisexual, and transgender issues and attitudes, is sponsored by the Normal Theater and the Prairie Pride Coalition. All films start at 7 p.m.; admission is $7 at the box office.

Thursday, October 15

Game Face

The award-winning documentary GAME FACE tells the parallel story of Fallon Fox, MMAs first transgender pro fighter, and Terrence Clemens, a young, ambitious and talented college basketball player in Oklahoma, who happens to be gay. NBA player Jason Collins, NFL player Wade Davis, NCAA Division 1 basketball player Kye Allums and triathlete Chris Mosier also appear in the film.

Run Time: 95 min

Release: 2015

Director: Michiel Thomas

Friday, October 16

All About E

Beautiful, sexy e seems to have it all. A popular DJ at the top Sydney gay nightclubs, e has her pick of the girls. Matt, her flamboyant manager and best friend, makes her stunning outfits and creates a stylish home for them both. Life is sweet.

Too scared to come out to her traditional migrant parents, e married Matt, a gay Irish dress designer, to give him a visa and provide cover for her sexuality. e and Matt go on the run pursued by Johnny and his thugs. To avoid certain death there is only one safe place to go: outback Australia and into the arms of e’s ex, Trish. She has to give her family the chance to accept who she really is and find the courage to live her dreams.

Run Time: 93 min

Release: 2015

Director: Louise Wadley

Saturday, October 17

Henry Gamble’s Birthday Party

The film tells the tale of two teenage boys, preacher’s kid Henry Gamble and his friend Gabe, who has a sleepover the night before Henry’s seventeenth birthday pool party. Typical teenage boy chat quickly turns sexual, and it’s silently implied that Henry, on a search for identity, has a crush on Gabe. As dawn arrives on the day of the party, Henry’s mom Kat wakes in a state of limbo, middle-aged, with a secret. A little while later, Pastor Bob is making breakfast, and they are joined by Henry’s 19-year-old sister Autumn, home from college for the party. Later that afternoon, as guests arrive - both from the church, as well as Henry’s own “secular” friends - and day turns to night, Henry carefully navigate the religious strictures and sexual secrets of his community, as do the adults and teenagers of the party, all struggling to tread the public and private, and their longing, despite themselves and their faith, for earthly love.

Run Time: 87 min

Release: 2015

Director: Stephen Cone

Sunday, October 18

Tab Hunter Confidential

7:00PM

The story of matinee idol Tab Hunter from teenage stable boy to closeted Hollywood star of the 1950s. Throughout the 1950s, Tab Hunter reigned as Hollywood’s ultimate male heartthrob. In dozens of films – and in the pages of countless movie magazines – Tab’s astonishing looks and golden-boy sex appeal drove his fans to screaming, delirious frenzy, making him the prototype for all young matinee idols to come. He earned his stripes as an actor to become a major movie star and recording artist. Punctuating Tab’s on screen presence will be rare film clips and provocative interviews with friends and co-stars including John Waters, Clint Eastwood, George Takei, Debbie Reynolds, Robert Wagner, Portia de Rossi, Noah Wyle, Connie Stevens, Robert Osborne, and dozens more.

Run Time: 90 min

Release: 2015

Director: Jeffrey Schwarz

Workshops Focus On Financial Education

A pair of seminars -- one sponsored by the Bloomington-Normal NAACP -- are designed to help strengthen individual and family finances.

Cultural Fest in partnership with State Farm Bank will offer Financial Education Possibilities workshops free to the public, from 6 p.m. to 8 p.m. October 14 at Bloomington's Chateau Hotel. Register for the workshops at https://budgetcreditworkshop.eventbrite.com.

Seating is limited, so early signup is appreciated. A $50 gift card door prize will be given away during each workshop.

Stink at Budgeting -- 6 p.m.: If you don’t know how to create a budget, this session will address tools to help families and individuals create and stick to a budget.

Credit Myths Discredited – 7 p.m.: Credit impacts every facet of our lives. So, this class helps dispel the myths that exist in regards to credit. The workshop will cover facts and fables on topics ranging from credit reports to credit cards.

For further information, contact Tony Jones  at addtomix@aol.com.

Meanwhile, the Bloomington-Normal NAACP Economic Development Committee is sponsoring Black Wealth, a Dialogue About Money, from 6:30 to 7:30 p.m. Oct. 20 at the McLean County YWCA Community Room. The seminar will include "a snack and a discussion on financial issues, attitudes, problems, and solutions."

Doors open at 6 p.m. for the free program.

NCHS Senior 100 Black Men Mentee of the Year; Program Aims at SMART Education

Lenore Sobota

The Pantagraph

Markus Brooks of Bloomington is just starting his senior year at Normal Community High School, but he is already looking ahead — to attending college, teaching social studies and becoming a mentor like those who have mentored him through 100 Black Men of Central Illinois.

Brooks, son of Udonald and Dorothy Brooks, was recently named Mentee of the Year by the organization, which began in Bloomington in 2004 as a chapter of the national organization.

“It made me a better person,” Brooks said of his experience in the M4L (Mentoring 4 Life) program. “I made my goals higher. I know a lot more about society.”

His enthusiasm for the program brings a smile to the face of Paul Hursey, who has been involved in the mentorship program since it started about seven years ago.

“It started out as a reading program, but we saw that these young men needed more than a reading program,” Hursey said.

Although Brooks lives in a home with both parents present, Hursey said, “We get a lot of young men who are in single-guardian homes.”

The mentors provide them with role models and opportunities they might not otherwise have — and another adult to push them to do their best.

“I don't talk to them about potential,” Hursey said. “Potential is just wasted capability.”

Udonald Brooks, who has worked at State Farm for 26 years, said he has watched his son mature and become more aware of his ability to influence others through his involvement in the program.

“It allows him to interact with people from different social statuses,” Udonald Brooks said. “People from different backgrounds can have a lot of the same goals and different ways to reach them.”

Dorothy Brooks, a substitute teacher in Bloomington District 87, likes the way the mentors make sure the youths keep up their grades and encourage discussion.

Hursey said: “Don't misjudge us by our name. We have Caucasians in our program as well.”

District 87 school Superintendent Barry Reilly said, “They really have a passion, not only for mentorship but for doing things to help the entire community.”

For example, the organization collaborates with the NAACP to provide scholarships for low-income students to attend summer school.

“They just ask how much we need and write a check,” Reilly said.

Next month, the organization is offering a bus trip to a college and scholarship fair in Chicago.

“For a lot of these kids, college is way off in the distance,” Hursey said.

Their mentors try to get them to think about a path that will give them a career — not just a job — whether it involves a college degree or a trade, he said.

Education and economic empowerment are two of the pillars of 100 Black Men. The others are mentoring and health and wellness. A health awareness breakfast is among their annual outreach activities.

They also partner with other organizations on such projects as holiday food baskets, school supply giveaways and college scholarships.

The mentoring program groups together youths of varying ages, some as young as fourth grade.

The younger students learn from the older ones and the older ones learn to set a good example, Hursey explained.

A typical session will start with a quiz about topics such as politics, current events or black history.

The group then discusses each question and the answers. Sometimes the youths are presented with a scenario — such as being at a party where they shouldn't be — and discuss what they should do: Call a parent? Walk home?

The idea is to teach them critical thinking skills, Hursey said.

Brooks was selected as Mentee of the Year because of his regular participation, good grades and volunteer activities in school and at his church, according to Hursey.

“He sets an example inside our mentor sessions for most of the younger ones,” Hursey said. “He thinks things though before saying anything.”

Turning to Brooks, he said, “We're going to try to pull some of that teaching stuff out of you this year, so be prepared."

100 Black Men of Central Illinois sponsors the Mentoring the 100 Way program, a holistic approach that addresses the social, emotional and cultural needs of children ages 8-18. It’s really what we’re all about. Members become mentors, advocates, and role models for the youth within our community. Through chapter operated one-on-one and group mentoring efforts, our members forge relationships that positively impact our greatest resource, our youth. Our efforts focus on building essential skills needed to become productive, contributing citizens in Bloomington/Normal (Central Illinois).

Mentoring the 100 Way uses three different techniques: One-on-one, group, and tag-team mentoring. All techniques focus on being "S.M.A.R.T.":
Specific: Specific and clearly defined mentoring population
Measurable: Measure and evaluate effectiveness
Attainable: Setting goals that are attainable for the children and mentors
Realistic: Goals should be realistic (makes sense to the mentee)
Target Driven: Have a set target of pursuit

For more on the organization, visit http://www.100bmci.com/

Culture on The Quad, Communities Commingled

The Illinois State University quad came alive Sunday with dance, color, and camaraderie both among Bloomington-Normal’s diverse but united Indian “communities” and between the cities’ Indian and non-Indian neighbors.

This year’s fifth annual Festival of India buoyed McLean County India Association (MCIA) President-Elect Archana Shekara, an ISU assistant professor of graphic design. But for Shekara, whose academic and personal worlds cross many cultures, the fun and fellowship are prelude to what she hopes to be an expanded outreach to and understanding with the community.

The first festivals were held at first the McLean County Museum of History and then Miller Park, “but since I teach here, I thought it would be so nice if we could do it here,” Shekara related.

“It’s a great collaboration between this university and the Indian community, the McLean County India Association,” she said. “People learn from each other – we’re having fun at this festival, but they’re also learning.”

The festival officially kicked off with the traditional Deep Prajavalan ceremony (see top photo at right) – the lighting of a lamp fashioned from flowers by Bloomington’s Krishna Flowers and Gardening -- led by 2015 MCIA President Uma Kallakuri, Bloomington Mayor Tari Renner, ISU’s College of Fine Arts Dean Jean M.K. Miller and Provost Janet Krejci, and Not In Our Town: Bloomington/Normal leader and Hindu Temple of Bloomington-Normal board member Mandava Rao.

In addition to onstage music and dance from throughout the subcontinent, the event featured Indian fashions, crafts and decorations, and spiritual, health information, and educational booths, as well as face-painting, a “bounce house,” and balloon animals. Representatives of the Twin Cities’ Hindu temple were joined by  members of Bloomington’s International Society for Krishna Consciousness – a local Hare Krishna group.

The festival also showcased Indian art including rangoli -- patterns created on the ground or floor traditionally using materials such as rice flour and often placed at the doorway of a temple or home, “welcoming people and warding off evil,” said Shekara, an ISU College of Fine Arts Service Award recipient.

Visitors feasted on a hefty “lunch thali” combination plate featuring either paneer masala and or vegetable biryani (a rice dish) or samosas (savory pastries) – according to Shekara, all vegetarian to bridge the various dietary/cultural traditions of India’s diverse regions. The festival drew Indian-Americans, temporary Indian workers, and others from at least 14 Indian states – an impressive feat of coordination a myriad of customs, preferences, and attitudes designed to “celebrate our diversity and our unity.”

“The first thing that we tell people is that ‘we are Indians -- leave those cultural differences aside,’” Shekara stressed. “We all come together and celebrate India as a country, and celebrate the similarities. We all speak different languages -- Uma and I speak a different language at home. Uma speaks a language called Telugu, and I speak Kannada. And we speak English -- that’s what unites us. It’s a ‘foreign’ language; it’s not even Indian.”

But the Festival of India also is an invitation to the non-Indian community. “More and more” Twin Citians from other cultures have dropped by for a new experience or to meet their neighbors or coworkers, reported Shekara, who canvassed “every organization I could think of” to promote the festival.

A long-time MCIA volunteer who originally “was just having fun doing it,” eventually recognized “all these little gaps that are there in the community.” The Hindu temple provides a focal point and “an identity” for the cities’ disparate Indian communities, but events like the festival provide a way both to “connect those dots” and to reach out to the community in which Bloomington-Normal Indians live, work, eat, and shop, but from which some may feel disconnected.

Shekara and the MCIA are working to connect the microcosmic Indian community with the community at large. She recently attended Not In Our Town: Bloomington/Normal’s annual strategy planning meeting, and has provided cultural training and certification for local day centers “trying to understand their customers who leave their children.”

“The festival is bringing a lot of non-Indians onto the quad and trying to help everyone understand a little bit of Indian culture,” Shekara said. “But more needs to be done.

“When I teach my students about cultural identity, my students tell me I’m the first Indian that they’ve interacted with, let alone teach. And then I teach European graphic design – Swiss graphic design – and I teach it with an accent. I kept thinking about all this, and I thought, ‘Maybe as a president-elect or as a president next year, I need to do something more than the festival.

“I invited (NIOT:B/N’s) Mike Matejka to come and talk to my class. If I’m a minority and I start talking, they’re going to think, ‘Oh, she’s just complaining.’ But when you bring in a Caucasion who starts talking about diversity issues, that’s when people just start listening – it’s different. Just a person’s color completely changes everybody’s attitude and mentality.

Archana Shekara signing prints. (Photo by ISU College of Fine Arts)

Archana Shekara signing prints. (Photo by ISU College of Fine Arts)

“So then I thought I needed to start going and meeting people in the community. That’s when we start having conversations. These conversations bring us together, and then that’s when we realize we are not the ‘other’ – we are all the same. We are just all so caught up in how we look that we forgot, and then we are self-conscious. But we are the same – we have the same heart, we have the same thinking. But there’s a little bit of a gap in the community – we see that especially in the workplace.”

Festival of India: Tradition Through Dance

Below, the Indian Classical Dance troupe, directed by Guru Uma Kallakuri, performs during Sunday's Festival of India on the Illinois State University quad. The annual festival brings together cultural, spiritual, artistic, fashion, and culinary traditions from across the various Indian states. The event is co-sponsored by the McLean County India Association and designed both to unite Indians and Indian-Americans throughout the Bloomington-Normal area and to introduce Indian cultures to Twin Citians.

More highlights from the festival, along with reflections from major festival coordinator, ISU graphic arts instructor, and McLean County India Association President-Elect Archana Shekara tomorrow here at Twin Cities Stories.

Festival of India Sunday on ISU Quad

Block out part of your Sunday afternoon for a taste of another culture at the 5th annual Festival of India, from noon to 6 pm. tomorrow on the Illinois State University quad.

The festival, presented by McLean County India Association and Illinois State University, will feature workshops on yoga meditation, and Pranayama (breath control) and a Rangoli folk art display. Other highlights will include a picture studio with Indian clothing, displays and a parade focusing on the various states represented by Bloomington-Normal's diverse Indian/Indian-American community, henna and face painting, Indian youth sports, balloon art, a bounce house, a culture program, and a Bollywood band influenced by India's major film industry.

Here are some samples of last year's festival, from the McLean County India Association.

Bob: Kentucky Clerk Furthers Oppression

Bob Bradley

WJBC Forum

In a short period of time my daughter will be getting married. She will marry her soul mate. They share a love that will sustain them through any tough times that may lie ahead.

The wedding ceremony will be one of joy and celebration. Friends and family from near and far will join in the happy festivities. They will eat, drink, laugh, dance, and be merry. As a father I could not be more proud and happier.

So should my and others’ delight in the ceremony be tempered if the gender of the bride and groom were the same? Should my pride be diminished if my daughter had chosen as the love of her life a same-sex partner? Should my happiness and love for my daughter be lessened if the ceremony was a same-sex marriage? Clearly not.

As for the Kentucky county clerk, the contempt finding against her is not depriving her of religious liberty and her actions are not comparable to those of Martin Luther King. Consider if she was a Quaker and refused to issue a license to carry a firearm based on her strong belief in non-violence. Would the outrage by certain segments of the community and particular presidential candidates be the same?

In fact, her actions are similar to those of local authorities who claimed it was against God’s will to allow biracial couples to marry in the 1960s despite a Supreme Court ruling saying they could. And are comparable to the refusal of certain Southern school authorities to integrate public schools in the 1950s after the issuance of the famous Brown decision.

The clerk used her official position to force citizens to abide by her religious views. This runs counter to the principle of the separation of church and state embodied in our Constitution. That principle was designed to prevent the government from making people conform to a specific religion.

And by not carrying out a Supreme Court decision granting a right to a minority group, the clerk is furthering the oppression of that group. This is the opposite of King’s actions, which tried to eliminate laws that were oppressive of minorities.

I hope my daughter’s wedding goes well and that she continues to live in a country where a specific religion does not dictate government actions.

Bob Bradley is a professor emeritus from Illinois State University where he primarily taught law-related courses in the political science department for 30 years. He did a weekly-segment for WJBC on politics and law for more than a decade. He also co-hosted a live- radio show from the Democratic and Republican national conventions in 2008, and reported live from the 2012 Republican convention. Currently, he serves on several community boards, does volunteer work, enjoys golf and fishing, and likes landscaping and bird-watching. He is married to the love of his life, Reenie, and has one daughter, Erin.

Empowerment Institute Sept. 19 at Heartland

Early bird registration is now open for With My Girls Empowerment Institute, a network/education program designed to help women "move your goals and dreams forward" Sept. 19 at Heartland Community College.

The theme is Getting Started: Taking the First Step Today for a Better Tomorrow. The program will include sessions on four issues: Career and Entrepreneurship. Health and Quality of Life. Financial Empowerment. and Overall Self-Awareness and Self-Management

Individual tickets are $20 for students and $45 for non-students. Sponsors include McLean County YWCA, Illinois State University, and Soroptimist International Bloomington-Normal.

For information or to register, visit www.withmygirls.com/empowerment.

'Black Eagle' Keynoter at NAACP Freedom Fund Banquet

Joe Madison, civil rights activist and preeminent African-American radio host known as “The Black Eagle,” is keynote speaker for the Bloomington-Normal Branch of the NAACP's Freedom Fund Banquet, Sept. 19 at Bloomington's DoubleTree Hotel and Convention Center.

The event starts at 7 p.m., preceded by a 6 p.m. social hour.

Takesha Stokes of Bloomington will be presented the Roy Wilkins award for her dedicated service to the NAACP, including serving as first vice president, Freedom Fund Banquet chair, and 2014 State Convention chair.

Another local award recipient will be Bloomington Police Chief Brendan Heffner, who will receive the Merlin Kennedy Community Service award in recognition of his efforts in building a stronger community-police partnership in Bloomington.

Tickets for the Freedom Fund Banquet are $50 for adults, and $25 for youths under 12. For information or to purchase tickets, contact Takesha Stokes 309-242-5827 or Chemberly Cummings at 216-570-0549.

Madison, a radio host on SiriusXM's Urban View channel, served as executive director of the Detroit NAACP at 24. He describes himself as "doggedly progressive," having worked on voter registration efforts and led marches and demonstrations to end the genocide in Darfur.

Last year, Joe Madison received the Freedom Flame Award presented by the Selma, Alabama, Bridge Crossing Jubilee Commission, and was named Outstanding Media Personality at the 104th Annual NAACP Convention. Madison has been selected as one of Talker Magazine’s top 10 talk radio personalities for 10 consecutive years and he is the only African-American to be listed in the “talented tenth.”

New ISU 'Response Team' Offers Clearinghouse For Bias/Discrimination Issues

A racially inflammatory Twitter post last spring spurred an “awe-inspiring” community response and a new effort to head off hate and bigotry and foster understanding on campus, according to Art Munin, chairman of ISU’s new Inclusive Community Response Team.

Munin, ISU assistant vice president and dean of students, reports the recently debuted effort is designed to help address essentially “any identity-based issue” on campus, from overt bigotry (such as the racist graffiti recently found on an Illinois Wesleyan University sidewalk) to more subtle “bias-related” incidents or “microaggression” – frequently unintended, often routine discrimination in interactions with those of a different race, culture, faith, or gender identity. In short, activity “that just doesn’t reflect the values and diversity we espouse at Illinois State University,” Munin said.

The 10-member response team includes junior Patrice Gooden, secretary of diversity affairs for the ISU Student Government Association, as well as representatives of the ISU’s provost office, counseling and housing services, Milner Library, University College, the ISU Police Department, the vice president of student affair, and the Office of Equal Opportunity, Ethics, and Access (OEOEA).  Visit the team’s website at http://studentaffairs.ilstu.edu/who/diversity/icrt/.

 “This group is to help provide a place to support, listen, and remedy, but hopefully also to do some proactive work to help prevent these things from happening,” the Southside Chicago native and first-generation college student related. “Previously, there just wasn’t a mechanism to draw all these entities together so we’d be talking on a regular basis.

“This is tough – it’s difficult, emotional, intellectual work, and it’s work that sometimes doesn’t start until folks get to college and they start having these conversations. I know that was the case for me – I didn’t really start opening up these dialogues until I started going to college. You have 18 years or so of one way of programming and thinking, and then college is going to ‘disrupt’ that. Higher education should be an intellectually and emotionally disruptive process. This isn’t about making you think one way – it’s about challengi9ng you to think, to think critically, and ask questions of why.”

Munin, an Eastern Illinois University/Loyola psychology/student affairs specialist with a second masters in multicultural communications from DePaul University, applauded ISU President Larry Dietz’ rapid public response last spring to a student Twitter post putting a racist spin on African-American protestors in the wake of alleged police abuse -- “Dr. Larry Dietz is very clear about his convictions related to diversity and justice.” The subsequent proposal to form a response team received Dietz’ immediate “blessing,” he noted.

Munin also was gratified by the proactive response of ISU fraternities and sororities to nationwide reports of fraternity racism and abuse, including a cross-campus demonstration walk. Under the umbrella of the Dean of Student’s office, he emphasizes that “the Greek community answers to me,” and he has been active with sorority recruiters and the Interfraternity Council, particularly in fostering messaging on “diversity and justice.”

“That march on the campus, we didn’t organize that – the students did,” Munin stressed.

However, students who have been the victims of discrimination often have not known where to file a report or complaint or even “that we want to know about that,” he acknowledged. The new team will serve as a clearinghouse for accountability and follow-through (“I’m hopeful that more students will come forward and share their stories with us”).

Student discrimination of harassment reports will move first through Munin, who will share them with OEOEA and/or the campus police, if a reportable crime has been committed. The response team also will review complaints with an eye to potential remedies or actions.

The team also will meet regularly to review campus-related events, community developments that affect the university and students, ways to improve communications and “messaging,” and available resources to help promote diversity and reduce or prevent discrimination.

“There’s already so much great stuff going on here, but we don’t connect all the dots and share that information,” Munin maintained. “That sharing of information will continue to be crucial to this new entity.”

Part of the problem is the insular nature of various campus communities and cultural groups, and general discomfort with direct confrontation of racial and related issues. ISU’s administration collects considerable data on “who comes to events and participates in events,” Munin said, but the team will attempt to focus as much on “who wasn’t there – who did we not reach, and who was not participating?”

Social media can be a double-edged sword in building cross-cultural bridges, as evidenced by last spring’s racial posting episode. But “to see the response from the community to it afterwards was just awe-inspiring,” recalled Munin, who sees great value in online communications and web-based social justice information sharing and the “systemic approach” to bias and bigotry social media provides.

Another priority is recognition of previously disenfranchised or underserved student constituencies. Munin was instrumental in launching ISU’s new “Lavender Graduation” to acknowledge the special accomplishments of LGBT students, and he will meet this week with students and student groups – including Greek organizations -- to discuss the possibility of a similar ceremony for Latino students next May.

Munin meanwhile is excited by high-profile campus activities such as this weekend’s India Festival on the campus quad, and is hoping families from around the Twin Cities will drop by to help make the cultural celebration “a truly community event.” ISU’s basic “family friendly” nature that drew him to Central Illinois.

“You can include everyone, and that just makes it a warm environment,” Munin said.

Inclusive Community Response Team

What is the Inclusive Community Response Team?
The Inclusive Community Response Team (ICRT) serves students by fostering an open and inclusive campus and responding to instances of hate and bias.

What does ICRT do?

  • SUPPORT – provide students with care and assistance when faced with a bias-related incident
  • RESPOND - review reported bias-related incidents affecting students and refer to appropriate University and community entities
  • MONITOR – examine the student experience for trends and issues which may affect the campus climate
  • EDUCATE – build understanding within the campus community about the value of diversity and social justice

How do I report an issue?

  • Any student, faculty, staff, or community member can file a report with the ICRT. There are several ways to file a report:
  • Email
    • ICRT@ilstu.edu
    • When filing a report via email please be as specific as possible. Items to consider including are: date, time, specific location, names of people involved, descriptions of people involved (if names are not known), and specific details regarding the issue. You are able to include files (e.g. pictures) with the email if available.
    • If you supply your name and contact information, a member of the ICRT will follow up with you within two business days.
  • Online
  • By phone or in person
    • Dean of Students Office: 309-438-2008309-438-2008; 144 Bone Student Center
    • Illinois State University Police Department: 309-438-8631309-438-8631; 105 Nelson Smith Building
    • University Housing Services: 309-438-8611309-438-8611; Office of Residential Life Building
    • Office of Equal Opportunity, Ethics, and Access: 309-438-3383309-438-3383; 208 Hovey Hall

WGLT's Investigation of Race and The Law Spotlighted

WGLT's award-winning pre-Ferguson investigation of Twin Cities racial issues was again in the spotlight this week, in a featured spread by the Washington-based communications website Current.

In a story also featuring Not In Our Town: Bloomington/Normal leader Camille Taylor and photography from a recent police-community gathering, Current's Henry Scheider relates how the Illinois State University-owned station began reporting for its five-part Police and Race series in August 2014, spurred by an Illinois-mandated study of traffic stops that indicated that people of color were being stopped and searched significantly more often than white drivers.

The study also revealed that canine searches were ordered more often during traffic stops involving people of color, though white drivers were more frequently found with illegal drugs or weapons. WGLT's coverage drew local interest, "and then the situation in Ferguson brought that to everyone’s attention nationally,” Bruce Bergethon, WGLT’s general manager, told Schneider.

WGLT’s four-person newsroom sought "a balanced picture” of the relationship between police and minorities in the community, according to Bergethon. Over the next four months, WGLT reviewed recordings of police interactions with minorities, examined court records and interviewed public officials, scholars and residents of Bloomington-Normal.

The resulting series, which aired last December, received two National Murrow Awards from the Radio Television Digital News Association.

For the complete story, visit Current at http://current.org/?p=146973.

Mitsubishi Worker Hailed for Scout Work

Roberto Avina, a United Auto Workers 2488 member and employee of Mitsubishi Motors, exemplified the 2015 Labor Day theme, “For More Than Ourselves.”  Not In Our Town: Bloomington/Normal celebrate the diversity and contributions of unions and workers during Monday's Bloomington Labor Day Parade.

NIOT:B/N at the Labor Day Parade.

NIOT:B/N at the Labor Day Parade.

Avina, a Mexican immigrant and now-U.S. citizen, was recently awarded the Boy Scouts of America George Meany Award for the local W.D.Boyce Council, at the McLean County Museum of History on August 15. The Meany Award is annually given to an adult scout leader from union ranks.  

Avina is also the 2015 WJBC-AM "Laborer of the Year."

Avina is a line worker at Mitsubishi with 10 years of scouting service

Bloomington Labor Day Parade Sept. 7, Emphasizes Community Service

The theme for the 2015 Bloomington Labor Day Parade is "For more than ourselves," emphasizing community service and involvement.

The parade marches on Monday, September 7 at 10 a.m., line up at 9 a.m. on Front Street in Downtown Bloomington.  The parade will proceed west on Front Street to Lee Street, south on Lee Street to Wood Street, and then west on Wood Street to Miller Park.

"The parade theme reflects our close community ties," said Trades & Labor President Ronn Morehead.  "All of our unions, through donated labor, volunteering and donations, support local charities, and community organizations.  We want those community organizations to be the center of this year's parade, with Labor's contributions to them."

The parade features union marching units, high school bands, construction equipment, community organizations, antique cars, and elected officials and aspirants for political office. Not In Our Town: Bloomington/Normal is scheduled to participate.

The local labor community has been a key catalyst in driving diversity and cultural growth. World War II brought unexpected changes to the Twin Cities workplace -- women and African-Americans in the factory. Williams began hiring women as military draft depleting the workforce, Williams losing 383 employees to the armed forces. Williams initially hired 56 women in early 1943, using training films to acquaint them with plant processes.

The other group hired was African-American workers. Although the new female hires joined Machinists Lodge 1000, the African American workers were not allowed to participate in the union. They were kept segregated from the rest of the workforce, doing mainly hand filing and finishing work, and only worked on defense contracts.

A. Phillip Randolph, Brotherhood of Sleeping Car Porters president, had successfully lobbied President Roosevelt in 1941 to end discriminatory hiring practices. Roosevelt issued an executive order against racial discrimination in war contracts. Ruth Waddell, who worked at Williams during the war, remembered that "some people had problems with us being there," but she and other African-American workers enjoyed the higher pay and an opportunity to do work usually denied to them. As soon as the war contract work ended, though, the African-American workers were laid off.

 

IWU Students Silently Protest Racism

Lenore Sobota

The Pantagraph

Pantagraph photo by Lori Ann Cook-Neisler

Pantagraph photo by Lori Ann Cook-Neisler

More than 40 students at Illinois Wesleyan University staged a silent protest before the first faculty meeting of the semester on Monday, calling for greater attention to inclusiveness and diversity.

A mixed group of students lined both sides of the hallway outside of the meeting room, holding handwritten signs with messages such as, “Stand against ignorance,” “I won't stand for silence,” and “I should feel accepted in the classroom.”

Most of the faculty and staff members who walked down the hall on their way to the meeting — including IWU President Dick Wilson — stopped to read the signs and many made supportive comments to the students.

Among them was history professor Tom Lutze, who said faculty members needed to hear their message.

“There have been instances of racism on campus,” Lutze said. “We need to create an atmosphere in which all of our students feel welcome, especially our students of color. That's what we're all about.”

Although the protest was triggered by an incident just over a week ago when the N-word was found written on a campus sidewalk, organizers said it was about larger issues, such as students experiencing “microaggressions” in classes, when comments are made that are offensive or make students feel singled out or uncomfortable.

Not In Our Town's Angelique Racki applauded the student's proactive but peaceful approach to the slur, noting "the students didn't riot, they didn't damage property, they didn't cause a dramatic pointless scene." "They made their case and their presence known in an important meeting," Racki said. "To me, that's a win."

Christy Cole, a senior in philosophy and French major from Freeport, said, "To me, this goes beyond race" and includes gender, sexual orientation, and religion.

Senior Ashley Spain, an elementary education major from Chicago, said the university puts “a lot of effort into diversity” but more needs to be done.

“Diversity is in our mission statement at IWU,” said Kitty White, a senior in sociology from Chicago. “If it's in your mission statement, it has to be your mission.”

Reading each sign in the hallway, Wilson told the students, “It takes courage to do this, and I'm proud of you.”

The students asked for and received permission for two students to speak to the meeting on behalf of the others. The students were greeted with applause as they entered the meeting room.

The first speaker, Emani Johnson, a sophomore in sociology from Chicago, said, the students were not there to discredit the school, but “there's always room for improvement.”

She said there can be no improvement without faculty involvement.

“We're here to recruit you as allies,” Johnson said.

The second speaker, senior Catherine Carini, a music major from Chicago, told faculty members, “We look to you to start the conversation” about incidents such as the word written by he fountain and to be as loud about social justice as they are about classroom subject matter.

Carini is involved in “Engaging Diversity,” a three-day program for white, incoming first-year students that began five years ago. Participation grew to 35 students this year.

Cole said students would be back at a later time with more specific suggestions of what the university could do.

Among ideas some students are contemplating is a semester-long general studies course on diversity issues, rather than just the pre-orientation “Engaging Diversity” program.

--

Angelique Racki,