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Show Monday, January The Daily Utah Chronicle - Page Six 14, 1991 Feature blacks may be undeiMrepireseireted U. these students, 152 were of descent. By Gregory Thilmont Chronicle Feature Writer African-America- These included 87 male and 51 female undergraduates as well as male and 8 With the observance of Martin Luther King Jr. Day on Jan. 21, special time is taken to ponder how America benefits from culture and to perhaps come to grips with our African-America- n past. It is also a time for positive steps to be taken for a future of increased understanding. Some believe that the key to understanding racial and ethnic differences is to become familiar with them. There is a question, however, as to if there are enough opportunities at the University of Utah to increase awareness. cross-cultur- al n female graduate 6 students. According to Korla Woods, assistant director of the Center for Ethnic Student Affairs, "When you look at the fact there are 25,000 students on this campus, and less than 1,300 minorities specifically I more period around 150 would say that there is blacks a significant disproportion." Among the reasons for this, Woods cites geography as a factor in the low number of black students at the U. "We're the Intermountain Region. Traditionally this area, Utah, in exposure to different Idaho, and Wyoming, has not a to been a haven for minorities, is cultures key U. be the especially for blacks." may understanding, "Utah is even more of a unique from suffering homogeneity. Figures from the Center of situation due to its religious of If Ethnic Student Affairs state that during autumn quarter, 1990, there were 1,523 ethnic minority students attending classes. Of background. We're all aware it and it serves as somewhat of a deterrent, for especially minorities." Events to remember King Martin Luther King Week The University of Utah will commemorate Martin Luther King, Jr.'s birthday Jan. with various activities. The theme of the celebration is education and diversity in the 15-3- 0 '90s. All events are free, and the public is encouraged to attend. Tuesday, Jan. 15, the Women's Resource Center Sack Lunch Seminar features black women speaking about their lives. Tamara Taylor will moderate, and the discussion will take place at the Women's Resource Center, 293 Union. Feel free to bring your lunch, and have food in your mouth while other people talk. Wednesday, Jan. 16, Dr. Niara Sadarkasa, internationally renowned anthropologist and authority on the roles of African women and the African-America- n family structure, will deliver the week's keynote address at noon in the Union Ballroom. Her topic is "Diversity in Education: Equity Only Begins with Access and What We Teach is What We Get." Thurday, Jan. 17, a panel discussion on "Education Now: Keeping the Dream Alive", will be held in the Saltair Room in the Union at noon. Panelists will be Dr. Vinetta Jones, dean of Education and Urban Studies at Morgan State University; Ronald M. Aramaki, from the Office of Minority Affairs at University of Michigan; and Jesse M. Soriano, a multicultural specialist from Weber The State. panel will take to the stage of Kingsbury Hall at 7:30 p.m. for an evening of their unique blend of African and American the performance. Wednesday, Jan. 30, Martin Luther King, Jr. e, actively seek minority students, and perhaps more importantly, minority staff." "I think the numbers of minority staff reflect the same embarrassingly low levels as there are in the student population. We need to realize that an education at the college level is not all academics books and tests. I would hope that a homogeneous as we experience here at the U." Anyone can suffer from as inexposure to different cultures, according to Woods, regardless of their ethnic background. "It goes both ways. If there is a young person who has grown up in the inner city of Los Angeles, and all they know is 'black life,' then that will be detrimental for that individual." "Vice versa, a person that has grown up in the Salt Lake Valley who has had very little with other not of the knowing array majors Darity, professor of economics s available." "We had a very narrow view. Those were the majors we were allowed to deal with and they were all we thought we could deal with. Now, I think more students are willing to pay the price. There is no easy major, but some are more demanding than at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, will speak on "From Genes to American Genealogy Economics and the Race in the Union Ballroom at noon. Steven Miller ' siy young person coming here would be prepared for the real world. And the real world is not African-American- Dr. William A. Question," "The university has a mandate to specific areas those students have often found themselves pushed towards. Blacks have historically "been thrust into fields such as teaching and social work people fields. I think a lot of this was due to Haskell, chair of the department of modern dance, will provide Scholar-in-Residenc- Woods says that the U. is working to increase its percentage of ethnic students. have been hampered by the dance traditions. Phyllis A. to change." experiences will be limited also. That person might have a narrow perspective throughout his life." "Many people in this country have fallen into a mentality of racism, bigotry and an ignorant point of view because they haven't been made aware what it will take to make this a positive, productive society," Woods said. Minority education may also world-renowne- introduction mishaps and negativisms that are going to take awhile to interaction discussion will be moderated by Dr. Donna Deyhle. d Friday, Jan. 18, the Urban Bush Women an Woods attributes this factor to lack of understanding. "I think that has a lot to do with ignorance of how things work here. We're dealing with a lot of a others. I think many minority CHRONICLE PHOTOBoone J. Chen Korla Woods, assistant director of the University of Utah's Center for n on Ethnic Affairs, feels that of African-Americacampus may cause students to miss out on valuable college experiences. under-representatio- ns students are now realizing that and degrees can offer greater financial rewards," pre-la- w pre-me- d Woods said. Augustine Trujillo, director of the Center for Ethnic Affairs contends that such advances in minority education are relatively new. "In the past, minorities were pushed towards manual labor. In school, Anglos were prepared for college and white-colla- r jobs. Minorities were prepared for the blue-collworld." "At this time the trend was for minorities to forget their ar heritage. People would leave their culture behind and try to become a part of the Anglo culture," Trujillo said. This, according to Trujillo, has caused numerous problems. The person who has abandoned his culture "is no longer a part of his original culture and at the same time is unwanted by the other. He becomes stuck between the two." Both Trujillo and Woods agree that exposure to different cultures and ways of life helps people to better understand others. They also contend that it is important to be proud of one's heritage. According to Woods, "One of the things that we need to realize as a society, not just in Utah but as a nation and a world, as far as from Utah to the Persian Gulf, we need to accept the diversity, different thoughts, cultures and heritage of all people. It seems to me a paramount problem that we must work diligently to change." Jefferson, Hamilton to duke out constitution of Oh, this is a Friday, Jan. Jan. 19, Ballet Showcase will be presented at the Marriott Dance Center on the University of Utah campus. Tickets will be available at the door for $5 general admission, $3 with student I.D. For more information call 581-DAN- S. Jefferson's classic debate. Boy, is my face Friday, Jan. 25, Thomas I nv :i n rl o r return from the dead in of Bill of the Rights Bicentennial and after all this time, they're still arguing about what makes a good government. still vehemently supports autonomy for the individual, while Alexander Hamilton believes in strong Jefferson central government. You'd think by now they'd What? 'Tjlir... L o c which is sponsored Utah Bicentennial Commission on the Bill of Rights and the Utah Humanities the Events Update celebration ,11m..,, Jefferson will be portrayed by Clay Jenkins, and Hamilton will be played by Don Hickey. The Jefferson and A l red. by Theatre and Hamilton's by Mozart, Lutoslawski, Mendelssohn and Dohnanayi. Tickets are $7 prepaid, $8 at the door, and $5 with student and senior discounts. Outlets are Discriminator County Commission Records, Star Gazer, Le Disque, Waking Owl Books, Peter Prier Music and Saans Photography. Wednesday, Jan. 16, Paul Simon plays the Salt Palace at 7 , 2001 S. State, at 7 p.m. This event is free and open to the public. Call the Utah Humanities Council at 531-786- 8 for more p.m., with Micheal Brecker information. Fine Arts backing him up. Tickets can be had for $22.50 from the Salt Palace, all Smith'sTix, and the Monday, Jan. Jan. 28, the Union Gallery shows recent works by Layne Meacham in an exhibit titled "The New Automatism." Music Tuesday, Jan. 15, the Nova Chamber Music series continues at 8 p.m. in the Museum of Fine Arts Gallery on the U. campus. Leslie Howard, pianist, will be the featured musician, with the usual line up of Utah Symphony musicians. The program will include works Council, will take place at the Salt Lake Chambers in SL Huntsman Center. To charge by or phone, call 467-599- Clay Jenkins portrays Thomas Jefferson in a debates between Jefferson and Alexander Hamilton. of 6. Steven Miller |
