OCR Text |
Show Wednesday, April 6, 2011 StatesmanCampus News Exhibit confronts national discrimination issues By KEVIN MITCHELL staff writer ResLife, local volunteers and the Aggies Think, Care, Act (ATCA) campaign organized an event to forward diversity and help prevent social injustice within the community, Tuesday in the TSC Ballroom, and yielded a turnout of 705 people. The Light at the End of the Tunnel exhibit was created to confront issues of social injustice prevalent within our community. It was organized in a multi-staged, maze-like setup which took the viewer through many of the different forms of discrimination including racism, sexism, religious discrimination, and discrimination against those with mental and physical disabilities. "I see a lot of religious discrimination ... people aren't actively going out of their way to offend others but because there is one dominant religion, people aren't mindful that not everyone is part of that religion." At each stage, statistical facts were presented to create awareness of the existing problems within the community. One statistic displayed in the sexism section stated in 2006, 69,107 women reported experiences of domestic violence. The section depicting religious discrimination said in 2008 one in five hate crimes were targeted toward religion. Participants were also invited to take part in activities like writing down a common stereotype on a large poster or watching video clips to help students understand the presence of these issues within the community. It was also organized to show that many people are guilty of discrimination, said Becca DuPaix, the event's coordinator. "I think a lot of times people just say things without really thinking about it like 'that's so gay' or 'that's retarded,'" DuPaix said. "That is offensive to so many people and they don't even think about it. They just say it ... stereotyping and assuming without knowing." Angie Batista, a student who attended the event, said, "I think we need stuff like this to make us realize that bad things are going on in our society like racism and classism ... and that we all might be guilty of being racist or homophobic at some point." Much of the event aimed at inspiring change on the individual level. ATCA, a campaign organized by the Student Engagement Committee, was utilized at the final stage of the event to ensure that students act on the information that was presented. The ATCA's philosophy is to help students "make positive individual decisions about the activities they choose to engage in" and learn "what it means to be an Aggie," their initiative states. Toward the end of the tour, students were given cards and invited to write down a goal of how they can better themselves personally. Wristbands were also given out to remind everyone that 'We must be the change' if we want to end discrimination. At 6 p.m., refreshments were served and the event turned into an open format where anyone could discuss their views on diversity and social justice. This is the second time the event has been organized. "We tried to give it a more hopeful spin, and it went really well," DuPaix said. Many students left with a much better understanding of social justice and felt inspired to make a difference. "It turned out really, really well" DuPaix said, "A lot of people have come in and have been really respectful and are actually learning something." Cristina Medrano, a sophomore majoring in psychology, said, "It motivated me to teach and educate people about not calling people names ... it helped me to want to speak up for those who are being judged or discriminated against. It gives me the motivation to (stand up) because that's the right thing to do." — kevin.mitchell@aggiemail.usu.edu BRIANNA OLSEN, AN UNDECLARED FRESHMAN and Pauline Jenkins, a junior majoring in interdisciplinary studies get involved in an activity set up for those who attended Tuesday's Light at the End of the Tunnel exhibit. BRECK BYINGTON photo Health: Group teaches pornography is similar to drugs I continued from page 1 was a large debate about whether tobacco is lege level, when you are looking for marriage, harmful, and we are facing the same thing now pornography affects what you are looking for in with pornography." a relationship," Smith said. Olsen, a USU alumnus, pioneered the group Individuals who are addicted to pornograwith Beau Lewis, Cam Lee and Ryan Werner, phy cannot love another person, Smith said, and in 2009 received stabecause they expect tus as a non-profit organitheir relationships to be "Fifty years ago there was a a certain way that isn't zation. large debate about whether realistic. When students Fight the New Drug uses articles and research tobacco is harmful, and we are making the steps studies about the relafrom dating to finding are facing the same thing tionship of pornography their lifetime partner, now with pornography." to drugs as educational the effects of pornogra— Clay Olsen, phy build walls in that tools. The studies suggest the same chemicals that Founder of Fight the New Drug process, he said. College cause addiction to drugs students may be more are present when viewing likely to begin viewing pornography, said Zach pornographic mateSmith, a member of USU's Fight the New Drug rial, Smith said, because they are on their own, chapter. which makes temptation difficult to resist. Smith's parents lead an addiction recovery The chapter hopes to get involved in the program in Idaho, but he said this has not community by conducting high school asseminfluenced his decision to become involved. blies and other events that will grab Cache "This problem is bad at any age, but at a colValley citizens' attention. "Here, I feel people are so much more curious, and they get addicted that way," Smith said. Walker hopes the group will allow people to feel more comfortable about bringing pornography up as a serious issue. "Nobody wants to talk about it because it's a taboo topic," Walker said. "It's uncomfortable for people to talk about, so if we can be a resource for people to come to and see that it's fine to talk about." From a female perspective, the club's vice president Kylie Johnson said she became interested in the organization after learning its stance on intimacy in relationships. Olsen and the other founders decided to stress the importance of close relationships in contrast with the "disturbing" images contained in pornography, Johnson said. "We are all affected," Olsen said, "I had a cousin who was affected and now he is in prison." — catherine.meidell@aggiemail.usu.edu Page 3 Briefs Campus & Community Student improves athletic tutoring "Can you imagine a parent arriving at a parent-teacher conference and saying 'We're not a reading family'?" said Utah State University undergraduate Morgan Summers. "For some reason, it's okay to give up and dismiss mathematics as something at which only a few can succeed." Summers, a USU Honors student who graduates in May 2011 with a degree in mathematics education and a minor in speech communications education, understands math phobia. "I struggled with math in middle school and early high school and had severe test anxiety," says Summers, who graduated from Utah's Weber High School in 2007. But I was determined to take advanced placement calculus." Summers believes in the adage, "If you want to learn something, teach it." During her USU career, she's honed her math and teaching skills with fellow undergraduates. In 2009, she received the Athletics Department's "Outstanding Tutor Award" for her years of work with USU's student-athletes. From faculty member Brian Bornholdt, she's learned to consistently ask her students if they understand a concept before moving to the next topic. As part of her Honors thesis, Summers completed a qualitative research project focused on issues determining middle and secondary mathematics placement. The project included a literature review as well as a case study she conducted of a local school district. Summers presented her findings at the 2011 Undergraduate Research Day on Utah's Capitol Hill, the 2011 Utah Conference on Undergraduate Research and USU's March 29 Student Showcase during the university's 2011 Research Week. In the latter, she earned the top poster award in the physical sciences category. Connections book presented to Pres. As part of the tradition of Utah State University's Common Literature Experience, students Amber Bowden and Rebecca Fitzgerald present USU President Stan Albrecht with this year's selected book. Zeitoun, the story of one man's struggles to hold on to the American dream after hurricane Katrina, will be read by the incoming freshman class of 2011 who are enrolled in USU 1010 — Connections. Members of the community are invited to also read the book and then attend the Common Literature Experience Convocation to be held Aug. 27, 9:30 a.m., in the Kent Concert Hall, Chase Fine Arts Center, on the Utah State University Logan campus. Alphatraz on TSC Patio raises funds From April 6-8, Alpha Chi Omega will be running the Alphatraz Jail by the TSC Fountain, with all the proceeds going towards a scholarship given to a reentry student that has been affected by domestic violence. Warrants to have someone arrested are $3 each. We are asking anyone that is arrested and put in jail to raise a bail of $10 to be released. Prisoners can raise bail any creative way possible. Although we will not force anyone to be in our jail or raise bail, we are asking for everyone's help in this fight against domestic violence. This will be a fun and one-of-akind event to come check out while helping to raise money for those affected by domestic violence. Even if your not arrested or don't have much free time in the busy school day, come by the jail and see who is arrested, and even try to help bail them out with your donations. FIGHT THE NEW DRUG is a non-profit awareness group created by USU alumni that presents the value of intimacy in dating and marriage relationships. Photo courtesy Clay Olsen !Compiled from staff and media reports |