Campus/Area
University Daily Kansan / Monday, September 24, 1990
3
Sensitivity workshop tackles prejudices
Training team's goal to design programs for various groups
By Monica Mendoza
Kansan staff writer
For two days a team of 40 KU representatives trained together to tackle the issues of obesity and smoking.
Jonathan Long, assistant director of the organizations and activities center, said the series was designed to be as comprehensive as possible when addressing diversity of issues.
The team members participated in a training team workshop, which was conducted Saturday and yesterday at the Kansas Union as part of a cultural sensitivity series.
"We will have to discuss whether as individuals they feel like they are ready to be facilitators, presenters or discussion leaders." Long said.
He said that when the coordinating committee designed the series, it wanted to include a workshop specifically for training a team of faculty, staff and students who were nominated by their peers. The training team's goal is to design a workshop or presentation that could be given to organized living groups or at meet rooms.
Doris Wright, program director for consultation at the University of Texas Counseling and Mental Health Center, led the discussion on how to support children in her discussions on racial bias and attitudes.
"This workshop has focused mainly on racial bias, but there has been general information about other prejudices," Wright said.
Kevin Schmitz, summer orientation leader, said he was challenged by the work
"Sometimes you get satisfied with where you are," Schmitz said. "I'm diverse. I am young."
'Sometimes you get satisfied with where you are. I'm diverse. I'm accepting. But this has challenged that.'
Kevin Schmitz
Kevin Schmitz summer orientation leader
He said that the workshop made him think about racism but that he did not think it was wrong. "It's not wrong," he said.
"Our purpose is to promote discussion." Schmitz said. "I'd like to somehow go out and share what I've learned with the whole campus."
Wright said she was pleased with the active participation from the group.
They were able to accomplish their goals by talking about their own personal attitudes and feelings.
Aimee Hall, student body vice president,
said she was surprised by how candid the
team was.
She said the group discussions had been a personal lesson for each person about his or her role in the society.
"We were all here because we wanted to be here," Hall said. "But, at the same time we aren't just being trained for ourselves. We've learned that we have learned about cultural diversity."
Wright said the workshop was only the first sten.
"You cannot just have an educational workshop and that's all," Wright said. "You must follow through. You must be sure that ideas are being passed along."
She said that as long as there was bias ward any group, she would not feel comfort.
Doris Wright speaks to members of the cultural sensitivity training team.
GREECS committee addresses sensitivity
Kansan staff report
More than 200 new fraternity and sorority members participated in a workshop yester-
days.
Shannon Rogers, GREECS chairperson, said the committee was organized last spring to develop programs for members of greek organizations on campus.
The New Members Program was the first workshop addressing cultural sensitivity organized by a committee called Greeks for Education and Enhancing Cultural Sensitivity.
"For some of our new members, this is the first time they have talked about these issues." Rogers said. "We want to keep these types of programs for the future."
During the workshop, smaller working groups were formed. The group leaders asked questions about issues involving sexual and minority discrimination.
Scott Rutherford, GREECS program director, said the program was designed to make each person think about his or her own beliefs.
"We're not here to change your personal beliefs, but we we're to challenge them." (1)
Rogers said the response to the workshop was positive. She said the next workshop was scheduled for June 12.
Candlelight vigil calls attention to plight of starving youth
Lisa Blumenfeld, St. Louis freshman, said she thought the workshop went well.
"They did bring up some good issues," she said. "I think there should have been more men involved."
Kansan staff writer
Bv Tatsuva Shimizu
Last night, about 70 people lit candles and sang a song around the Campanile to help children who are starving.
The summit was organized by leaders of six countries to call attention to the importance of the future of the world's children. More than 80 nations plan to participate in the summit on Saturday and Sunday.
KU Students Against Hunger sponsored the candlelight vigil to call attention to the World Summit for Children, a
More than 2,500 similar candlelight viigs took place around the world slowly circling the globe last night.
Participants in the hunger vigils in the United States sang "In Our Hands."
During the vigil at KU, the organization collected signatures for a petition asking government officials to undertake a comprehensive program that would insure the well-being of children around the world.
Jay Cooper, president of KU Students Against Hunger,
said that the day about 4,000 children worldwide
dead.
In the 1900s, more than 100 million children are expected to die of starvation and related diseases.
Children make up 25 percent of the world's population, but they are 100 percent of the future, he said.
Cooper said that the United States was a relatively poverty-free country but that U.S. citizens needed to be aware of the problem of hunger in less developed countries.
"They have an obligation to starving children as members of the human community," he said.
Mike Rundle, Lawrence city commissioner who attended the vigil, said that the world produced enough
food to feed everyone but that a lot of it was wasted because of natives and inadequate distribution.
He said world leaders too often used food as a weapon, as in the U.S. food embargo of Iraq.
Russ Testa, a Topeka senior who participated in the vigil, said she and other partially responsible for the victims of children in Syria.
He said U.S. citizens needed to think about their priorities. For example, luxury flowers for U.S. flower shops are grown on South American fields where crops should be grown.
KC group performs Mexican dances to celebrate Hispanic Heritage month
Kansan staff writer
By Holly M. Neuman Kansan staff writer
Nine young men and women performed traditional Mexican dances during a celebration of their roots and National Hispanic Heritage month.
El Grupo Atotonico Juvenil, a dance group from the Guadalupe Center in Kansas City, Mo., was invited by Angela Cervantes, Hispanic American Leadership Organization president. After the dancing, Mambo X. a Latin music band, performed. The performance was at the St. Lawrence Catholic Campus Center, 1631 Crescent Road.
Maria Medina Chaurand, director of the dance group, said the dancers who performed Friday were advanced members of the group, which includes people from 3-years-old to 19-years-old.
The dance group started in 1979, Chaurand said.
"We have about 50 students," she said. "It teaches them and keeps it in
their roots. It also teaches others about the tradition."
lives ances are based on traditions from the Mexican states. The dancers wear native costumes.
Friday's costumes were white dresses with black aprons for women. They wore red ribbons and flowers in their hair and had red or blue sashes. The men wore white pants and shirts, black cowboy boots, red bandanas around their necks and cowboy hats.
Jon Ramirez, HALO vice president, said he thought Friday's activities were some of the most colorful of the month.
Kelsey Williams, HALO member,
said. "It is good to know that young
people are interested in their bering
that they want to go show
others."
Nicole Nielsen, Kansas City, Kan. senior, said she came to the dance
It is important for people to realize that the number of minorities is growing. Williams said.
because her mother was from Chile and because she liked to get together with others who spoke Spanish.
"It is fun to talk with people your
"it" age who understand the heritage,
"Nielsen said. "The dancers
looked like they were having fun."
Mambo X members said, before they played, that the audience was going to have a good time.
"We always have people yelling for more," said Michael DeLeon, lead vocalist and band director.
The group has performed at Kansas State University, the University of Missouri and the University of Missouri-Kansas City.
Chaurand said she was glad the dance group had been invited and she thought National Hispanic Heritage month was important.
"It is so important we learn everything we can and educate ourselves on culture," Chaurand said. "It makes us a richer country. That what the United States is supposed to be."
The Hispanic dance group El Grupo Antotonilco Juvenil performs at the St. Lawrence Center.
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