Monday, August 21, 2000
The University Daily Kansan
Section D · Page 9
Hispanic students laud diversity
By Jenni Valadez Special to the Kansan
"Hispanic" — an umbrella term created by the U.S. Census Bureau — identifies Hispanics as individuals of Spanish-speaking descent. The broad term doesn't show the diversity of the Hispanic population of the United States, which includes people of Mexican, Central American, Puerto Rican, Cuban, South American, and Spanish background.
People of Hispanic origin make up about 11 percent of the US population, and 2.4 percent of the student population of the University of Kansas.
"We're all a mixed bunch of people," said Eulalio Munoz Jr., Topeka sophomore. Munoz said he had discovered a variety of Hispanic cultures while attending the University, and that they have broadened his perspective beyond his own Mexican heritage.
"There's a lot more diversity here," he said.
There's a lot more diversity here. He said. Munoz, the oldest of nine, is the son of a first generation Mexican-American mother and a father who immigrated to the United States from Matamoros, Mexico.
Lenexa senior Aida Garcia said, "That would frustrate me when I'd be mistaken for Mexican." Garcia was born in Guatemala City. Guatemala.
Hispanic students sometimes encounter a common assumption that all Hispanic people are Mexican.
She came to the United States when she was 8. She said that she was commonly mistaken as Mexican, especially because she lives in the Kansas City area, which has a large Mexican-American population.
"Instead of getting mad, I just try to let people know I'm not," she said.
Garcia said both young people and adults mistakenly assumed she was Mexican.
That assumption, as well as her upper-middle class upbringing, made it hard for her to interact with the Hispanic community as effectively as she wanted, she said. She said she felt looked down on when she was working in Kansas City because her appearance was different than the city's Mexican-Americans.
"It's frustrating and hurtful because you can't help who you are." she said.
Stereotypical Hispanic features are brown eyes, brown skin and black hair, but Hispanics may have blonde hair and blue eyes or features common to African-Americans.
"I'd say I'm more Mexican than American," said Jacinta Mendoza, Wichita sophomore. Mendoza, who's half Mexican and half American, grew up in Monterey, Mexico, and attended high school in Kansas.
Because of her blonde hair, white skin and blue eyes, Mendoza said others were usually shocked when they learned of her ethnicity. They are also surprised when they hear her speak fluent Spanish.
"They think I don't understand," she said. "I make it clear that I'm not grinda."
Mendoza also said her bicultural identity made it hard to be fully recognized by both Americans and Mexicans. "It's hard to be accepted in both places." she said.
The situation is the same for Stephen Hylton, San Jose, Costa Rica, senior. Hylton carries the physical characteristics typical of African Americans.
"People say, 'I would've never guessed you were from Costa Rica.'" he said. "They think that since I'm Black, that means I'm not from Latin America and cannot speak Spanish."
Members of the folk dance group Los Danzantes de St. Juan perform a dance from Veracruz, Mexico. The group performed June 24 at the annual Mexican Fiesta fund-raiser at St. John the Evangelist Church in Lawrence. Photo by Aaron Lindberg/ Kansan.
At the University, these four individuals said they took opportunities to learn about and experience the cultural diversity of the Hispanic population. They do this by educating themselves or forming friendships with other Hispanics.
"I enjoy listening to salsa and merengue and eating Mexican food." Garcia said.
Mendoza said she knew Puerto Ricans, Costa Ricans and Brazilians.
Although they have made their own efforts to learn about the diversity of Hispanics, all four said they would like to see non-Hispanics make the same effort to open their minds.
"It encompasses more than Mexican, Puerto Rican and Cuban," Hylton said. "Latin America is so huge — get out there, travel and learn."
Munoz said looking at Hispanics as only Mexican was like looking at a rainbow in black and white.
"You miss out on the beauty and richness of its different colors," Munoz said.
Voter registration options abound for KU students
Election Day is Nov. 7. Are you registered to vote?
By Stephanie Tweto writer@kansan.com Special to the Kansan
The registration deadline is Oct. 23.
Students can register in Kansas if they are a United States citizen, a Kansas resident and at least 18 years old.
Students are eligible to register as soon as they have moved in to a residence hall, apartment or house.
All eligible students can register in person or by mail at their home county election office, at the Douglas County Courthouse, 1100 Massachusetts St., or when applying for or renewing a driver's license.
The application can also be printed online at www.douglascounty.com/voteapp1.htm, filled out and mailed to the Douglas County Courthouse.
Out-of-state students and students who are already registered in another county have two options. They can register in Douglas County, making them eligible to vote in Lawrence on Election Day. Or they can request an advance voting ballot — known in some states as an absentee ballot — from their home county courthouse, which will allow them to vote by mail.
The KU College Republicans and the KU Young Democrats plan to hold registration drives and to recruit voters on campus.
"A lot of people don't know where to go, or the motivation to drive to the courthouse is not there," said Gavin Smith, College Republicans chairman and Omaha, Neb. sophomore.
Smith said the College Republicans were planning a registration drive that would be held for three to four days before the Oct. 23 deadline in front of Wescoe Hall and at the Burge and Kansas unions.
Smith said the goal was to get as many people registered and informed as possible and to make registering as convenient as possible.
"We get a stack of cards from the courthouse and just try to encourage people to register, he said.
Julie Merz, president of the Young Democrats and St. Louis senior, said the group's main focus during election time was to get people aware of and involved in the issues, elections and campaigns.
She said the Young Democrats will be on campus during Hawk Week — Aug. 15-20 — to help people get registered and to recruit people interested in helping out with the Young Democrats and with the Kansas Democratic elections and campaigns.
Merz also said the group planned to go door-to-door talking to voters and handing out literature that encourages people to vote.
"We just want to help people get involved on any level and to facilitate that involvement in any way we can, and we want to have fun, too." Merz said.
The advance voting option allows students to vote at their convenience, by mail or in person at the courthouse beginning 20 days before Nov.7.
Advance voting has replaced absentee ballots, said Jo Dalquest, deputy county clerk for Douglas County.
"Absentee used to be 'out of the county' technically. Now you can be in the county and if you want to vote or if you just want to avoid long lines at the polling, you can go ahead," Dalquest said.
She said registration was open at the Douglas County Courthouse from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday through Friday, except for the two weeks before each election when registration closes so that applications can be processed.
Students who want to register in their home counties by mail should contact the county election officer at their home county courthouse for the correct form, Dalouest said.
Students who have previously registered to vote but have not voted in a November general election should contact the county election officer at their county courthouse to see if they need to reregister.
Dalquest said that when Douglas County voters received their confirmation of registration in the mail, information on locations where they could vote Nov. 7 would be included.
Dalquest said that students living in residence halls, Stouffer Place and Jayhawker Towers would be in the precinct that votes at Allen Fieldhouse.
Students living north of 15th Street likely will fall in the precinct that votes at the St. Lawrence Catholic Center location, 1631 Crescent Road, Dalquest said.
On the web. www.ukans.edu/~kudems www.ukans.edu/~kudems
www.republicans.org/2000.htm
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