Students discuss diversity at campus ‘ism’ presentation

By Kayle Dembowski
Western Herald

On Feb. 23 at Western Michigan University’s multicultural center in the Trimpe Building, students attended a presentation and open discussion about campus “isms” such as racism, sexism, classism, ageism, and other issues involving diversity.

The campus “isms” presentation is the first program among “The Real Talk Diversity series”, which is aimed toward raising awareness, abolishing false ideologies, and engaging dialogue on diversity and inclusion among WMU students.

“We’re hoping to make this [diversity discussion] a monthly and regular thing for WMU,” said Zarinah El-Amin Naeem, from the Office of Diversity and Inclusion.

As for the discussion’s topic, El-Amin Naeem explained the reasoning behind the choice.

“We as a center decided that it was important to have a dialog about ‘isms’, like racism, sexism, and other ‘isms.’”

After pizza and snacks, host Monteze Morales, a masters student studying socio-cultural studies, gave a brief introduction on “isms.”

“These are things we deal with on a daily basis: racism, ageism, sexism, and other ‘isms’,” Morales said.

Morales then introduced a panel of students and faculty people to help guide the discussion and answer questions.

The discussion started with the panel expressing their perceptions of diversity at WMU. Devin Brown, a senior majoring in marketing, discussed how he feels that many students at WMU tend to stick with, or hang out with people similar to themselves, and only in groups they feel comfortable with.

“As a university we’re very diverse but at the same time we can also be very segregated,” Brown said.

This led others to discuss ways the university can be more  diverse and integrated. Ashlyn Kuersten, a political science professor at WMU, said that a successful way to know more about diversity and to be more diverse is through education.

“Diversity is something that affects us every day. If there’s anything we should be teaching as a university, it’s that,” she said.

Robert Anemone, an associate professor of biological anthropologist, expressed a similar opinion about how education can have the power to change social norms and change how we view “isms,” such as racism.

“I’m optimistic that through education we can change the way we view race,” Anemone said.

The topic then turned to a discussion on ways “isms” and stereotypes can be changed.

Evelyn Winfield, licensed psychologist and director of the University Counseling and Testing Center, acknowledged that sometimes others have a hard time discussing their differences and the ways they are diverse because they are uncomfortable and therefore stop talking altogether.

“You can’t get deeper into conversation because when the conversation becomes uncomfortable it shuts down,” Winfield said.
Brandi Pritchett, a WMU doctoral student and chairperson of GSAC also emphasized the importance of discussing other’s differences and diversity.

“I think the core issue so to speak, is learning how to talk about differences and diversity. In that way I think, talking is action,” Pritchett explained.

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Posted by HeraldAdmin on Feb 25 2010. Filed under Campus, News. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0. You can leave a response or trackback to this entry

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