The Michigan Daily- Tuesday, January 21, 1992 -Page 7 Panels, symposia discuss issues of King legacy 0150 gather to 'Redefine. women, race and class' "Redefining Women, Race and Class" examined the intertwining of of racism, gender and class to honor Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Day in the Union Ballroom. University lecturer Nesha Haniff told the 150-member audience that as King had a dream, she has a "small" one: to waive the $50 appli- cation fee for the Office of International Programs, which helps students study abroad. Gender, class and race hamper some students' abil- ity to pay the fee, she said. Suzan Hanjo, of the Morning Star Organization and a panel member, spoke of a need for knowledge about and respect for other cultures. White people, she said, do not give infor- mation to minority groups about themselves or other minority groups. Vivian Sykes, a graduate student researcher, talked about silences in the Black community - the silence about the language of rape, silence about insanity, and silence about suicide. Teresa Cordova, a professor at the University of New Mexico, said rights for one group of people make things better for all, and therefore "everyone, period" should be in- volved in the struggle for rights. Otherwise, she said, conditions will continue to get worse for many groups of people. - by Karen Pier S eakers say diversity adds to classroom Strengthen the commitment to multiculturalism, panel members stressed in a discussion yesterday about diversity in American universities. Although the University has made modest gains in minority en- rollment, several speakers empha- sized the need for programs to match the new diversity on campus. "There is a complete lack of commitment with respect to provid- ing the adequate structural changes to deal with a diverse student popu- lation," said Daniel Holliman, a panel member and political science graduate student. School of Education graduate student Jeanne Dressel suggested several ways individuals can help build multicultural communities. Volunteering at local high schools, donating money to minority scholar- ship funds, and creating outreach programs are actions that help mi- norities succeed in a university community, Dressel said. Panel members also disputed the belief that increased numbers of mi- norities decrease the quality of a university. "It is possible to be inclusive without tampering with the tradi- tional notions of quality," said School of Education Professor Teshome Wagaw. Colgate University Professor Keith Osajima said that while diver- sity may bring conflict to the class- room, it can be directed constructively. "We must use that conflict as a window to explain how racism works," Osajima said. -by Bethany Robertson Discussion addresses need for unity Speakers at "The Future of Detroit: A Development Project" stressed the need for the city's ethnic groups to unite in order to solve their economic and social problems. "We must unite and organize" to accomplish the goals and objectives of the Detroit Latino Coalition, sid Marta Lagos, director of programs at Casa de Universidad. She empha- sized resolving the problem of vio- lence through the teaching of alter- native conflict resolution skills such as the cultural arts. "Every single dimension on the financial front is getting worse ... Disparity and differences have grown dramatically over the past two decades," said Steve Rosenstone of the Center of Political Studies. A major difference between pri- orities of Blacks and whites is evi- dent, Rosenstone said. African Americans in the community said that they worry primarily about housing, jobs, and economics, while white members mentioned the rapid growth of the city, traffic, and taxes. Errol Henderson, a University doctoral candidate in political sci- ence, criticized the federal govern- ment's attempts to improve the quality of life in those communities. Smaller groups like the Black Panthers and the Republic of Africa have accomplished more because of their understanding of the commu- nity, he said. Roberto Mendoza, from the Detroit Summer program, encour- aged students nationwide to come to Detroit and "learn the reality of liv- ing in the ghetto." He said the expe- rience may inspire them to go back to their hometowns and make changes to improve their own quality of living. - by Karen Sabgir Panel: Key to future lies in truth of past More than 150 students students seeking a "Redefinition of Empowerment" attended a panel discussion in the Henderson Room at the Michigan League yesterday. The panel, which included three speakers - Khallid Abdul Muhammad, from the Nation of Islam, Gary Okihiro, a professor of history at Cornell University, and Marta Vega, director of the University Caribbean Cultural Center - addressed the importance of using history, or the reexamina- tion of history, as a tool for empowerment. "It is impossible for minorities to function in a predominantly white society where white always comes first," said Okihiro who called Blacks and Asians a "kindred people." But Vega went a step further by insisting that the history of Blacks is global. She pointed out that of the total number of Africans captured for slave trade, only 30 percent ended up in the United States. The remaining 70 percent ended up in surrounding countries and territories. "We can not see ourselves as an isolated people in the United States and define others as Latinos or Puerto Ricans. By doing this we di- vorce ourselves from our cousins," Vega said.. Muhammad delivered the final speech saying that the study of his- tory is the most powerful tool in the pursuit of truth and empowerment. --by Demetrius Bady Speaker says fight for land claims will continue The Native Americans of the Lakota nation have not ended their fight to reclaim lands in the Black Hills of South Dakota, nor will they give up anytime soon, said Charlotte Black Elk, in a panel dis- cussion on "Native American Land Claims: Redefining America." Black Elk spoke on behalf of the Black Hills Steering Committee, an organization seeking to reclaim land taken by the U.S. government from the Lakota Sioux. Her lecture fo- cused on current efforts by the Lakota people to regain the Black Hills, land they consider sacred. The area was taken over by the U.S. government after gold was dis- covered there in the 1870s. Black Elk called the history between the Lakota people and the U.S. govern- ment "one of genocide tied to land." Black Elk said the Lakota people are redoubling their efforts to re- gain at least some of the land. A bill is now in Congress to set up a com- mittee on land reform in the Black Hills region, and the governor of South Dakota recently declared "a century of reconciliation" between whites and Native Americans in that state, she said. Black Elk said she came to speak yesterday because she feels college students are in a position to make a difference. "I look at people in college as the next generation of leaders. If you can share information with them ... my hope is that they will be able to advocate for some real change," Black Elk said. About 150 students turned out for the lecture. Natural Resources Junior Danielle Miller called the discussion "very eye-opening." - by Rob Patton Jocelyn Sargent, a graduate student in political science, listens to a speaker during Martin Luther King Jr. Day events yesterday. iI CLASSIFIED ADS MSTDENT V CASH FOR COLLEGE. Private funding. Moneyback guarantee. SASE to: Specialty $.cholarship Service, 1767 Big Trail, Walled Lake, MI 48390. Money back guarantee. FREE DIGITAL BEEPERS. Limited time offer. 668-1922. GOING PLACES BE A PART OF THE LARGEST AND MOST COMPLETE SPRING BREAK TRIP AT UM. Cancun from $399, 7 days, 7 nights. Call Beach Club- 930-9993. Come to the Beach Club's Spring Break party on Wed., Jan. 22nd at Cactus Jacks on S. Univ. All invited BROKE? GO NORTH! Spring break ski get-away. $49-$69 nightly. Cheaper mid- week rates. 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