LOCAL/STATE

The Michigan Daily - Monday. March 23, 1998 - 3A

CAMPUS 1164,
Event to cover
reproduction,
women s issues
The Institute for Research on
Women and Gender is sponsoring a
discussion on women's reproductive
rights and image issues as part of
the Interdisciplinary Panel of 1997
Graduate Fellows.
Sociology Prof. Elena Gutierrez
will speak about the political rights
and issues facing chicana women, pri-
marily relating to fertility.
Classical studies Prof. Kristina
Milnor is scheduled to speak on
ancient Rome, reproductive practices
and historical issues.
The event is scheduled for 3 p.m.
today at the LSA Executive Conference
Room in the LSA Building.
Speakers to
discuss issues
of mistreatment
The Interdisciniplary Research
Program on Violence Across the
Lifespan will continue its
Distinguished Lecture Series with two
additional speakers.
Sociology Prof. Kersti Yilo of
Wheaton College will address the sub-
ject of marital rape in a lecture sched-
uled for noon on March 26.
Gerontology Prof. Donna Benton of
the University of Southern California
ill discuss issues of mistreatment and
research concerning black and elderly
people in a lecture scheduled for noon on
April 2.
Both lectures are scheduled to take
place in the Schorling Auditorium of
the School of Education Building.
Exhibit to explore
environmental,
nature issues
The Michigan League is sponsoring
an art exhibit and contest exploring
issues related to the environment and
its current state of deterioration.
The exhibit will cover issues includ-
ing the aesthetic aspects of nature,
modern destruction of land and the
maintenance of the environment.
The presentation will be held in the
\lichigan League Underground. It is
scheduled to begin today at 9 a.m. and
continue through April 10.
Conference to
cover transgender
affairs
Y The Gay Lesbian Straight Education
Network chapters of Ann Arbor,
Ietroit and Kalamazoo will join with
the University's Office of Lesbian, Gay,
Bisexual, and Transgender Affairs for
the fourth-annual G LSEN Midwest
Regional Conference.
The event, sponsored by the Office of
LGBT Affairs, will feature a variety of
speakers including teachers, counselors,
parents and administrators. A variety
of exhibits will also examine issues
including discrimination, safety, educa-
ion and changes in the educational sys-
em pertaining to these concerns.
The event is scheduled to begin at 8
a.m. on March 27 in the Michigan
League. To register, contact the Office
of LGBT Affairs at 763-4186.

Scholarship
applications now
eing accepted
The Miss Washtenaw County
Scholarship is now accepting appli-
cations for the 1998 pageant.
The pageant provides a representa-
tive for the Miss Michigan pageant
and is affiliated with the Miss
America Organization. It is open to
women ages 17-24 who are residents,
full-time students or employed in
Washtenaw County. Last year, more
than $31 million was awarded to par-
icipants.
For more information about apply-
ing, contact 475-2734.
- Compiled by Daily Staff Reporter
Melanie Sampson.

Cordo voices Mexican American history

By Lee Palmer
Daily Staff Reporter
Interlacing song, free verse, harmon-
ica, guitar and a background slideshow,
Jesus "Chuy" Negrete traced 500 years
of Mexican American history in the tra-
ditional corrido style in the Cesar
Chavez lounge of Mosher-Jordan
Residential Hall on Friday night.
A corrido is a running verse, a histor-
ical ballad and the principle way
Mexican Americans "kept their history
alive," said Negrete, founder and direc-
tor of the Mexican Cultural Institute of
Chicago, an organization that studies
Chicano musicology, folklore and cul-
ture.
To kick off Mexican week of Latin

American History Month and to cele-
brate Women's History Month, Negrete
focused his presentation on the achieve-
ments of chicana women throughout
history.
His slide show featured photographs
of chicana women and murals depicting
important scenes in Mexican American
history.
LSA sophomore Anna Martinez, co-
chair of Latin American History Month,
said the committee members wanted to
bring a speaker who represented
Mexican culture.
"We thought, what would be better
than the history?" Martinez said.
"Especially how (Negrete) performs it
as a corrido and how he pokes a lot of

fun, but underneath, all the fun is the
truth."
Negrete's song began by describing
the lives of indigenous Mexicans before
the Europeans arrived in 1521.
"We have always been Americanos,"
Negrete chanted. "We were
astronomers, surgeons, biologists,
chemists, mathematicians - we had a
life going for us - not just frijoles y
tortillas."
Negrete sang of "La Malinche," the
nickname given to Hernando Cortez's
indigenous mistress who is said to be
the mother of the mestizo race - peo-
ple of mixed European and indigenous
Mexican descent.
As Negrete's guitar chords marked

the passage of time, he described clhi-
cana women's involvement in the revo-
lutionary struggles of the 19th and 20th
centuries.
The women "buried their husbands
as the corridos would tell us ... they
picked up their kids, they picked up
their guns" and they made a revolution,
Negrete sang.
Negrete brought the history to pre-
sent day by describing the racism his
family encountered during their search
for work in the United States after their
immigration to the country.
Jos6 Ochoa, a junior from the
Whitney >ung Magnet High School in
Chicago, said he appreciated the hon-
esty of Negrete's history lesson.

"They don't teach you this stuff in
school; all they teach you is about the
colonies ... They don't tell you the real
truth,' Ochoa said.
Whitney Young Magnet High School
senior Estrella Galvan said she found
his style particularly engaging.
"It's more interesting for him to be
singing it than reading it because a lot
of people don't like history, even
though it's very important." Galvin said.
Negrete's show is a "nice reminder that
our culture is not only rich, but we'r'e
worthy of study and exposure," sai'd
Engineering sophomore Adrian DeLe6o.
Negrete said he plans to teach i
course on musicology at the University
in the winter of 1999.


Event covers multiracial issues

By Susan T. Port
Daily Staff Reporter
University alumnus Alysse Jordan drove from Rochester,
N.Y. to Ann Arbor this weekend so sne could attend the
Mixed Initiative Conference on Saturday-- the same confer-
ence she was involved with as a student tit the University.
Attempting to address the needs and concerns of students
who are multiracial, multi-ethnic, cross-cultural and transra-
cially adopted, the Mixed Initiative hosted the second-annual
Conference on the Mixed Experience.
The day consisted of a keynote speaker - University of
Washington American ethnic studies associate Prof. Maria
Root - and a number of workshops dedicated to addressing
important issues affecting students of mixed racial and cul-
tural background.
Jordan said the main objective of the conference was to
increase visibility of multiracial students and community mem-
bers.
"It's to give people a forum to talk about things very impor-
tant to them that tends to get overlooked," Jordan said.
University alumnus Tahnee Hartman, who facilitated the
transracial workshop, said that despite the snowy weather, many
people arrived at the conference as early as 10 a.m. on Saturday.

Hartman said issues about people of mixed races are rarefy
addressed in mainstream society.
"Society asks, 'What group do you belong to?"' Thats
poignant (since they) don't specify one group," Hartman said.
Hartman said she was transracially adopted and as faciliti-
tor of one of the workshops she will be able to guide pareris
in similar situations.
Rackham student Sara Busdiecker, who coordinated the
conference, said the symposium's goal was to give students
the opportunity to interact with others experiencing similar
mixed-race issues.
Busdiecker said the symposium provided a supportive
environment for all students no matter what race or ethniciy
they choose to identify with.
"The goal is to provide people with resources and infi-
mation,' Busdiecker said.
Workshops focused on of bi/multiracism, dating, family
issues, identity, politics and U.S. census and transracial adop-
tion, Busidiecker said. She said the workshops gave students
the the opportunity to talk about their commonalties.
"People get into small groups where everyone is able io
share their stories," Busidiecker said.

Markley residents hold 'Arb Fest

LOUIS BROWN/Daily
Mock sumo wrestlers spar at the Japan Cultural Festival held Saturday at
the Michigan Union. The event attracted 250 participants.
U' displ1aysinterest
In Japanesecutr

By Melissa Andrzejak
Daily Staff Reporter
 American poet Robert Frost once
wrote, "two roads diverged in a wood
and I, I took the one less traveled by, and
that has made all the difference," but
few realize he was recalling the Nichols
Arboretum, which has served as a place
of inspiration and serenity for many.
In a celebration to- bring about a
deeper understanding and appreciation
for the Arb, students from Mary
Markley Residence Hall and various
environmental theme semester repre-
sentatives co-sponsored the first-ever
Arb Fest on Saturday.
Harland Holman, an LSA senior and
Markley resident adviser, chaired the
event. "To see creation and nature, it's
just amazing," said Holman, who
planned the event to help Markley resi-
PLEASE
RECYCLE
THE DAILY.

dents become better acquainted with
their backyard.
"It's not everyday we get a chance to
go and listen to (authorities on) the Arb,"
said LSA first-year student and Markley
resident Melissa Savage. "I thought it
would be fun and interesting"
Founded in 1907 with a gift from
Esther and Walter Nichols, the Arb was'a
far cry from the 123-acre park it is today.
The natural-looking curves and comfort
of the Arb are actually the result of care-
ful planning and design by O.C.
Simonds, founder of the department of
landscape design, according to Arb his-
torian Khaled Mabrouk.
Inger Schultz, development officer
for the Arb, said: "The Arb is very spe-
cial in that it is a piece of art ... it has a
lot of cultural aspects to it that we want-
ed to bring out:'

In addition to learning about the Arb's
history, students were entertained with
Arb-inspired poetry and music by thea
cappella group Gimble and the Wade.:
English Prof. Richard Tillinghast read
selected Frost poems. The poems, whieh
included "The Road Less Traveled" aid
"Birches" and others, are said to have
been inspired by the Arb during Fros's
1921-23 residence in Ann Arbor.
Following the performances, s4u-
dents ventured out into the cold for a
guided tour of the Arb.
The tour pointed out many of the Ar1)'s
subtleties, such as the small clearings:or
"rooms" designed for solitude as wellas
other elements of its artistic composition.
"Everyone's enthusiasm for the Atb
makes me proud to be at Michigan'
Holman said. "It makes fie sad about
leaving this place:'

By Joshua Rosenblatt
Daily Staff Reporter
The two sumo wrestlers faced off,
awaiting the referee's command to
start the match. Each glared at the
other, while setting themselves behind
their respective starting lines. A voice
cut through the air ... "begin!"
The two goliaths crashed into each
other with astonishing speed and
ferocity - then one of their heads
fell off.
Mock sumo wrestling was just one
of the many events at this year's Japan
Cultural Festival held Saturday. An
estimated 250 participants, some
clothed in jeans and others in tradi-
tional kimonos, took part in a tea cer-
emony, folded origami,'played video
games and listened to Japanese music
throughout the day at the Union
Ballroom.
"I just hope people get more inter-
ested in Japan and Japanese culture,"
said Engineering junior Kenji
Aranage, vice president of the Japan
Student Association, which orga-
nized the festival.
Turnout at the event and enthusi-
asm of those involved illustrated
growing interest in Japanese culture,
Aranage said.
"It's a great opportunity for some-
one like myself to experience
Japanese culture," said LSA junior
Chris Jones, who attended the event
with his Japanese roommate. Jones
said he had very little exposure to the

life and customs of the Japanese peo-
ple until he went to the festival.
Across from the sumo matches, the
Japanese Society of Detroit's Women's
Club led students and residents in
"chanoyu" - the traditional tea cere-
mony - and dressed them in various
traditional costumes.
In addition to the demonstrations,
one of the main attractions of the day
was the opportunity to step into the
ring and compete against a friend in
a less-than-traditional sumo match.
After donning a bulky suit, complete
with a helmet resembling the
wrestlers' traditional hairstyle, pairs
pushed, pulled and turned their
opponents out of the ring or onto the
ground - occasionally punctuating
their victory with a body slam.
"I think it was a good idea, even
though it was a little expensive,"
Aranage said. With the pair of suits
costing around S500 per day, fund
raising was a necessity.
In preparing to host the event,
JSA went to various Japanese busi-
nesses for financial support. But
more than financial support was
needed to make the festival a suc-
cess. Various groups also con-
tributed their time and knowledge in
order to help.
Aranage said the event was con-
siderably more successful than last
year, possibly because of the event's
more convenient location. Last year's
festival was held at Trotter House.


I I Ever wondered what LAW SCHOOL is REALLY

N
I
L
E
L
A
W

like and what it takes to get in?
Here's your chance to find out!
The National Institute for Legal Education (NILE) will be holding
a one-day program featuring
nationally renown legal expert and
MSNBC correspondent
Dr. PauL Lisnek
This FREE program includes:
" Law School classroom simulation exercises
* A full-length practice LSAT test


What's happening in Ann Arbor today

GROUP MEETINGS
U Bread For The World, 487-9058,
Interfaith Council for Peace and
Justice Office, 730 Tappan Ave.,
7:30 p.m.

Hill St., Green Auditorium, 7:30
p.m.
0 "Amazing Thailand Exhibition 1998,"
Sponsored by Michigan Student
Assembly, Media Union Gallery,
12-5 p.m.

INFO, info@umich.edu, and
www.umich.edu/-info on the
World Wide Web
U Northwalk, 763-WALK, Bursley
Lobbgy, 8 p.m.-1:30 a.m.
J Psychology Peer Advising Office,

Law school and admissions Q&A session
* Refreshments provided by Bruegger's Bagels
March 29, 1998 9 a.m. - 3 p.m.




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