LOCAL/STATE

The Michigan Daily - Monday, April 19, 1999 - 3

eAMPUS
Engineers to
hear Ford CEO
at graduation
Ford Motor Company's Chief
E~ utive Officer Jacques Nasser is
sc eduled to deliver the commence-
ment address at the graduation exercis-
es of the 140th College of Engineering
graduating class.
The event is scheduled for May I at
4 p.m. in Crisler Arena.
Also scheduled to speak to the
1,000 students being recognized for
achievement are graduating
Engineering students Jennifer
Braganza, Branton Cole, Stephanie
O*na, Christinga O'Donofrio and
Brad Finkbeiner.
Cancer center
program combats
disease fatigue
The University of Michigan
Comprehensive Cancer Center is host-
in a program to combat cancer
fa~ue.
A panel of cancer survivors and their
caregivers are scheduled to discuss liv-
ing with cancer.
Nutritionists, exercise specialists,
pharmacists and nurses will be
available to answer questions and
give advice regarding cancer
fatigue.
The program is scheduled from 7
p.m. to 9 p.m. on April 21 at the
Liia West Holiday Inn.
Morantz-Sanchez'
book wins
professor honors
American Culture Prof. Gina
Morantz-Sanchez will be honored at a
reception scheduled to be held at
Shaman Drum Bookshop today at 4
p..
Monrantz-Sanchez wrote
Conduct Unbecoming a Woman: A
Surgeon on Trial in Turn-of-the-
Century Brooklyn," a work recreating
the two trials of Mary Dixon Jones, a
doctor accused of medical malprac-
tice.
The work studies gender, medical
and urban issues at the end of the
19th Century. Refreshments will be
end
ealth Night Out
to address
computer set-ups
A seminar part of a Health Night Out
will show participants the most healthy
way to configure computers in an
Tffice environment, to improve com-
fond decrease the risks of possible
rea h problems.
The event is scheduled for tomorrow
at 7:30 p.m. at the Kellogg Eye Center
n the University Hospitals Medical
?ampus.
U' experts give
tips for problems
from water run-off
iversity experts on spring storm
ar run-off have identified how to
-educe environmental problems that
esult from the spring drainage on cam-
us and elsewhere.
SNRE Prof. Paul Nowak and

Ierrance Alexander, a manager at the
Jniversity's Office of Occupational
afety and Environmental Health have
idvice for members of the University
:ommunity who are interested in solv-
ngater run-off problems on cam-
>as.
"Storm water can be a powerful
;ource of pollution," Nowak said in a
written statement. "But the damages it
:auses are often easy to reduce or
avoid together.
The duo offers several suggestions
:o combat run-off problems, includ-
ing washing cars at commercial facil-
ities, not at home; removing debris
f storm drains and keeping them
f from oil, gas or other similar
substances and correctly using fertil-
izers.
Nowak's and Alexander's tips can be
accessed online at
www umich.edu/~oseh/stormwater
- Compiled from staff reports.

Women of color gather for symposium

By Emima Sendarevic
Daily Staff Reporter
Womanism, activism and media repre-
sentation were at the heart of a confer-
ence Saturday intended to educate and to
bring together women from various back-
grounds.
More than 30 women and a few men
attended The Women of Color
Symposium, held in Hutchins Hall. The
event revolved around discussion of
issues important to women of color.
The conference consisted of three pan-
els, ranging from general discussion of
womanism to more specific discussion of
media and representation and activism.
Deana Rabiah, one of event's coordi-
nators, described these three topics as
basic issues that every woman must face.
Panelists discussing the topic of wom-
anism talked about the place of women of
color within the feminist movement.
Rabiah explained that the discussion the
panel initiated was significant because
women of color often have been exclud-

ed from the greater feminist movement.
The second panel, media and represen-
tation, covered stereotypes that are often
assigned to women of color from various
backgrounds. Panelists included Emma
Garcia, an American culture graduate
student instructor, LSA senior Gail Kim
and Michelle Mitchell, an associate pro-
fessor in history and the Center for
African and Afro-American Studies.
The panelists discussed the range of
stereotypes the media applies to women
of color, citing many examples and
explaining how those stereotypes affect
perceptions of women of color.
Mitchell briefly described a few stereo-
typical images of black women in film
and television. One of the six stereotypes
she classified was the "sapphire" which
she said is "an overly aggressive, domi-
neering, pushy loud black woman who
takes no sass; if married, her husband is
henpecked; if unmarried, she is a pathetic,
pushy old maid who drives away men."
Mitchell said the character Florence from

the television sitcom "The Jeffersons" fits
the definition of the "sapphire."
The panelists gave numerous examples
of stereotypes linked to women of color.
They showed how some stereotypes are
constant across all ethnic groups and oth-
ers are more specific to certain women.
The last of the three components, and
what Rabiah described as the focus of the
symposium, was the activism panel.
She said the coordinators didn't want to
stop at the discussion of women's issues.
The idea behind the activism panel, she
said, was to elevate the level of dialogue to
demonstrate how women of color have
impacted their communities and ways
that they can be involved in the future.
LSA sophomore Brian Babb said that
as a minority student, he is aware of the
unique obstacles people of color face. He
said the conference was an opportunity
for him to educate himself better about
the struggles of women.
"It's a necessary perspective to under-
stand," Babb said.

JEREMY MENCHIK/Daily
LSA senior Rabeha Kamaluddin, a peer education co-coordinator for the Sexual
Assault Prevention and Awareness Center, speaks at the Women of Color
Symposium held at Hutchins Hall on Saturday.


Conference addresses
domestic violence issues

By RobertGold
Daily Staff Reporter
Facing every day with the fear of violence. Living in a soci-
ety in which women are sexualized and victimized. What are
the causes? What are the solutions?
Author and activist Jill Nelson addressed these issues yes-
terday morning, as one of two keynote presenters at the sec-
ond annual "Trapped by Poverty/Trapped by Abuse" confer-
ence.
The conference, held in the Michigan League all weekend,
attracted researchers, welfare workers and grassroots activists
from across the country to discuss the relationship between
domestic violence, poverty, welfare and gender..
Nelson, author of "Volunteer Slavery: My Authentic Negro
Experience" and "Straight, No Chaser: How I Became a
Grown-Up Black Woman,"shared her personal experiences and
views before a packed League ballroom.
Nelson said she grew up at time when discussions about
domestic violence were rare. But she "wanted to be a woman
(who) a man would not dare to hit," Nelson said. She defended
herself by dating men no larger than herself and by becoming
the "master of the fine art of diss."
After escaping violence for years, only to be struck by her
husband, Nelson said she realized that domestic violence can
happen to any woman. "There's too many fish in the sea to
bother picking a type," Nelson said.
Nelson said violence against women permeates all of society.
She told the audience that images of it are on television, in
music and on the street, as women face everything from being
belittled as sexual body parts to receiving catcalls.
Nelson noted that such atrocities go beyond physical abuse.
"Psychic, emotional, intellectual violence is as deadly because

it slowly kills the spirit and twists the soul,' Nelson said.
While the author detailed her personal abuse experiences, she
emphasized the need for action. "It is crucial to come together
as women. Cross race, cross class, cross geography. Organize to
take action against and eradicate it," she said.
Speaking about concrete solutions, Nelson said there is a
need to reach females at an early age in order to explain that
they do not deserve to be hit.
"I think, as parents and organizers, we need to critique cul-
ture " Nelson said. "As a culture, we need to tum the television
off." She said it is also important to pressure the police, church-
es and other community organizations to understand the issues
of violence against women.
For many audience members, Nelson's words resonated.
"She is someone who has been there and done that," said
Sandra Browdy, a Florida social worker.
Marjorie Sable ofthe University of Missouri School of Social
Work was impressed with Nelson's thoughts.
"Portrayal of women in the media works against what we are
trying to do," Sable said.
Conference organizer Jody Raphael said Nelson provided the
conference with an appropriate closing. Raphael described
Nelson as "very personal and very inspirational".
While Nelson received a standing ovation after her speech,
many in attendance stressed the importance of the dialogue
between convention participants throughout the weekend.
Raphael said it is a meaningful weekend for people with vary-
ing perspectives on the issue to share their expertise.
"People at the grassroots are pushing the researchers and the
researchers are telling the activists, you're not doing this, you're
not doing that," Raphael said.

*i

JEREMY MENHim/Vaily
U.S. Sen. Paul Wellstone (D-Minn.) speaks to an audience gathered In the
Michigan League Kalamazoo Room on Saturday.
Minnesota senator
speaks oncurn
political climate

By Kelly O'Connor
Daily Staff Reporter
The man who says he represents the
"Democratic wing of the Democratic
party" drew a crowd so large that late-
comers spilled into the hallways out-
side the stuffy Kalamazoo Room of the
Michigan League on Saturday after-
noon.
U.S. Sen. Paul Wellstone (D-Minn.)
came to Ann Arbor for the weekend to
deliver the keynote address at a confer-
ence exploring the connection between
domestic violence and poverty. But the
former professor and liberal activist
took a few hours out of his day to hold
an informal discussion forum.
A student in the front row launched
Wellstone into a passionate speech
when he asked why the leaders of
today have nothing in common with
the "dreamers" of the past and said he
would just like to be inspired by some-
one with a vision.
"Sometimes the only realists are the
dreamers," Wellstone told the student.
"You are absolutely right - we need
someone who is willing to dream and
to call on us to be our best selves."
Wellstone drew on his 20 years of
teaching experience as he tried to give
students meaningful advice about
sticking to their convictions.
"The best thing I ever said to my stu-
dents is you'll be more credible and
powerful if you don't separate the life
you live from the words you speak," he
said.
Wellstone said he doesn't understand
why the current economic prosperity
has not allowed the nation to provide
more adequate services to its citizens.
"Even with the economy as good as
it is, we are being told by Republicans
and Democrats that we can't afford to
provide a good education for our chil-
dren' he said. "In the words of Rabbi
Hillel, 'if not now, then when?'"
Wellstone also expressed concern

for many U.S. citizens' general disillu-
sionment with politics. Lawmaking is
often ruled by money, he said, and that
has caused a rift between citizens and
the people who represent them.
"The shame of it is the majority of
people in the country have reached the
conclusion that if you pay, you play,"
said Wellstone, who was elected to the
Senate in 1990.
Another unfortunate consequence of
the current sentiment toward elected
officials is a false dichotomy that
labels community service as a positive
way to initiate change and politics as
"unsavory' he said, adding that while
community service is important, peo-
ple have to be willing to get into poli-
tics to earn the power that will allow
them to push for social improvements.
But the outlook is not entirely bleak,
he told students. He cited examples of
campuses across the country that flour-
ish with student activism. This type of
work is important, he said, because
"the future of our world is not going to
belong to people content with the pre-
sent."
College Democrats President Kelley
Boland, an LSA senior, said she was
pleased with Wellstone's visit.
"It was a great turnout,"Boland said.
"It's kind of unusual to hear a politician
relate to students on these issues.
Although Wellstone told students he
has not yet endorsed any of the
Democrats pushing for the presidential
nomination, he said he will not be a
silent observer of the campaign.
"I'm going to try to make a differ-
ence in the race," he said. "I'd really
like to encourage a lot of grass roots
organizing and push the candidates to
prove their commitment to the issues.
College Democrats President-elect
Josh Cowen - said Wellstone's visit
helped students to make the connection
between their activism and the officials
who actually make the laws.

U

GEORGETOWN UNIVERSITY G T W YT
BUSINESS
SUMMER PROGRAM FOR
NON-BUSINESS STUDENTS
June 6 -June 26, 1999

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Correction:
photo in Friday's Daily showed Executive Director of the National Labor Committee Charles Kernaghan displaying
ats irt he said cost 20 cents to manufacture. This was incorrectly reported. The photo was taken by Nathan Ruffer.

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