The Women’s Organization 

on 
Rights 
to 
Health 
and 

the South Asian Awareness 
Network 
hosted 
an 
open 

discussion Wednesday night 
to explore the topic of sexual 
health 
education 
in 
South 

Asian countries.

The event “That’s Haram!: 

Sex 
Ed 
in 
South 
Asian 

Communities,” compared the 
teachings of sexual education 
in South Asian and American 
cultures, both of which have 
certain stigmas surrounding 
the issue.

First-year Medical student 

Sai Talluru said she thinks 
there are many similarities 
between sexual education in 
South Asian countries and 
the United States, one of the 
most common topics being 
abstinence.

“I 
think 
abstinence 
is 

definitely something that is 
implied or talked about (in 
sexual 
education), 
and 
it’s 

not always the best option,” 
Talluru said. “It’s just not as 
transparent of a conversation 

The Donia Human Rights 

Center held a panel Wednesday 
night to examine the impact of 
the current “zero-tolerance” 
policy of detaining refugee 
children seeking asylum in the 
U.S. This policy calls for the 
prosecution of all individuals 
who illegally enter the United 
States, which has resulted in the 
detention of refugee children 
who are separated from their 
families.

More than 50 guests attended 

the panel, which was hosted at 
the Ford School of Public Policy 
and consisted of Law professor 
James 
C. 
Hathaway, 
the 

director of Program in Refugee 
and 
Asylum 
Law; 
Sherrie 

Kossoudji, associate professor 
at School of Social Work; and 
Ann Lin, associate professor 
and the Public Policy School.

The 
panel 
examined 
the 

psychological, 
political 
and 

legal impact of the policy on 
the families, policy makers 
and public opinion, asking the 
question of what’s at stake.

Kossoudji 
initiated 
the 

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COMMUNITY AFFAIRS

At 
all 
times 
of 
day, 

crosswalks on the University 
of Michigan’s campus are 
among the most traversed 
in the city. Some of them 
are 
well-marked 
— 
the 

intersection of State Street 
and South University Avenue, 
protected by stop signs on all 
sides with vehicles directed 
by a four-way stop, is one of 
the most heavily trafficked.

Just a few yards away, 

at the intersection of State 
Street 
and 
East 
Madison 

Street, though, pedestrians 
cross the street regularly, 
even though no crosswalk 
existed there until earlier 
this year. The crosswalk is 
now marked by painted lines 
as a legal pathway from the 
pedestrian 
view. 
From 
a 

driver’s perspective, no signs 

clearly indicate the presence 
of the crosswalk.

Law student Akash Patel 

said he and 64 other law 
students have filed complaints 
with the city regarding the 
crosswalk’s safety. Many of 
the complaints cited near 
collisions with drivers while 
attempting to cross the street.

Patel 
has 
worked 
on 

a 
campaign 
to 
increase 

awareness in the city of 
Ann Arbor of the danger 
of the crosswalk. He said 
the 
crossing 
is 
especially 

dangerous in winter when 
daylight hours dwindle.

“Hundreds 
of 
students 

of all different years and 
programs use that crosswalk, 
but 
there 
is 
no 
visible 

indication to cars that it is a 
crosswalk, especially at night 
since, that paint is not visible 
after dark,” Patel wrote in 
an email interview. “This is 
particularly a problem in a 

Concerns
raised over 
dangerous 
crosswalk

Young anti-gun violence activists given 
2018 Wallenberg Medal for courage

MIKE ZLONKEVICZ/DAILY

Student activists and youth leaders Rie’Onna Holmon, Sofie Whitney, Ke’Shon Newman and Alex Wind speak at the Wallenberg Medal Presentation and Lecture at 
Rackham Auditorium Wednesday evening. The event recognized students advocating across the country to end gun violence. 

Residents file complaints over missing 
makings by road signs, no painted lines

Students from Chicago, Parkland honored for their impressive actions to curb gun violence

Representatives from anti-

gun 
violence 
groups 
Bold 

Resistance 
Against 
Violence 

Everywhere and March for 
Our Lives were presented the 
26th annual Wallenberg Medal 
by the University of Michigan 
Wednesday night.

The medal is presented in 

honor of Raoul Wallenberg, a 
U-M alum who saved tens of 
thousands of Jews in Budapest 

during World War II. The 
award recognizes the honorable 
actions 
of 
humanitarians 

reminiscent 
of 
Wallenberg’s 

bravery.

The 
University 
chose 
to 

honor two groups pioneering 
change in the fight against gun 
violence. Rie’Onna Holmon and 
Ke’Shon Newman accepted the 
award on behalf of B.R.A.V.E, an 
organization based in Chicago 
that focuses on training youth 
to be peacemakers within their 
communities. Alex Wind and 
Sofie Whitney accepted the 

award on behalf of March for 
Our Lives, an organization 
created after 17 students at 
Marjory 
Stoneman 
Douglas 

High School in Parkland, Fla., 
were killed by an active shooter 
on Feb. 14. Wind and Whitney 
were both students of the 
school at the time.

University President Mark 

Schlissel presented the awards, 
commending the honorees for 
their commitment to improving 
society. 
He 
stressed 
the 

importance of tackling all types 
of gun violence, from mass 

shootings to everyday firearm 
assault. 

“The 
tragedies 
of 
this 

epidemic go far beyond the 
shootings 
that 
grab 
the 

headlines,” Schlissel said. “Gun 
violence is an everyday reality 
in many neighborhoods around 
our nation. It steals life from 
our families and communities, 
affecting innocent youth as 
they walk to and from school 
and as they gather with their 
friends.”

After 
Schlissel 
presented 

MOLLY NORRIS
Daily Staff Reporter

Reyna 
Ortiz, 
Chicago 

activist and educator, who 
helps 
connect 
transgender 

youth 
and 
women 
with 

medical, legal, education and 
housing 
resources, 
opened 

a 
presentation 
Wednesday 

by emphasizing the progress 
made by and within the trans 
community throughout time.

Ortiz has been doing activist 

work in the trans community 
since her transition in 1994 at 
14 years old.

“I’m 
fighting 
for 
the 

liberation 
of 
the 
trans 

community in this country 
and in this world,” Ortiz said. 
“It’s my passion; it is my life. 
All my life experiences as 
a trans person for 25 years 
has brought me to this point, 
today, working and fighting 
for equality for trans people.”

Ortiz spoke at the School 

of Social Work as part of 
the Trans Awareness Week 
series of events hosted by 
the Spectrum Center at the 
University of Michigan. She 
was the keynote speaker of the 
series and raised awareness of 
issues facing the transgender, 
genderqueer and gender non-
conforming communities.

Ortiz 
recalled 
the 

loneliness she felt when she 
came out as trans-identifying 
at a young age. She said for 
so long, she felt she was the 
only trans person in her 

community. This experience, 
Ortiz explained, helps her 
connect with the people she 
works with.

“I think starting off trans so 

young, feeling so many types 
of ways about being trans is 
the reason why I work so well 
with youth in Chicago,” Ortiz 
said.

The services Ortiz’s two 

trans 
resource 
programs 

include are GED preparation 

programs, 
permanent 

and 
supportive 
housing 

research, and legal services 
for 
name-changing 
and 

criminal expungement. She 
said she’s able to see 60 to 
80 participants weekly and 
found 
50 
kids 
supportive 

housing this past year.

This work is not just for 

trans people, though, Ortiz 
said. She emphasized the 
importance 
of 
allyship, 

urging allies to be active, 
consistent and to focus on 
the 
communities 
they’re 

supporting. Ortiz also noted 
everyone has different roles 
to fulfill in the movement.

“It’s a call to action,” Ortiz 

said. “It’s being consistent. 
It’s about finding something 
that you feel is beneficial to a 
community. And it’s different 
for everybody, not everybody 
is going to do the same thing, 

SAAN talks 
South Asian 
sexual ed. 
curriculum

CAMPUS LIFE

Discussion hosted by the 
Woman’s Organization 
on Rights to Health

BARBARA COLLINS

For the Daily

MIKE ZLONKEVICZ/DAILY

Reyna Ortiz discusses her work with the transgender community and her experience as a Latinx transgender woman 
in the School of Social Work Wednesday evening. Ortiz delivered her keynote address as part of Trans Awareness 
Week supported by the Spectrum Center. 

Trans activist speaks of her work, 
progress within the trans community

Ortiz was the keynote speaker for the Trans Awareness Week event series

ELIZABETH LAWRENCE

Daily News Editor

See AWARENESS, Page 3

Professors 
comment 
on refugee 
detainment

CAMPUS LIFE

The panel focused on 
children separation at 
US southern boarder

MIRIAM MERKLIN

For the Daily

See CURRICULUM, Page 3

See WALLENBERG, Page 2
See CROSSWALK, Page 3

Follow The Daily 
on Instagram, 
@michigandaily

RACHEL CUNNINGHAM

Daily Staff Reporter

See REFUGEE, Page 3

