volume 3, issue 3 message from the director · 5 by lesley covington, newsletter coordinator...
TRANSCRIPT
Mission Statement
The Office of Multicultural and Minority Affairs of UNC Pembroke strives to provide programs and services
that support the academic mission of the University by enhancing the educational, personal, cultural and
social development of diverse and ethnic minority student populations. As an agent of change, the Office
of Multicultural and Minority Affairs seeks to value cultural diversity in order to promote an empowered
society.
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Volume 3, Issue 3
Fall 2007
Greetings from OMMA and
DCCOI
The Office of Multicultural and
Minority Affairs’ (OMMA)
Diversity Committee for Commu-
nities of Interest (DCCOI) wel-
comes everyone to the Fall issue
of its diversity newsletter,
UNISON. Our hope is that the
information and stories outlined
in this session will be beneficial
to you.
DCCOI and OMMA began the
2007 academic year with some
very exciting and informative
events and programs. One of the
premier programs was the
“Laying To Rest The N Word
and other derogatory terms” in
September. We are working on
sponsoring sessions/lectures that
address ethnically diverse atti-
tudes on culturally diverse cam-
puses, cultural sensitivity work-
shops, and our second group ses-
sions addressing specific topics of
cultures. Visit the OMMA web-
site at http://www.uncp.edu/oma
for upcoming news, events, ser-
vices, past newsletters, etc.
DCCOI believes that diversity
should be seen as a tool that im-
pacts every aspect of one’s life.
The committee strives to promote
and sustain a cohesive and
inclusive environment among the Univer-
sity and our community that truly values
and embraces diversity, groups, cultures,
differences, and perspectives within the
framework of the academic environment.
We would like to remind each of you that
we are available to assist you in your di-
versity efforts.
Finally, DCCOI is always looking for in-
terested individuals who want to be
“change agents” and proponents of diver-
sity. We welcome new members to the
committee, which meets on the last
Wednesday of every month 3:30 p.m. in
the Multicultural Center. For additional
information, contact Robert L. Canida II,
Director of OMMA and Chair of DCCOI
at 910.521.6508 or [email protected].
□□□□□□□□
Message from the Director
In This Issue:
Greetings from the Director 1
4th Annual Harmony Walk 2
Mr. Porter goes to Washington 3
Fulbright Scholar on campus 4
Hispanic culture at UNCP 5
Clocks around the world 5
Hispanic student’s art on loan 6
Upcoming Events/Programs 6
2
Music was provided by the Voices
of Serenity gospel choir.
Greeters included OMMA Direc-
tor Robert L. Canida, II, Assistant
Vice Chancellor for Student Devel-
opment Dr. Tom Corti, SGA Presi-
dent Dwight Humphrey and Am-
bassador for the Pembroke Area
Chamber of Commerce Betsy May-
nor. Vice President of UNCP’s
NAACP DaTwon Canty offered the
prayer.
Harmony Walk reminds the UNCP community to work together
By Lesley Covington, Newsletter
Coordinator
UNCP’s 4th annual Harmony Walk
was held Sept. 20 at 3 p.m. in the
Givens Performing Arts Center be-
cause of rain. In years past the cere-
mony began at the Amphitheater be-
side the Water Feature.
This year’s guest speaker was Mar-
shall Pitts, former mayor of Fayette-
ville and practicing attorney. The
city’s first black mayor, Pitts empha-
sized the importance of keeping an
open mind to different cultures.
He said people have a way of sepa-
rating themselves from differing cul-
tures.
“That’s a mistake,” Pitts said.
Dr. Chisepo Mphaisha, a native of
South Africa and Fulbright Scholar
at UNCP, offered greetings to the
assembled crowd.
Dr. Mphaisha used the rainbow as
an illustration of how people of var-
ied colors may combine their efforts
to create something beautiful. He
also used human fingers as an illus-
tration of how things of varied
lengths can work toward a common
goal.
“Although diversified, they always
work in unity,” Dr. Mphaisha said.
(See related article in this edition of
UNISON for more details about Dr.
Mphaisha.)
About 10 clubs and organizations
turned out for the event. The top
three winners of the banner competi-
tion were United Ministries in first
place, the National Council of Negro
Women in second and Phi Mu Alpha
fraternity in third.
Photos courtesy of Robert Canida, II
United Ministries won first place in the Harmony Walk banner competition.
The National Council of Negro Women took second place in the banner competition.
3
ence and a way to gain the experi-
ence of lobbying on the Hill for the
causes that we are fighting for on
our campus,” Porter said. “The
overall purpose of the conference
was to train all 40 of us to be
strong leaders in our various com-
munities for gay rights. There were
40 of us and we became great
friends.”
Each student came from a cam-
pus with a differing approach to
the question of gay rights.
“Some of the people there were
not allowed to even have a gay-
straight alliance,” Porter said.
UNCP’s Ten Percent Society is
an organization with a fair-minded
outlook, according to Porter,
where students discuss how “we’re
human too and we need our rights
protected. It lets them (people in
the community) know that there
are gay people in their backyard.”
Porter is advocating for a variety
of activities at UNCP: drag fashion
shows and gay forums, where dis-
cussions about the rights of minor-
ity sexual orientations may take
place and questions may be asked
by straight people of gay people.
“This would provide a safe place
for gay students instead of living
in fear,” Porter said.
He met former NBA player John
By Lesley Covington, Newsletter
Coordinator
Junior Jamel Porter went to the
Historically Black Colleges and Uni-
versities’ Claim Your Truth Summit
in Washington, D.C., representing
UNCP and The 10% Society as its
president. The conference was spon-
sored by the Human Rights Cam-
paign and lasted from Sept. 12 to
Sept. 15.
“My favorite part, being a political
science major, was lobby day. We
actually lobbied for two bills that
were coming to the House and Sen-
ate” Porter said. We thanked the
Senate for voting for the Hate
Crimes Bill. It gives funds to local
police departments if a hate crime
occurs so they can investigate the
crimes sufficiently. It’s a safety net.
It’s a stepping stone,” he added.
Porter said he also lobbied before
the House of Representatives for the
Equal Non-Discriminatory Act
(ENDA) “to protect gay, lesbian, bi-
and trans-gender people from being
fired (from their jobs) because of
their sexual orientation.” I did have
that fear myself because I am gay,”
he said.
Porter said the group traveled to
Congressional Hill to meet with rep-
resentatives and senators of their dis-
tricts.
“It was part of the overall confer-
Amaechi who came out last winter
in his book “Man in the Middle”
published by ESPN Books. He also
met lesbian poet, out since 1998,
Staceyann Chin.
“I’m gonna see if I can get her on
campus,” Porter said.
Porter found the experience in
Washington, D.C. , rewarding and
eye-opening.
“It was a wonderful experience
and it was too short,” Porter said.
“(I learned) that the power of me
telling my story can empower oth-
ers on campus. Our student vote
does count for something. We do
influence the government by the
people we put in power.”
UNCP student represents UNCP in Washington, D.C., on gay rights
Photo courtesy of Robert L. Canida, II
4
By Lesley Covington, Newsletter
Coordinator
The Pembroke community has a
new resident within its midst. As of
August, a Fulbright Scholar joined
the Political Science and Public Ad-
ministration program and will contin-
ue professorial work until May.
“My first responsibility is to partici-
pate in teaching,” Dr. Chisepo
Mphaisha said. “For the spring se-
mester I have been asked to develop
two courses—comparative Public
Administration, comparing the ad-
ministrative systems in the United
States and South Africa, and Govern-
ment and Politics in South Africa.”
The spring courses will be open to
anyone attending UNCP, according to
Dr. Mphaisha.
Dr. Mphaisha is a native of South
Africa. He spent his childhood years
in the countryside near Cape Town at
the lower tip of the African continent
until he started school at a nearby
missionary school sponsored by the
Salvation Army.
South Africa is a multiethnic coun-
try.
“It was hard to settle on one official
language,” Dr. Mphaisha said, ex-
plaining the decision-making process
by which South Africa chose Eng-
lish as its primary language.
Dr. Mphaisha said he speaks
“essentially two” languages, English
and Nyanja.
“I haven’t been in one place,” he
said, describing a life full of change.
“I went to the University of Pitts-
burgh. This was about 30 years ago.”
He earned his Masters in Public
Administration and his Ph.D. from
the Graduate School of Public and
International Affairs at the Universi-
ty of Pittsburgh and his Bachelor of
the Arts (Merit) at the University of
Zambia.
Dr. Mphaisha’s latest post has been
as professor of Public Administra-
tion in the School of Government at
the University of the Western Cape
for 12 years. He taught in the De-
partment of Political and Adminis-
trative Studies at the University of
Zambia for over twenty years
prior to that post. He speaks well
of the Pembroke community.
“At first impression I felt at
home,” he said. “Pembroke is
quite friendly. People wave at
you in greeting and you wave
back. You don’t have to know
them.”
Compared to Richmond, Va.,
Dr. Mphaisha saw a striking dif-
ference.
“People are so much busy about
themselves,” he said.
Dr. Mpaisha’s duties are not
limited to teaching courses at
UNCP.
“I am expected to participate in
certain programs within the uni-
versity,” he said.
Dr. Kevin Freeman is his liai-
son with the U niversity commu-
nity.
UNCP welcomes Fulbright Scholar
Photo courtesy of Dr. Chisepo Mphaisha
Cape Town and the island of Nelson Mandela’s exile may be seen from Signal Hill.
Flag of South Africa
5
By Lesley Covington, Newsletter
Coordinator
Hispanic month began Sept. 15 at
UNCP and will continue until Oct.
15. Hispanic Day is Oct. 31 from
9:30-noon in the University Center,
according to Dr. Liliana Wendorff,
associate professor and coordinator
for Spanish.
This year’s Hispanic Day will fo-
cus on Spain. There will be an exer-
cise where students describe the per-
sonality and physical traits of people
they know and of people they don’t
know such as Luciano Pavarotti.
“This year what I’m trying to do is
get them to write more,” Dr. Wen-
dorff said. “All Spanish students are
required to attend.”
Since the fall of 2006, Hispanic
Day has been held once per semes-
ter. The ‘Day of the Dead’ in Mexi-
co was the first cultural event stud-
ied in this format. Spain followed in
the spring of ‘07. Argentina is this
fall’s focal point.
“We just like to expose them to all
these countries,” Dr. Wendorff said.
“You can’t study language without
the culture.”
Dr. Wendorff also is the advisor
for the annual trip to Peru.
“They (students) get to live with a
family there and they get to spend
the whole semester there in the
fall,” she said.
The trip is usually limited to the
fall semester, but last year two stu-
dents remained in Peru through the
spring semester, according to Dr.
Wendorff.
UNCP students who travel to Peru
also have the opportunity to interact
one-on-one with Peruvians who are
learning English as a second lan-
guage. According to Dr. Wendorff,
students may tutor their peers at the
local university. It’s a fair exchange
as the students may hone their
Spanish-speaking abilities in the
process.
Dancing is another pastime to
which UNCP students have been
exposed and at which they have
excelled.
“We have been fortunate that
most of the students were very
good dancers to begin with and
they learned the difficult dances of
Peru,” Dr. Wendorff said.
Dr. Wendorff is a native of Peru.
She came to the United States in
the ‘70s.
“I had an American citizenship
because my father was from New
York and my mother was from Pe-
ru,” she said.
Dr. Wendorff has lived in Mary-
land, Pennsylvania, and North Car-
olina and lives in Fayetteville.
Hispanic culture thrives at UNCP
Flag of Argentina
In illustrating and appreciating diversity through time, Morris Cardenas, office assistant for the Office of
Multicultural Affairs, arranged for five clocks (Germany and China clocks are not shown) from various
parts of the globe to adorn the Multicultural Center’s wall. To our surprise, the clocks have engaged many
of the Center’s visitors in much discussion.
6
By Lesley Covington, Newsletter
Coordinator
Some of senior Stephanie Alicea’s
artwork is currently on display in
the OMMA conference room.
Alicea (pronounced Ah-lee-say-
ah) is majoring in fine arts at
UNCP. She plans to pursue a Mas-
ters degree in Art Therapy in New
York after graduation.
“I like working with children and I
like to help people,” Alicea said.
“You can diagnose psychological
problems by looking at someone’s
artwork and it can be therapeutic.”
She was born in North Carolina to
a Dominican mother and a Puerto
Rican father. She was raised in
Rockland, N.Y. The town is 30
minutes outside of New York City,
according to Alicea.
She learned to draw early at her
mother’s side. According to Al-
icea, her mother would doodle dur-
ing telephone conversations and
other activities.
“I guess I liked it and I tried to
mimic her,” Alicea said.
Since those childhood days Al-
icea’s artwork has progressed. She
also has received honors.
“I was in the Art Honors Socie-
ty,” she said, remembering her
high school years.
Her classmates and she worked
on a ceramic tile mural in her
hometown. The most difficult part,
according to Alicea, was molding
the tiles into three-dimensional
shapes.
replaced in contemporary thought with a con-
tinuum model that more accurately portrays
racial reality in the United States today.
Offering a fresh approach, Silent Racism is an
essential resource for thinking about racism in
the twenty-first century.
Visit Barbara’s website at
www.SilentRaicsm.com to learn more this top-
ic. Her book, Silent Racism: How Well-
Meaning White People Perpetuate the Racial
Divide is available on campus at the bookstore.
February 27, 2008
African Footprint
Givens Performing Arts Center (GPAC)
10am matinee (February 28)
7pm
Richard Loring's vision, will amaze. It came to
fruition by listening to the hypnotic heartbeat
of the African drum, the soulful saxophone and
the haunting pennywhistle, melds Afro- and
Euro-centric music and dance – Kwela-jive,
traditional gumboot, tap, contemporary ballet,
hip-hop pantsula – into an ‘explosive stampede
of song and dance’ that tells the vibrant and
diverse history of South Africa.
With over 3,500 performances worldwide,
African Footprint will be in Pembroke, NC.
Hispanic artist shares her talent with peers
Photo by Lesley Covington
October 31
Hispanic Day, Argentina
UC Lounge, 9:30-noon
Spanish students and UNCP instructors teach
the ropes of Argentinian living. If you’re
ready for distinctive music, samples of au-
thentic cuisine and learning in a fun environ-
ment, attend Hispanic Day.
November 5
Birds of a Different Feather (lecture)
Multicultural Center, Room 129
Dr. David Oxendine, an Associate Professor
in UNC Pembroke's School of Education and
a member of the Diversity Committee will
speak about the attitudes and beliefs at ethni-
cally diverse universities. His study explored
the question of whether an ethnically diverse
university campus promotes ethnically di-
verse attitudes and beliefs as described by
intergroup contact theory.
January 17
Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Annual Celebration
Program University Center - Candlelight Vigil
(7 pm)
Mary Livermore Library - MLK Program (7:30
pm)
OMMA, NAACP. NCNW, and the Center for
Leadership and Service invite everyone to
join us as we come together to honor and pay
tribute to Dr. King, a true humanitarian.
The tribute will begin at 7pm in front of the
James B. Chavis University Center with a
candlelight vigil, followed by a program at
the Library with guest speaker, Mark Vick-
ers of Journey to a Hate Free Millennium.
February 4, 2008
Barbara Trepagnier, author
Silent Racism
Thomas Assembly Room
3pm
Silent Racism: How Well-Meaning White
People Perpetuate the Racial Divide.
Dr. Barbara Trepagnier, Professor of Sociol-
ogy from Texas State University, talks
about silent racism—the negative thoughts
and beliefs about African Americans and
other people of color held by “non racist”
whites. Barbara’s research shows that all
individuals harbor some racist thoughts and
feelings, and that this subtle form of racism,
more than the racial hatred of bigots, pro-
duces institutional racism and causes racial
inequality. The oppositional categories of
racist/not racist are outdated, and should be