Meetings end, opportunities begin

Wednesday night marked the end of the five-week discussion group "Conversations on Race."\nThese discussions were sponsored by the Office of Multicultural Affairs, the Division of Residential Programs and Services and the Commission on Multicultural Understanding and were designed to provide a forum for discussion on race. Individual groups, assigned to each residence hall, were made up of students of all different races, cultures, sexes, religions and sexual preferences.\nStudents, advisors and faculty who participated in the discussions gathered for closing ceremonies at the Indiana Memorial Union to share their final thoughts. A pamphlet provided by the National Campaign for Tolerance was given out at the entrance and stated a common theme for the ceremony, "For all our differences of politics, race, economics, abilities, culture and language -- we share one world. To be tolerant is to welcome the differences and delight in the sharing."\nIn his introductory speech, Doug Bauder, coordinator of the Gay, Lesbian, Bisexual Student Support Services, and a founder of the group, reminded the audience about hate literature that was passed around campus more than two years ago.\n"It was important to find some way for people of various races to come together and get to know each other to counter this hatred," Bauder said. "There had to be a way for us to understand each other better and develop some relationships. We wanted to develop a heart-to-heart dialogue on race."\nBauder said the relationships forged during the meetings were one of the program's main benefits. Sophomore Jessica Soto said her biggest learning experience came directly from other members in her group.\n"I met a lot of new people and we shared a lot of personal experiences," Soto said. "I never thought I was prejudiced, but I realized maybe sometimes I do pre-judge people based on their physical appearances. I learned how to put myself in other people's shoes before judging them."\nEach residence hall group had a turn at the podium, to outline the tools they gained from the discussions and to point to the future goals they plan on achieving.\nSophomore Marshawn Wolley said the group taught him to appreciate his own culture, and those of others.\n"It changed my perception of reality," Wolley said. "It opened my eyes to things that were lurking beneath the surface, waiting to be talked about."\nMany students said the open group format was beneficial. Sophomore Tobias Puehse, said the group's candid meetings helped him to better understand the issues.\n"The meetings were very personal, very open," Puehse said. "We had a good policy about how our information would be disclosed, because we kept it somewhat confidential within the group, without mentioning names. Everyone could really talk about the issues, getting to the bottom of them. We got people's emotions stirred up instead of just scratching the surface."\nDean of Students Richard McKaig, a participant in the weekly meetings, said the group allowed him to open up and tackle the issues in a different way.\n"Conversations on race lets you put your arms around that topic and that's how you can make a difference," McKaig said. "We go through our life on campus with lots of brief encounters and superficial encounters. To have an opportunity to deal with a significant topic in a significant way, it changes me, it changes you and it changes us all in the process."\nGuest speaker, Gloria Gibson, associate vice chancellor for multicultural affairs, told students they have to take a certain responsibility away from what they learned at the group meetings.\n"The program gave them the opportunity to grow," Gibson said. "Now they have the opportunity to plant the seed outside of the program. They should all feel the responsibility to help and educate others."\nPassing on knowledge and standing up for ourselves in tough situations, is something everyone can take away, Soto said.\n"Now if I see any racism going on, I know I can intervene and say 'hey that's not right,'" Soto said. "I will try and educate my friends about how to treat other people and share my group experiences with them."\nBarry Magee, a graduate student and RPS assistant director for diversity education, concluded the ceremony by praising the groups on their steps toward race education.\n"Talking one-on-one with each other, in small groups, that's where change is going to happen," Magee said. "It's going to happen with one person at a time, making a commitment to themselves and to others, to make a difference in their lives."\nBauder said administrators plan on continuing the "Conversations on Race," in the spring semester. \n"The program is a work in progress, as we all are, works in progress," Bauder said.