“Able to Laugh” (Video). Pamela Rohland, Assistant Director, Disability Services for Students. This video and discussion examines the awkwardness that can arise when able-bodied people interact with people with disabilities; and explores the role of humor in removing communication barriers of fear, guilt, vulnerability, and misunderstanding. In the video– six comics– all disabled members of the Access to Comedy Players– apply their talents to create awareness of negative attitudes and behaviors about people with disabilities. Tues, 9/25 @ 3:30pm.
Analyze That: Narratives of Race, Place, and Immigrant Identity. Dr. Sunil Bhatia, Associate Professor, Human Development, Connecticut College. Based on his book American Karma: Race, Culture and Identity in the Indian Diaspora, this workshop will invite participants to examine the diffusion of Indian professionals throughout the U.S., and to explore the inner conflict between their experiences with racism and their reluctance to categorize themselves as “brown” or “people of color”. Through reflective dialogue and discussion, we will analyze why Asian Americans, particularly those from South Asia, are more comfortable in talking about their cultural identity rather than their racial or ethnic identity. Wed, 9/26 @ 10:00am.
Bryna Wortman, Associate Professor, Theater. This video and discussion addresses the origins and history of anti-Semitism, and posits the reasons behind recent attacks and antipathy expressed toward Jews. Medieval antagonisms between Christians, Muslims, and Jews, as well as the emergence of the nation-state of Israel and the impact of the Holocaust and the Israeli-Palestinian conflict are among the topics explored as underlying causes of anti-Semitism in the documentary. Tues, 9/25 @ 12:30pm.
“Behind Closed Doors. A Video on How the Media Fabricate Those Beautiful Models” (Video). Dr. Grace Frenzel, Consultant, Student Affairs; and the Body Image Acceptance Committee. This video and discussion explores the “tricks of the trade” applied by fashion photographers and stylists to create images of “flawless beauty” for models. Attention will be focused on the make- up, lighting, clothing alterations, and high- tech touch ups utilized to produce the perfect magazine cover. Participants will examine the role of the media in society in creating unrealistic body images and in generating negative and unhealthy attitudes and behaviors. Wed, 9/26 @ 9:00am.
Behind the Scenes with the Curator of “China Seen by…” Judith Tolnick Champa, Coordinator, Art Galleries. In collaboration with the Fall 2007 Honors Colloquium on Contemporary China, this special preview for URI Diversity Week provides participants an opportunity to examine and discuss a widely- anticipated exhibition, which runs from October 2- December 9, 2007, in the Main Art Gallery. Presenting rarely seen images of contemporary China’s economic, cultural, and social development, the exhibition showcases photographs that contrast the perspectives of resident Chinese photographers with those of photographers from other countries, including the United States. Participants will glimpse the creative ferment and political competition over interpretations of the image of contemporary China as it begins to assume primacy on a global stage. Fri, 9/28 @ 2:00pm.
Black Mothers, White Doctors: Birthing a Slave. Dr. Marie Jenkins Schwartz, Professor, History. After the transatlantic African slave trade was closed in 1808, southern white planters recognized that the perpetuation of the institution necessitated the extension of legal, political, cultural, social, and economic control over the means of reproduction. Based on her book, Birthing a Slave (2006), this workshop exposes the struggle for control over the bodies of black women waged by white planters who regarded the women as property to be exploited; by the white doctors hired by the planters who
experimented on the women in the name of medical science; and the women themselves who often sought a cultural connection to midwives and women elders steeped in African folk medicine. Wed, 9/26 @ 11:00am
Book Discussion of I Myself Am a Woman: Selected Writings of Ding Ling (1904-1985). Dr. Cheryl McCarthy, Dr. Yan Ma and graduate students, Graduate School of Library and Information Studies; and Dr. Karen Stein and Guanglan Jin, Women’s Studies. This book discussion explores the controversial life and literary legacy of Dīng Líng (1904-1986), which was the pseudonym of Jiǎng Bīngzhī, China’s most remarkable woman writer. Her life and writings reflect the changes and turmoil of modern China in World War I in 1919, through the decline of the Maoist Cultural Revolution of the 1960’s and 1970’s. Influenced by contemporary literature from China as well as the West, she began writing fiction that presented a new archetypal Chinese heroine- daring, independent, passionate, yet emotionally unfulfilled and perplexed in her search for the meaning of life during an era of rapid change. The popularity of her early chronicles of the inner life of young Chinese women during the 1920’s; her conversion to Chinese Communism; her imprisonment by the Nationalist government; the shift of focus in her writings to the concerns of workers, peasants, and revolutionaries in the 1930’s and 1940’s; and the punitive response to her open criticism of the ruling Chinese Communist Party on women’s rights and other matters dramatically delineated the boundaries of the gender struggle for equity in China. She was officially censured and expelled from the Party in 1957, and imprisoned and subjected to farm labor until 1975. I Myself Am a Woman is an anthology selected from her more than 300 published writings and encompassing fifty years of her life, reflecting both continuity and change in her feminist portrayals. Wed, 9/26 @ 4:00pm.
Building Solutions: Disability as Diversity. Pamela Rohland, Assistant Director, Disability Services for Students. The study of disability has transitioned from a model of pathology to an emphasis on understanding the ways in which the identity and culture of disability is socially constructed. This workshop will explore the lived experience of people with disabilities; examine the social, cultural, and physical attitudes and barriers they face; and situate disability within the contemporary discourse on cultural diversity. Wed, 9/26 @ 11:00am.
China, the United States, and a Multipolar World. Dr. Yong Deng, Associate Professor, Political Science, US Naval Academy. The fall of the Soviet Union in 1991 created a vacuum in which the United States– the world’s only remaining superpower– acted, often unilaterally, to advance its own national interests at the expense of global progress in the normative, economic, political, cultural, scientific, and military arenas. Some analysts say that this unipolar world system centered around the global dominance of the U. S. is now being superseded by a multipolar world system in which diverse regional centers, such as China, are emerging, creating a countervailing balance of power. In conjunction with the URI Honors Colloquium, the URI Diversity Week keynote address discusses the potential impact of multipolarity in promoting multilateralism, interdependence among nations, respect for sovereignty, understanding of cultural differences, and relationality in the U.S., China, and around the world. Tues, 9/25 @ 7:30pm.
Choral Performance. Mark Conley, Assistant Professor, Music. The Annual URI Concert at the Multicultural Center will be presented with commentary intended to enhance awareness of different cultural traditions, diverse approaches to composing music, and sources of inspiration such as politics, literature, arts, nature and symbolism. The role of emotional and intellectual influences will be presented as well as the inter-relationships between text and music. Thurs, 9/27 @ 3:30pm.
Community Sing. Sue Warford, Coordinator, Child Development Center and the Child Development Center teachers, preschool, and kindergarten children. This workshop presents children in performance as they explore how age-appropriate music can be used to enhance personal growth and development and to increase awareness of diversity. Thurs, 9/27 @ 10:00am.
of Crossing: A Memoir. Dr. Susan Roush, Associate Dean, Human Sciences, Dr. Kyle Kusz, Assistant Professor, Kinesiology, Dr. Amy Weiss, Professor, Communicative Disorders. This book discussion focuses on crossing from one gender identity to another. Based on the autobiography of Donald N. McCloskey, a Harvard University economist, the discussion describes the physical, emotional, economic, and cultural transformation of a man to a woman. The life story of Donald’s transgendering to Deidre will help participants understand the framework of social and cultural constructs in which sexual and gender politics manifests themselves. Wed, 9/26 @ 1:00pm.
“Crash” (Video) and Discussion. URI Peer Advocates, Violence Prevention and Advocacy Services. A provocative, unflinching look at the complexities of racial conflict in America, this Academy Award-winning film challenges audiences to question their own prejudices. Diving headlong into the diverse melting pot of post-9/11 Los Angeles, this compelling urban drama tracks the volatile intersections of a multi-ethnic cast, examining fear and bigotry from multiple perspectives. No one is safe in the battle zones of racial strife. And no one is immune to the underlying prejudice that sparks violence-and changes lives. A discussion on the issues presented will take place after the movie.
Cultivating Future Generations for a Nonviolent Global Community. Dr. Bernard LaFayette, Jr., Director, Center for Nonviolence and Peace Studies, and Distinguished Scholar in Residence. A living link to many of the defining moments of the U.S. Civil Rights movement– the desegregation of Nashville (TN), the founding of SNCC, voter registration in Selma (AL), the Freedom Rides, and the Poor People’s Campaign– Dr. Lafayette has emerged as one of the world’s foremost advocates for international peacebuilding. This workshop introduces participants to ongoing initiatives for peacebuilding and conflict resolution currently underway in countries, such as the United States, Colombia, Cuba, Israel, and Puerto Rico, and provides information and advice for those who wish to enlist in and support these international initiatives. Wed, 9/26 @ 11:00am.
Diversity Initiatives on University Campuses Across the United States. Clarissa Uttley, Graduate Student, Psychology. Since the 1960’s, advocates for equity in matters of race, gender, disability, sexuality, nationality, religion, and other under-represented groups have attempted to infuse diversity into all levels of decision- making of higher education. While these efforts have accomplished mixed success, the “state-of-the-art” diversity initiatives are strategically aligned responses to the assessed needs of the campus that specify goals and objectives linked to the mission and resources of the institution. The ultimate goal of campus diversity initiatives is to transform the institution so that the campus learns why inclusion and the full utilization of people are important. This workshop examines several of the leading diversity initiatives among colleges and universities in the United States. Wed, 9/26 @ 11:00am.
Diversity Week Open Mic. Chris Bannon, Coordinator, Origins. One of the most popular events during Diversity Week, the Open Mic is a student-generated and student-judged performance event, open to poets, musicians, dancers, comedians and storytellers, who sign up in accordance with the rules of the night. Inspired by the “spoken word” emphasis in hip hop culture, the Open Mic attracts performers at all stages of their careers, from seasoned veterans to novices, providing them an opportunity to showcase their talents before a live audience. To sign up for slots that usually last 3-5 minutes, visit http:// www.uri.edu/mcc. Some speculate that the rising popularity of open mic over the last ten years has helped to lay the foundation for the blockbuster success of American Idol. Mon, 9/24 @ 8:00pm.
Diversity Week’s Empty Canvas: Help Us Fill It. Astrid Drew, Coordinator, 193° Coffeehouse; Allyson Van Wyk, Undergraduate, Secondary Education and English; and Justin Quintanilla,
Undergraduate, Graphic Design. All creative minds are welcome. People with interests in art, media, and literature are encouraged to submit original art, literary, musical and artistic compositions with a brief descriptive commentary. The works will be put on display in the 193° Coffeehouse in the Memorial Union. Music can be submitted to Justin at infinity_of_thought@hotmail.com. Artwork, writing, or any other compositions can be submitted to Allyson at arisan@mail.uri.edu. Mon- Fri, 9/24-9/28
"Don't Ask, Don't Tell, Don't Be": Confronting and Changing the Military's Discriminatory Policy Against Gay Service Members.
Dr. Al Lott, Professor Emeritus, Psychology. This workshop will discuss the present status of the “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell” law that prohibits gay service members in the US from openly acknowledging their sexual orientation after they have enlisted. Current attempts to repeal the law, and the role that students can play in these efforts, will be explored. Fri, 9/28 @ 11:00am.
Existing Within a Majority Setting: Minorities Straddling the Great Divide. Catalina Martinez, Marine Scientist, NOAA; Dr. Darryl Keith, Research Oceanographer, EPA; and Dr. Padma Venkatraman, Director, Graduate Diversity Affairs. This workshop examines cultural and socioeconomic factors in students’ selection of STEM fields of study in higher education; addresses issues and misperceptions about the under-representation of people of color and women; and discusses pros and cons of choosing a non-traditional major or career path. The presenters are two successful role models for people of color seeking careers in the sciences. Wed, 9/26 @ 1:00pm.
Faces of Hunger. Dr. Kathleen Gorman, Director, Feinstein Center for Hunger. This panel of community members and students who work throughout the state presents their experiences and challenges facing people with low- income, focusing especially on the impact of hunger; food and security in the United States. Though the effects of hunger are invisible to the majority of Americans, nearly 1 of every 5 children in the U.S. lives in a household with income below the federal poverty line. Wed, 9/26 @ 9:00am.
Fiesta de Diversidad (Celebration of Diversity). Chris Bannon, Coordinator, Origins; URI Diversity Week Planning Committee, the URI Brazilian/Cape Verdean Capoeira Club, the URI Breakdance Crew, the URI Cricket Club and the Alima International Dance Association. Initiating Diversity Week, this celebration of the cultural and artistic heritages of the diverse social groups that comprise the global society presents their experience through music, dance, food, dress, and other modes of expression. Highlights of the celebration include performances of the Afro-Brazilian martial art, Capoeira; and an exhibition of the international sport of cricket. All are invited to wear their national dress and sample various foods and treats from different countries. Mon, 9/24 @ 12:00pm.
Marissa Goldstein, Alumna, and Melissa Gustavson, Undergraduate, Accounting; of URI Chapter of Habitat for Humanity. The URI Habitat for Humanity will explain the social, economic, political issues that relate to poverty, and the role of Habitat for Humanity in fighting these issues. Addressing ethnic inequality and racial stratification, participants will be invited to think critically about social inequality, diversity, and social responses to aid in the alleviation of poverty.
The Haves and the Have Nots. Denice Couchon, Senior Clerk Stenographer, Human Development and Family Studies; and Dr. Kyle Kusz, Assistant Professor, Kinesiology. This workshop explores the institutional barriers that exclude and prevent diverse communities from reaching their individual and collective goals. Through examples of inequality in resources, participants will learn why reasons why some groups choose to assert dominance over others. Awareness of inequality will develop in participants an increase in cultural sensitivity, and an understanding of the importance of diversity. Fri, 9/28 @ 3:00pm.
Frontiers in Health Care Policy: Racial and Ethnic Health Disparities. Carrie Bridges, Acting Chief, Office of Minority Health, Rhode Island Department of Health. The demographic changes that are anticipated over the next decade magnify the importance of addressing disparities in health status. Eliminating racial and ethnic disparities in health will enhance efforts preventing disease, promoting health, and delivering appropriate care. Eliminating health disparities will also require new knowledge about the determinants of disease, causes of health disparities, and effective interventions for prevention and treatment. It will also require improving access to the benefits of society, including quality preventive and treatment services, as well as innovative ways of working in partnership with health care systems, State and local governments, tribal governments, academia, national and community- based organizations, and communities. There are six focus areas in racial and ethnic disparities which correlate to health access and outcomes: infant mortality, cancer screening and management, cardiovascular disease, diabetes, HIV Infection/ AIDS, and immunizations. These six health areas reflect the disparities that are known to affect multiple racial and ethnic minority groups at all life stages. This workshop talks about a prevention agenda through consultation with representatives from target communities and experts in public health. Wed, 9/26 @ 1:00pm.
Frontiers in Health Work Force Development: Growth of Allied Health Careers in the United States. Alexis Devine, Youth Project Coordinator, Miriam Hospital, and Joshua Legaire, Intern, Lifespan, and Undergraduate, Rhode Island College. In the U.S., allied health workers now number over 6 million, comprising 60% of the health care work force, and encompassing more than 200 occupations. Of the top 30 fastest growing jobs in the U. S. by 2010, over half are expected to emerge in the allied health sector, including nurses, dieticians, medical assistants, physical therapists, occupational therapists, laboratory technologists, exercise physiologists, speech-language pathologists, massage therapists, medical records technicians, EMT paramedics, and medical sonographers. This workshop addresses growth and expansion of the field; supply, demand, and utilization of workers; the need for diversity and cultural competence; and the impact. Wed, 9/26 @ 3:00pm.
Frontiers in Medical Practice: Transfusion- Free Surgery in the United States. Kevin Wright, Manager, and Dr. Hieu Ton-That, Medical Director, Transfusion-Free Medicine and Surgery, Rhode Island Hospital . Over the past quarter-century, transfusion-free medicine and surgery in the United States has emerged as a body of practices that utilize an array of medications and technologies to stimulate blood cell production and to minimize blood loss without engaging in invasive medical procedures. Research indicates that transfusion-free practices have generally resulted in lower rates of infection and mortality, faster recovery times, reduced costs, and greater patient satisfaction. The numbers of bloodless medical centers has grown from a few in the 1990’s to over 100 in 2007. This workshop provides an orientation to this rapidly evolving body of practice, and to its key issues. Wed, 9/26 @ 2:00pm.
A History of Ethnic Groups in Rhode Island. Hon. Bruce Sundlun, Governor in Residence. Covering the multicultural history of the state from its colonial origins to the present era, this lecture and discussion led by a former Governor of Rhode Island reviews the interwoven histories of WASPs, African Americans, Narragansett, Irish, French-Canadians, Italians, Portuguese, and other ethnic groups in Rhode Island showing their colorful and culturally rich background produced by each of these diverse groups and the impact of their contributions on the state. Wed, 9/26 @ 1:00pm.
“The House We Live In” (Video). Roxanne Gomes, Assistant Director, Affirmative Action, Equal Opportunity and Diversity. In the provocative three-part series, Race- The Power of Illusion, concluding video segment discusses the impact of federal government policy in expanding the racial gap between whites and nonwhites. After World War II, the Federal Housing Administration and other agencies enacted a series of policies that further institutionalized racial segregation. The FHA created an appraisal system in which white communities were automatically awarded higher economic value than black or ethnically mixed communities. It provided grants and tax incentives for the construction of white suburbs that excluded people of color. It rarely approved access of blacks and others to the G.I. Bill for low, long-term mortgage rates. Encouraging “redlining” and other discriminatory practices that were subsequently adopted by private industry. It supported the building of a new residential model for African-Americans in urban areas- the housing projects- which concentrated people in high-rise building in inner cities. Through these segregationist policies, the federal government fostered conditions that favored the expansion of white family wealth and the constraining of black family wealth. For most Americans, home equity remains the primary mode for accumulating wealth to pay for a college education, start a business, or pass on to succeeding generations. Tues, 9/25 @ 11:00am.
Immigration> Legal v. Illegal, Myths and Realities: The Latinization of American Life. Dr. Tom Morin, Professor, Languages. This workshop addresses the social, cultural, economic, and political impact of the nearly 12 million undocumented Latino workers, believed to be living in the United States; places them in the context of streams of immigrants coming from Europe, Asia, Africa, and elsewhere; and discusses assumptions held by and about the labor, values, and beliefs of those immigrants. From its founding to the present, the United States remains a nation of immigrants. The labor, values, and beliefs of immigrants from throughout the world have transformed the United States into the world’s most powerful economy. The vast majority of these immigrants toil in low-skill, low-wage jobs, such as construction, manufacturing, or hospitality– jobs in which most Americans lack interest. The category of "Hispanics" includes representatives from more than twenty Latin American and Caribbean nations, as well as from Spain and Portugal. This session will explore the impact of the growing presence of Latinos on the nation’s identity, its history, culture, economics, politics, and social life. Mon, 9/24 @ 6:00pm.
The Irish in Rhode Island. Dr. Scott Molloy, Professor, Labor Research Center. While Irish settlers arrive during the colonial period through the 1830’s, the great waves of Irish immigration in Rhode Island occurred in response to the devastating potato famine in Ireland from 1845 to 1850. About 1.9 million immigrants from Ireland arrived in Rhode Island from 1830 to 1860, peaking from 1845 to 1855. Another 1.9 million Irish immigrants came to the state between 1860 and 1900. By the turn of the twentieth century, the Irish were firmly established as the state’s largest ethnic group. The appeal of jobs in the cotton-spinning, weaving, printing, and dyeing industries, the manufacture of woolens, jewelry, silverware, and base metals, and the relief from Anglo religious persecution were magnets to the Irish working-classes. This lecture-discussion traces the economic, social, and political rise of the Irish as a cohesive ethnic group in a highly competitive ethnic arena from the 1820’s to the 1960’s, addressing the prejudice and discrimination experienced by immigrants; the evolution of Irish-American identity; the role of the Democratic Party and the labor movement in accumulating political power, education, religion, and gender relations. Wed, 9/26 @ 12:00pm.
Islamic Issues from a Modern Muslim Perspective. Sarah Shihadeh, Undergraduate, Clinical Lab Science; and Obaid Syed, Undergraduate, Biological Science; of Muslim Students Association.
This workshop is based on the Quranic tradition of Muslims initiating communication with non- Muslims, thereby engaging in open discussion and transparent action about spiritual and political reforms that can be enacted in the secular “public sphere” so as to strengthen community. Responding to the current levels of polarization that often characterize Muslims and others, this workshop will seek to understand the state of existing knowledge about Islam, and to discuss stereotypes reflected in media about Islam and its values.
“It’s Just a Joke”: A Workshop on Tolerance. Allyson Van Wyk, Undergraduate, Secondary Education and English. This workshop features a facilitated discussion held by a diverse group of students representing race, religion, sexual orientation, mental and physical disabilities. Facilitators will share stories of their experiences with intolerance or discrimination. Participants are invited to share their stories. Discussions about ways of responding to such intolerance will follow. Tues, 9/25 @ 5:00pm.
Kick it up a Notch: Using Diversity Career Resources in Exploring Internships, Writing Resumes, and Making Career- related Decisions. Daniel Ustick, Advisor, Career Services. This workshop will offer diversity career resources, insights, and suggestions that will help any student, the goal being to create a ripple effect by enhancing individual awareness of specific multicultural career resources addressing both members of “underrepresented” groups and resources available, as well as students who are members of an already diverse community to go out and continue to work in increasingly diverse companies and organizations. This workshop stresses how critical it is for all students to develop awareness of inclusion in the workplace and the benefits of experience and supporting diversity. Wed, 9/26 @ 12:00pm.
Learn How to Belly Dance: A Middle Eastern Art Form. Nancy Hawksley, Coordinator, Facilities Services. This highly participatory session will present basic belly dance movements to pre-recorded Middle Eastern music. Wear comfortable clothes! Be prepared to lift your arms, move your body and uplift your spirit! Bring a hip scarf if you have one. Men and women, dancers and non-dancers, are welcome! Thur, 9/28 @ 2:00pm.
“L’Estro Armonico”, Rebel Baroque Ensemble. Roxana Tourigny, Coordinator, URI Great Performances. Hailed by the New York Times as "Sophisticated and Beguiling" and praised by the Los Angeles Times for their "astonishingly vital music-making", the New York-based Baroque ensemble REBEL has earned an impressive international reputation, enchanting diverse audiences by their unique style and their virtuosic, highly expressive, and provocative approach to the Baroque and Classical repertoire. Fri, 9/28 @ 8:00pm.
Mating, Marriage and Money. Bryna Wortman, Associate Professor, Theatre. During the nineteenth century, the Industrial Revolution accelerated the dramatic changes that were occurring in English society, pitting the rising aspirations of an emergent bourgeois middle class against the stubborn privileges of a staid aristocracy. While the power and status of aristocracy emanated from control over agriculture and land, the power and status of the bourgeoisie derived its primacy from the mushrooming growth of industry, trade, and banking. Amid the social contesting between classes in resolutely patriarchal England, Jane Austen (1775-1817) satirizes the social jousting over class and gender in which a person’s worth is measured in minds of self and others by how and who one courts, who one marries, and how much money one has, in the classic novel Pride and Prejudice (1813). Readings are adapted for the stage by Jon Jory, selected and directed by Bryna Wortman, and performed by students from the Theatre Department. Wed, 9/26 @ 6:00pm.
Migration in the Americas: Human Rights and Regional Approaches. Dr. Rosaria Pisa, Lecturer, Sociology. The current debate over immigration reform in the United States has focused the attention on stemming the effects of migration on the United States, rather than investigating and treating the causes of migration from a regional perspective. Conversations in “the public sphere” have been based on an interdiction model in which the
guarding of borders and the building of fences takes priority. As a result, little attention has been devoted to helping the American public understand the structural and cultural forces of globalization
– the “push and pull” factors - that impel the movement of people within the American hemisphere. This workshop explores the emerging impact of migration and its implications for regional labor markets, the “brain drain”, economic development, governmental policy, and human rights. Wed, 9/26 @ 3:00pm.
“The Motherhood Manifesto” (Video). Dr. Barb Silver, Lecturer, NSF Advance. In the US, women now comprise 46% of the paid labor force. Often expected to contribute significant income to most American families, working women remain the primary caregivers for children, as well as the primary organizers and laborers in the household. Unlike the case in the majority of industrialized countries, the corporate and political institutions in the US have been among the most resistant to restructuring workplace and public policy to better accommodate the family and household responsibilities of working women. Working women without children typically receive 90¢ to a dollar for a man; working mothers who are married receive 73¢; and single working mothers receive 60¢. Because men are generally the primary recipients of income in conventional middle-class families, women and children suffer a sharp decline in living standards after divorce. This workshop discusses the reasons for the grassroots campaign launched by Joan Blandes, co-founder of MomsRising.org as well as MoveOn.org; the emerging national public conversation about the triple bind faced by many working mothers in the US; and the advocacy for a political agenda that provides equity in the home and the workplace for working mothers and families. . Tues, 9/25 @ 9:30am.
Music for Social Justice, Protest, and Diversity. Dr. Paul De Mesquita, Professor, Psychology; Dr. Libby Miles, Associate Professor, Writing; and Dr. Steve Wood, Professor, Communication Studies. Ever wondered how to sing some of those old songs from the 60’s that helped change the country? Workshop participants will sing protest songs to enhance their understanding of the reasons and mechanisms for initiating social transformation. Utilized by the civil rights, anti-war, labor, and immigration movements, these songs typically identify a social problem, suggest a response, appeal to common values, arouse external sympathy and support, and develop group unity. Thur, 9/27 @ 11:00am.
National Student Exchange: Travel, Study, and Enjoy a Semester Away from URI. NSE gives students an opportunity to experience a different area of the country with unique cultural and academic opportunities. Since NSE's beginning in 1968, more than 90,000 students have participated in the program including many from URI. Students can utilize NSE to broaden their personal and educational experiences, explore and appreciate new cultures, take courses not offered at our campus, learn from different professors, explore new areas of study, break out of their comfort zones, expand academic program options, access courses with different perspectives, and investigate graduate schools or employment opportunities. This workshop features a panel of exchange students, some from URI who have returned to campus, and others who are visiting exchange students currently spending a term here at URI. They will all share their experiences and respond to questions. Wed, 9/26 @ 2:00pm.
Native Expressions. Silvermoon Mars, Alumna, Sociology. Presenters will use storytelling, music, and dance to introduce Native American life and spirituality in the 21st century. Representatives from the Narragansett community describe their experience and history through stories with the use of cultural artifacts. Thurs, 9/27 @ 12:30pm.
Peace and Harmony Meditation. Dr. Celina Pereira, Physician, and Laurie Johnson, RN, Health Services; Dr. Paul De Mesquita, Professor, Psychology; Dr. Art Stein, Professor, Political Science; Claire Sartori-Stein, Lecturer, Psychology, CCE; and Melvin Wade, Director, Multicultural Center. Deriving its origins from the ancient Eastern religions, particularly those of India, China, and Japan, meditation is both a body of ancient spiritual practices and a set of contemporary mind-body techniques. It seeks to center the mind by concentrating focus on an object of attention, freeing the mind from material attachment, and opening the mind to heightened consciousness. This gathering increases awareness of basic principles and practices, and offers an opportunity to direct collective energies to attaining peace and harmony on the URI campus. Fri, 9/28 @ 12:00pm.
Peace in Myself, Peace in the World: Engaged Buddhist Practices for Conflict Resolution. Joanne Friday, Buddhist Chaplain, and Dharma Teacher, Tiep Hien Order. Taught by a disciple of the celebrated Vietnamese monk Thich Nhat Hanh, this gathering provides an introduction to the Buddhist practices of “empathetic listening” and “mindful speech”. Through “empathetic listening”, one hears compassionately the emotional needs underlying a communication without engaging in judgment. Through “mindful speech”, one responds with full awareness of the impact of words upon the communicative bond between speaker and listener. A mindfulness movement is emerging in many schools around the nation in a campaign to provide administrators, teachers, staff, and students additional resources to mediate conflict. Atmosphere is informal; all are welcome. Wed, 9/26 @ 12:00pm.
Please Don’t Go!: Why Students and Faculty from Underrepresented Groups Leave the Academy. Laura Gostin, Graduate Student, Communication Studies; Dr. Barb Silver, Director, NSF Advance; and Dr. Padma Venkatraman, Director, Graduate Diversity Affairs. Are there opportunities for underrepresented voices to be heard in mainstream discourse? This panel and presentation will share experiences and examine racial imbalance in the American university; describe the forces impelling underrepresented groups to leave the institution; and comments on the responses of higher education. The duality that often challenges minority students and faculty as they struggle against deeply embedded stereotypes as well as strategies for building social capital will also be addressed. Wed, 9/26 @ 9:00am.
The Power of Design: Chinese Textiles. Dr. Linda Welters and Dr. Margaret Ordonez, Professors, Textiles, Fashion Merchandising and Design. In collaboration with the Fall 2007 Honors Colloquium on China, the Textile Gallery in Quinn Hall will feature an exhibition of Chinese textiles and costumes from URI’s Historic Textile and Costume Collection. The program will discuss the meaning and use of color, motif, and other factors in traditional Chinese textile design, illustrating through cloth and symbols their religious beliefs and world views allowing others to gain a deeper understanding of how Chinese culture, at that time, perceived the world. Wed, 9/26 @ 2:00pm.
Promising Scholars: Graduate Student Research Symposium on Diversity (Social Sciences, Humanities, Fine Arts, Education). Dr. Paul De Mesquita, Professor, Psychology. This forum presents research to the campus community by graduate students preparing theses or dissertations on diversity-related topics in the social sciences, humanities, fine arts, or education, for the purposes of nurturing communication, collaboration, and creativity across disciplinary boundaries, and stimulating critical inquiry. Mon, 9/24 @ 3:00pm.
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Promising Scholars: Graduate Student Research Symposium on Diversity (Science, Technology, Engineering, Mathematics).
Dr. Padma Venkatraman, Director, Graduate Diversity Affairs; and Dr. Paul De Mesquita, Professor, Psychology. This forum presents
research to the campus community by graduate students of color preparing theses or dissertations in the STEM-related areas; or by other graduate students on diversity-related topics in the STEM-related areas, for the purposes of building a diverse STEM community of critical mass; nurturing communication, collaboration, and creativity across disciplinary boundaries; and stimulating critical inquiry. Mon, 9/24 @ 4:30pm.
“The Pursuit of Happyness” (Video), and Vigil. Melissa Gustavson, Undergraduate, Accounting; and Jennifer Baker, Undergraduate, Psychology; of URI Chapter of Habitat for Humanity; and the URI Student Entertainment Committee. The American public knows little about the economic, political, social, and psychological forces that can lead to the loss of home, family, and the ability to cope in an environment where panhandling, scavenging, and petty theft may be behavioral norms. Featuring a video, lecture, and vigil, this workshop will help participants relate to the causes of homelessness as an outgrowth of structural poverty that may unravel the social contract between the homeless and society; and will discuss possible responses to shortages of affordable housing, growing trends in underemployment and unemployment, and rising rates of mental illness. Participants will build cardboard houses to simulate some aspects of homelessness.
Reading Sports Critically: Examining the Stories We Tell About Race in the Sports Media. Dr. Kyle Kusz, Assistant Professor, Kinesiology. Through the Olympics, Paralympics, Special Olympics, the World Cup, the World Series, the World Scholar Games, the Super Bowl, and other events, sports have demonstrated the ability to unify or to divide local, state, regional, national, and international peoples, institutions, and cultures. Utilizing a focus group process to maximize audience participation, this workshop examines the role of sports in our own lives, and evaluates the impact of sports in promoting health, development, peace and human rights. Participants will share relevant experiences that provide insight into the impact of race, gender, socioeconomic class, sexual orientation, and disability in sports. Wed, 9/26 @ 3:00pm.
Remembering Dr. George Alvin Wiley, URI Alumnus, and Major Civil Rights Leader. Dr. Alice Dzen Gross, Dean Emeritus, University College, and Board Member, George Wiley Center; Henry Shelton, Founder and Coordinator, George Wiley Center; and Dr. Bernard LaFayette, Jr., Director, Center for Nonviolence and Peace Studies, and Coordinator, Poor People’s Campaign(1968). This workshop pays homage to the contributions of Dr. George Wiley (1913-1973) to the civil rights and social welfare movement of the 1960’s and 1970’s. Born in Bayonne, NJ, and reared in Warwick, RI, Wiley earned a B.S. degree in chemistry from URI in 1953, and a Ph.D. degree in organic chemistry from Syracuse (NY) University in 1957, where he later served as a member of the faculty from 1960-1964. After quickly rising to become the Associate National Director of the Congress of Racial Equality (CORE), in 1964, he was recruited by Dr. Frances Fox Piven and Richard Cloward of the Institute for Policy Studies to test their hypothesis that progressive social change could be accomplished by mobilizing large numbers of the underrepresented to directly confront and overwhelm the social system. In 1966, Wiley founded the National Welfare Rights Organization (NWRO), which spread by franchising organizational chapters until its closing in 1975. At its peak in 1970, it was the largest national organization of poor people, mostly African-American women, in the history of the United States, claiming 540 local chapters and over 20,000 card-carrying members. Known as the “Father of the welfare rights movement” in the U.S., Wiley was one of the first black civil-rights leaders to administer an “interracial” staff and to marshal a formidable network of funders. His philosophy and contribution toward the eradication of poverty are today being sustained through the work of the George Wiley Center in Providence. Fri, 9/28 @ 2:00pm.
School Climate and Cultural Pluralism: Be the Change You Want to See! Susan Trostle Brand, Professor, and Dr. Stephen Brand, Associate Professor, Education; and Kayla McCormack, Undergraduate, Human Development and Family Studies. School climate is critically important for the academic, social, and behavioral success of all students. A compelling aspect of school climate is support of cultural pluralism. This workshop provides concrete strategies and role-plays by which faculty, staff and students can engage in positive interactions and foster respect for diversity. Presenters will exemplify and demonstrate cooperative learning and inclusion, increasing participants’ levels of comprehension about the impact of cultural pluralism on learning, social functioning, and behavior. Wed, 9/26 @ 10:00am.
Service Learning in Physical Therapy: The Highlands of Guatemala and Navajo Indian Reservation in Arizona. Dr. Jenny Audette, Assistant Professor, Physical Therapy; and Dr. Susan Roush, Associate Dean, Human Sciences and Services and Students, Physical Therapy. The physical therapy profession recognizes the importance of achieving competence in understanding the culture of the patient before conducting evaluation and designing interventions. In pursuit of this professional mission, the URI Physical Therapy Program offers opportunities for student majors to engage in service-learning experiences that combine academic learning objectives with community-based needs and priorities. This workshop discusses lessons learned in the providing of care in two traditionally underserved areas: the Centro Maya Center for Children with Disabilities in San Juan, Guatemala, and the Tuba City (AZ) Regional Health Center, offering culturally diverse contexts for students in training. Wed, 9/26 @ 10:00am.
“Sovereign Nation/Sovereign Neighbor”: Representation of Native Americans in the Media” (Video). Kendall Moore, Assistant Professor, and John Pantalone, Lecturer, Journalism. Winner of the Independence Award at the Media That Matters Film Festival in New York City, this video by Moore, and the following discussion, uses the raid on the Narragansett Smoke Shop in July 2003, as a catalyst for exploring rarely publicized Narragansett perspectives on the meaning and importance of “sovereignty”. Under orders from Gov. Don Carcieri, the Rhode Island state police obtained a search warrant from a state court to prevent the selling of tax-free cigarettes from a shop on tribal land, and conducted a raid that escalated into a violent clash. Images of armed police with attack dogs applying overwhelming force on unarmed people were broadcast around the world, drawing widespread condemnation, and evoking comparisons with civil rights battles in Mississippi and Alabama during the 1960’s. The making of the film was funded by the Rhode Island Council for the Humanities and Rhode Island PBS. Tues, 9/25 @ 12:30pm.
Stress Reduction for Every Body. Dr. Celina Pereira, Physician, and Laurie Johnson, RN, Health Services. This workshop will teach you to use your inner resources to relieve stress through practical mind and body awareness techniques, including meditation and breathing to increase mindfulness. Participants may gain the ability to experience life more fully and to respond more effectively to their surroundings.
Sukkot: The Original Thanksgiving. Amy Olson, Executive Director, Hillel Center. The last of the three pilgrimage festivals, Sukkot commemorates the forty-year period during which the children of Israel were wandering in the desert, living in temporary shelters and the fall harvest. The word "Sukkot", meaning "booths," refers to the temporary dwellings that are constructed during this holiday. The Jewish Harvest Festival begins on the 15th day of the Hebrew month of Tishri which is usually held in September and October. Celebrate with Hillel as they tell more on the traditions and customs of this holiday. Enjoy refreshments and learn more about the contemporary celebrations and symbols. Wed, 9/26 @ 3:00pm.
Associate Professor, Psychology, Central Missouri State University.
The online classroom is a powerful arena in which new practices and relationships can make transformative contributions to teaching and learning. This workshop examines the teaching of a course on the codification of race in institutional structures and practices in the United States, and its negative impacts on the educational and career chances of minority groups. Through Blackboard CourseInfo, the asynchronous course utilizes several modes of delivery, such as PowerPoint course modules, videos, online class discussions, and online quizzes, along with textbook assignments, in-class pre- and post-test, and email messages. . Wed, 9/26 @ 3:00pm.
“Then and Now: Civil Rights Revisited” (Video). Gail Faris, Assistant Director, Women’s Center. This video by Faris is a chronicle of the experiences of faculty, staff, students, and friends from the University of Rhode Island and other communities on a civil rights pilgrimage to churches and sites in Atlanta, GA, and Birmingham, Montgomery, and Selma, AL, at which major battles for desegregation, voting rights, and other aspects of full citizenship were waged by African-Americans and their allies. Under the auspices of the URI Center for Nonviolence and Peace Studies, members of the group share their reflections about the meaning and significance of the pilgrimage organized and led by URI Center for Nonviolence and Peace Studies, their encounters with leaders of the Southern civil rights movement, the strategic importance of nonviolence, and the role of the movement in human rights history. Thousands of people annually conduct similar visits to the South. Tues, 9/25 @ 2:00pm.
The Virginia Tech Disaster and Generation 1.5. Dr. Patricia Morokoff, Professor, Psychology; and Alice Cheng, Trudy-Ann Gayle, Radhika Pasupuleti, Mike Ricci, Allison Smith and Bryana White, Graduate Students, Psychology. As the flow of immigrants from Africa, Asia, Europe, and the Americas enter colleges and universities in the United States, educators must improve their individual and collective skills in recognizing and responding to the multiple identities of these students and their diverse needs. This workshop focuses on the identity formation, adaptation, and acculturation of Generation 1.5; examines the role of cliques, subcultures, bullying, and violence in movies and video games; and discusses their application to the Virginia Tech shootings. Unlike first-generation, foreign-born and educated adult immigrants, and their second-generation, US-born and educated children, Generation 1.5 persons are between worlds. They have usually immigrated during late childhood or adolescence, are educated in both their country of origin and the US, and may experience unresolved conflicts in mediating multiple linguistic, cultural, and social influences. Because educators and educational institutions have only recently begun to acknowledge and adapt to the needs of Generation 1.5, the multicultural potential of these students in meeting their own educational goals and in building relationships with others has not been fully realized. Fri, 9/28 @ 1:00pm.
The Welcome Project Presents “Jim in Bold” (Video). Andrew Winters, Assistant to the Vice President for GLBTQ Affairs, and Coordinator, URI GLBT Center. This film examines real life perspectives and the impact of bigotry on the lives of transgendered and homosexual youth. Jimmy Wheeler's journey of isolation is told through vivid interviews with his loving and supportive family. The harsh realities of Jimmy Wheeler’s abuse are a sober reminder of the destructive power of hate and prejudice. Interwoven with Jimmy Wheeler's life story is Young Gay America's cross-country road trip, and interviews with gay and lesbian youth from across the country, revealing sexual diversity and a more integrated life about which Jimmy Wheeler could only dream. Tues, 9/25 @ 7:30pm.
What Every College Student’s Body Needs. Laurie Johnson, RN, Roger Jadosz, RN, and Susan Ash, RD, Health Services. This workshop presents strategies for achieving holistic wellness with special emphasis on how to manage care of the body. Current information clearly indicates that the pursuit of wellness as a way of life is correlated to increased quality of life and success in reaching personal goals. Wed, 9/26 @ 9:00am.