Gonzaga University UMEC Newsetter February 2011

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UNITY Director’s Corner And over all these virtues put on love, which binds them all together in perfect unity.

Colossians 3:14

“Invigoratingly complex” is how I would sum up what has transpired the past two months in our department. Embarking upon fresh initiatives like planning an urban excursion to Chicago for spring break, selecting a new cadre of Act Six scholars, DQG FRRUGLQDWLQJ WKH ÀUVW HYHU 'LYHUVLW\ 0RQRORJXHV HYHQW RQ campus, have been exciting.

The UMEC staff continues to seek ways to be intentional and creative about educating students, and the campus at large, about diversity on multiple levels. The institutional commitment to social justice creates the ideal platform for us to progressively move forward and support overall student development.

We are truly blessed to have many devoted faculty and staff willing to join forces with us to promote the value of human difference. That’s unity!

Tracy Ellis-Ward Director, UMEC

Upcoming Events

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LEADS Identity Workshop Cultural Awareness Night: Malcom X Black History 101 Mobile Museum FASU Festival

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Crafting Unity Raw Dialogue--Adding Insult to Inquiry: Standing by Racism Islamophobia by Amer Ahmed Cultural Awareness Night HPIC Luau Diversity Monologues

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march

502 e boone ave msc#2466, spokane, wa 99258

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MULTICULTURAL EDUCATION CENTER Vol.ume 1, Issue 2

n

February 14, 2011

inside this issue...

The Canary Effect Black History Month LEADS Holiday Potluck International Day of Tolerance Meet Our Staff

Iron Chef On Sunday, January 30, contestants threw down while attendees chowed down. That is, from 2-4 pm at Crosby, GU students shared a unique dish with the public and three professional judges. The GU community was invited to taste samples and cast a vote for their personal favorite. Attendees voted for the People’s Choice while professional culinary connoisseurs voted for the Judges’ Choice.

Over 120 people attended this year’s event which featured nine contestants. Denise Flores, winner of the 2010 Judges’ Choice, brought yet another Salvadorian dish to the table in defense of her title. The dish, Bocado Gunaco, won the Judges’ Choice, making Denise a GU Iron Chef legend. She describes her Salvadorian sustenance as “…kind of like an empanada thing. It’s like a savory turnover. It’s a very traditional appetizer in El Salvador.”

The People’s Choice award went to Dane Pavlik for his Italian-inspired Spaghetti Squash Lasagna.

Though there were only two winners, there is no doubt that all the participants’ recipes were delicious.

The judges for the second annual GU Iron Chef were: Sergio de Leon, owner of De Leon Foods; Kelly Keller, a chef for Sodexo; and Ian Wingate, owner and chef of Moxie Restaurant in addition to partner of Sergio de Leon at Agave Latin Bistro.

In just its second year, this new GU tradition has proved to be a great way to get involved and experience different culinary customs.

RYAN HEALY IS A FRESHMAN AND STUDENT WORKER AT UMEC.

(509) 313-5836

unityhouse@gonzaga.edu

Gonzaga University Celebrates

BSU Dinner Cultural Awareness Night “Unsong Heros�

Malcolm X

%ODFN +LVWRU\ 0RQWK ZDV ÀUVW UHFRJQL]HG LQ WKH 8QLWHG 6WDWHV DQG &DQDGD LQ WR EH FHOHEUDWHG LQ February 12, 6 pm WKH PRQWK RI )HEUXDU\ 3ULRU WR WKDW KRZHYHU &DUWHU * :RRGVRQ ÀUVW VWDUWHG 1HJUR +LVWRU\ :HHN LQ 7KH February 18, 7 pm JRDO ZDV WR HGXFDWH WKH $PHULFDQ SHRSOH DERXW $IULFDQ $PHULFDQ DQG %ODFN FXOWXUH ,W LV DOVR D WLPH WR UHà HFW RQ Cataldo, Globe Room Jepson Wolff Auditorium historical events such as the African Diaspora, to honor great black activist and civil rights leaders, and to recognize and think critically about the black struggle.

Black History 101 Mobile Museum: Crafting HereUnity at Gonzaga University, we try to contribute to the learning of the campus at large as well as the (Malcolm X by Exhibit) local community. This year’s month of February started off withNecessary! a special dinner coordinated GU’s Black February 16, 12 -�

2 pm Student Union. The event entitled “Unsung Heros.� There is also a lecture titled “Force: Understanding the Politics 25, 9 am -� 5 pm Crosby Center MainAmerican Floor History� presentedFebruary and PowerStudent of Violence in African

by Dr. Kellie Jackson from the History Department.

Crosby Student Center Main Floor 7R FORVH RXW WKH PRQWK RI )HEUXDU\ WKHUH ZLOO EH D PRYLH QLJKW ZKHUH D Ă€OP DERXW 0DOFROP ; ZLOO EH VFUHHQHG The following week, Khalid el-Hakim Enterprises will bring to Gonzaga University the Black History 101 Mobile “Force:Necessary!

Understanding theover Politics & Power Museum Exhibit, where 150 artifacts from the “It life and legacy of Malcolm X will be on display Takes A Nation of Millions� in Student On American that same day, Gonzaga faculty will participate in a panel discussion surrounding ofCrosby Violence in Center.

African History�

Lecture by: Professor Griff of iconic 0DOFRP ;¡V KLVWRU\ DQG LQà XHQFH Lecture By: Dr. Kellie Carter Jackson Carter G. Woodson hoped that the need for Negro History Weekgroup, and Black History Month would outlive hip hop Public Enemy its usefulness.

In other words, he hoped for Black History to become OUR HISTORY. Woodson’s hopes are yet to February 16, 7 pm February 25, 7 pm become a reality and with that said, we must be cognizant that much work needs to get done until Black History Jepson Auditorium is not just Wolff recognized in the shortest month of the year, but validated in our everyday culture.

Jepson Wolff Auditorium

BLACK HISTORY IS MORE THAN JUST A MONTH Presented by: Black Student Union, GSBA, History Department, Programming RUDY MONDRAGON IS THE INTERCULTURAL RELATIONS SPECIALIST AT GONZAGA.

unity multicultural education center Board, Unity Multicultural Education, Social Justice Club, Student Activities

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(Shown) All events are free and open to the public.

(Left page, top photo) The Gospel Choir sings at the Black Student Union dinner on Februray 12. Annette Aga, blank blank, blank blank, blank blank, Holly Okit-Okidi, Mercedes Hayes, blank blank, Jason Ilorete, Michaela Graham, and Ruben Yamada performed at Cataldo Hall last Saturday. (Left page, bottom photo) Kellie Jackson, BSU Advisor, stands with students from the Black Student Union proud of work the students have devoted to making “Unsung Heroes� a successful event leaving. The dinner was completely sold out and Cataldo was filled with an eager spirit. The entire dinner was cooked by students and included a program dedicated to celebrating the unsung he-

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The Canary Effect

film & discussion

The Cultural Awareness Night is a monthly HYHQW SUHVHQWHG E\ WKH 80(& RIÀFH WKDW VKRZFDVHV a movie that involves some kind of cultural and/or diversity issue. In November UMEC chose a documentary that celebrated Native American history month by revealing honest yet unknown facts about how Native American people have been treated throughout history. The Canary Effect was shown in the Foley Teleconference center in the Foley library on NovemEHU WK DW SP 7KH ÀOP SURYHG WR EH VKRFNLQJ groundbreaking, frighteningly factual in depicting the history of the treatment of the Native American people. The documentary chronologically discussed how foreign explorers and then the American people KDYH EUXWDOO\ DQG VHOÀVKO\ WDNHQ DQG GHVWUR\HG PDQ\ Native American people’s homes. While doing so the Native American people have been stripped of their culture and lifestyle, forced to live on encampments and now places that they call reservations.

The reservations that Native American people live on today are full of crime, drugs, and alcoholism. Many young Native Americans see no connection between them and life off the reservation. Due to this many of them turn to substance abuse or even worse, decide to commit suicide. The rates the documentary presented between the high rates of: suicide, alcohol abuse, and high school dropout rate were exponentially higher than their American teenager counterparts. To think that a ZKROH GLIIHUHQW ZRUOG RI GHVSDLU DQG XQIXOĂ€OOHG dreams is housed inside the country of freedom and innumerable opportunities is mind-boggling.

The documentary went a step further in revealing the past and future lives of the Native American people by inserting actual footage DQG TXRWHV IURP SROLWLFLDQV ÀJKWLQJ WR HQG WKH GLvide between reservations and the rest of America.

None of the politicians promises followed through (Above, from left to right) Mariel Rodriquez, Sara Varela-Acevedo, Gerand it become evident to the reader that the plight aldine Enrico, and Alex Cassano pose with a Christmas tree and a of the Native American in the United States is not snowman in hand for their mentoring group photo at the LEADS Holi due to ignorance but to a nation of leaders that GLVUHJDUGV WKHLU VLWXDWLRQ 0DQ\ WLPHV RQ WKH WHOHYLVLRQ \RX FDQ WXUQ WKH FKDQQHO DQG ÀQG VRPH QHZVFDVW RU WDON VKRZ GLVFXVVing the need for improvement in the school system, better care and control of the youth of America, and the need to build and grow opportunities for people in the future; it seems that the Native American population has been left out of these necessary LPSURYHPHQWV ,I DQ\ VWXGHQWV DWWHQGLQJ WKH ÀOP GLG QRW UHDOL]H WKH KRUULEOH WKLQJV WKDW KDG DQG ZHUH VWLOO JRLQJ RQ ZLWK WKH Native American people, no doubt that after they left the Foley Teleconference room that they were educated and appalled.

:KHQ WKH Ă€OP HQGHG 'U 0DXFLRQH RI WKH (QJOLVK GHSDUWPHQW DW *RQ]DJD 8QLYHUVLW\ KHOS OHDG D FRQYHUVDWLRQ WKDW ZDV RSHQ to any thoughts, ideas, and feelings towards the content of the documentary. When asked about her thoughts on the event, Dr. Maucione responded, “I very much appreciated participants’ humility and openness in the following discussion. It was particularly interesting to note the lack of popular knowledge about U.S.-tribal relations and the complexities of tribal sovereignty.â€? The conversation was extensive and controversial at times as students discussed ideas to tackle the current troubles faced by many Native American people.

It was interesting to note that once all students were educated in the basic injustices experienced by Native American people that they seemed determined to do something about it, and right away. I wonder (politicians and students aside) if the rest of America would be as prone to act for the betterment of the Native American population if they knew exactly what was going on in the reservations in America.

LAUREN TREACY WAS A BRIDGE CORE LEADER AND IS CURRENTLY A SENIOR AT GONZAGA.

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Holiday Social

On December 4, LEADS participants gathered at UMEC to JUDE WKHLU Ă€OO RQ KROLGD\ GHVVHUWV DQG ZDUP DSSHWL]HUV LEADS mentees were required to cook a dish with their mentors to share at the table. “I loved making gingerbread cookies with Ruben, my mentee. It gave us an opportunity to get WRJHWKHU EHIRUH Ă€QDOV Âľ VDLG *XLOOHUPR (VSLQRVD D VRSKRPRUH LEADS mentor.

(Above, from left to right) Mariel Rodriquez, Sara VarelaAcevedo, Geraldine Enrico, and Alex Cassano at the LEADS Holiday Dinner. Mentors and mentees prepared a potluck dish together to share with other LEADS participants.

Leadership, Education, Academic Development, & Success Skills Gonzaga university

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International Day of Tolerance

Diversity has played significant roles on college campuses ever since Universities started appealing to more and more students. The amalgamation of different backgrounds and experiences has come to define the very culture of Universities. For as long as higher education has been an achievable goal, people of different backgrounds have come together to show support for a common goal. This communal belief stems from a desire to create a comfortable world in which people of many different cultures can live together in peace and prosperity. In fact this belief became so global that in 1996 UNESCO created the International Day of Tolerance, celebrated every year on November 16th. The goals of the International Day of Tolerance are to: Advance welfare, freedom and progress everywhere, encourage tolerance, respect and dialogue, and the last goal is to make proper coordination between different cultures, civilizations, and people to stop inequality.

This belief in tolerance has been celebrated at Gonzaga University for the past two years and has, thus far, had an overwhelming amount of support from both the faculty and the student body. A purpose of the International Day of Tolerance is to promote acceptance of everyone who has a different culture. This day is aimed at allowing people of different races, religions, socio-economic statuses, and sexual orientations, to feel accepted by their communities. This past year Gonzaga had approximately 150 faculty and students link arms together across campus, to show our support on a global level.

Although IDOT (International Day of Tolerance) is a progressive step towards communal inclusivity, a true community needs to hold this belief close every moment of every year in order to promote true acceptance. One day of toleration is not sufficient to build a healthy community. While we paused to recognize November 16th, the belief thatis present in IDOT is timeless. As a Jesuit community we cannot blindly lead our lives, only stopping to recognize intolerance on a specific day. IDOT is a day for reflection and progression. On this day we look at what we have done in order to accomplish its principles. We also must reflect on where we fell short of these goals, must importantly we must discern what it is we must do for the future.

JUSTIN GARCIA IS AN ACT SIX SCHOLAR AND IS CURRENTLY A FRESHMAN AT GONZAGA.

RAJAH BOSE PHOTO

Meet Our Staff

shawn washington

Shawn Washington’s journey started in Anchorage, Alaska where he grew up and fought off vicious polar bears to keep his food. No seriously, Shawn at a early age learned how important living in a diverse world was to him and that inspired him to major in Sociology at Whitworth University. While at Whitworth, Shawn was Vice-President of the Black Student Union, hosted a weekly campus radio show and played football for the university’s NCAA affiliated team.

Shawn is a GU alum with a master’s degree in Sport & Athletic Administration.

Shawn’s wife of 5 ½ years is also a GU alum and teaches in the Spokane school district. They have a beautiful boy, 10 months old. Shawn loves watching all types of movies from “Coming to America” to “The Dark Knight”. In his spare time he watches anything sports related and great trashy reality TV shows.

Shawn feels honored and blessed in being the new coordinator here at UMEC.

ryan king

Ryan King hails from Coeur d’Alene, ID. He grew up dreaming of becoming the first in his family to earn a college degree and pursued that passion studying Math and Computer Science right here at Gonzaga and being an active member of HERO (Helping Educate Regarding Orientation), Spring 2009. Looking forward to giving back to the community that had given so much to him he accepted a job in Information Technology Services that summer. Excited to work with students and advance the dialogue on issues faced by sexual minorities on campus and in general society he added the work of LGBT Resource Center Coordinator to his role in ITS for this academic year. In his spare time he is working on a Master’s Degree in Communication Leadership, is an avid yoga practitioner, and enjoys remaining informed on current events, issues, and trends in the fields of activism, politics, and technology.

At right: (First and second photo) Act Six Scholars participate in group activities at their annual retreat. (Third photo) MCHS members help serve desserts at the ISU Dinner. (Bottom) UMEC staff participate in their retreat at Liberty Lake.