09May by Grays Harbor College

The Diversifieds A publication of the EDRC at Grays Harbor College

Volume 1, Issue 6

May 2009

Mother’s Day By Beth Lavallee

May is...

Have you thanked your mother lately? Have you told her how much you appreciate all that she has done for you? Well May 10th is your chance!!! That’s right Mother’s Day is coming up yet again. So go out into the world this Mother’s Day and do something wonderful for that special mother in your life. It can be anyone; your mother, a friend’s mother, an aunt, a grandparent, or even a friend. Do something unique that will take her breath away. Do her laundry, make her breakfast in bed or her favorite dinner, clean the house, give the dog a bath, take out the garbage, DO IT ALL! Just do something to let that special mom in your life know that she is loved and needed. Let her know she has helped you to grow as a person, and that you wouldn’t be who you are

today without her love and support. Make your mom a homemade card! I know my mom would appreciate a homemade card more than an expensive bouquet of flowers. Pictures are always a good gift for someone special. Get some of your favorite pictures together and make a scrapbook, or buy some special fabric paper and put it on a shirt; it’s inexpensive and she will cherish it forever. Don’t forget about those single dads! If you were raised by a single father don't let him feel left out. Sure he gets Father’s Day, but if he raised you on his own, he deserves both. So whoever you decide you want to celebrate this Mother’s Day make it special.

“The world is full of women blindsided by the unceasing demands of motherhood, still flabbergasted by how a job can be terrific and torturous.” Anna Quindlen (1953 - ), O Magazine, May 2003

• Asian/Pacific American Heritage Month • Jewish American Heritage Month • Older Americans Month

Awareness Dates: May Day (International)

Beltaine (Pagan and Wiccan) Constitution Day (Poland) Youth Day (China)

1 3 4

Greenery Day (Japan)

Restoration of Ind. (Latvia)

Liberation Day(Netherlands) Childrens Day: (Japan) Cinco de Mayo (Mexico) Coronation Day (Thailand)

5 5 5 5

Constitution Day Obs.(Japan)

National Day of Prayer (US)

Victory Day WWII (France)

Visakaha Day (Buddhist)

Mothers Day (International)

Lag B’Omer (Jewish) Victory Day (Russia,Ukraine)

11 11

Our Lady of Fatima (Portugal) Santo Christo Day (Portugal)

13 17

National Day (Norway)

Victoria Day observed(Canada) 18 Ataturk and Youth Day(Turkey) 19 Independence Day (Cuba)

Ascension Day (Christian)

Battle of Iquique(Chile)

Declaration of the Bab(Baha’I) 23

The Diversifieds are a publication of the EDRC of Grays Harbor College. The mission of the EDRC is to promote awareness, respect, & equitable treatment of the diverse individuals and groups that exist within our campus and surrounding communities. The EDRC is open to all! Please come visit us in the 200 building.

The Diversifieds

Equality for All By Beth Lavallee

Survey results Out of 100 people surveyed

84% identified as straight 2% indentified as gay 3% indentified as lesbian 1% identified as transgender 7% identified as bi-sexual 1% identified as questioning 2% were undefined 36% said they have 1 or

After giving a survey to 100 Grays Harbor College students and/or faculty I’ve realized that we, as a community, have a long way to go to achieve equality for everyone. The numbers are good (column to the left), but we can do better! Through education I believe we can all learn to accept people for who they are; not by the color of their skin, the god or goddess they pray to, or who they love. As a member of this community I am hopeful that we can learn to look past fear and hatred to see a person for who they are. I know many people have been taught by their parents, their churches, and society that homosexuality is wrong; however, is that truly what YOU believe? Do you believe it is wrong to have a strong emotional and physical attraction to someone of the same gender, even if you have no control over that attraction? Has anyone ever given you permission to question the validity of the things you have been taught? I’m giving you permission now! You are allowed to make up your mind! You are allowed to decide what is right and wrong, for yourself. I’ve made up my mind: LOVE IS LOVE.

Sakura-Con 2009 By Katie Harding

Anime. Manga. Fan-

gated in Seattle to

out familiar catch

transgendered, or questioning

dom. Cosplay. Glomp share their love of circles. If you are con- anime, video games,

person in their family

fused by any of these

and Japanese culture in

open spaces. It was

terms, you have obvi-

general. People

an amazing experi-

more gay, lesbian, bi-sexual,

84% said they have 1 or

phrases across crowds lined any

more friends that are gay, les-

ously never been to an flooded Seattle’s streets ence for a first-time dressed up as favorite attendee. I wish anime conven-

bian, bi-sexual, transgendered

tion. From April 10th-

or questioning

could explain to you 12 at the Washington ries, movies, and State Convention and games. Japanese bands the fun there is to be

71% said they believe gay marriage should be legal

78% said homosexual parents are equally qualified to raise children as heterosexual parents

Page 2

characters from TV se-

there was a way I

Trade Center, Japanese held massive concerts and American cultures for attendees. Easy ca-

had, but it is surely

collided in an cacoph- maraderie tore down ony of cheers, squeals, any natural timidity and

to be experienced to

something that needs be understood. I rec-

and laughter. Tens of

allowed new friends to

ommend the experi-

thousands of people

be made in the blink of

ence to anyone who

from all over the

an eye across all socie-

is interested in Japa-

northwest and even

tal barriers. Games

nese culture, and I

many from across

filled with hugging

hope to see you next

North America congre- strangers and calling

year.

Volume 1, Issue 6

Cinco de Mayo by Stephanie Smith five months earlier for debt

served. All across the US it

known as the 5 of May, is

collection, and although the

has become a day to ob-

not a Mexican or an

English and Spanish quickly

serve Mexican culture and a

American holiday. Mexico

left, the French did

celebration of heritage for

actually declared its inde-

not. Instead, the French

Mexican Americans. Here

pendence from Spain at

army decided to assume

at Grays Harbor College,

midnight on September

command of Mexico. It

GHAB will be serving chips

15th, 1810, but on May 5th,

took five months for the

and salsa in the Fireside

1862 four thousand Mexi-

Mexican army to push them

room in the HUB at 11:00

can soldiers smashed the

out. The date has come to

am. Come celebrate the

French army of eight thou-

be of huge cultural signifi-

diversity of Grays Harbor

sand at Puebla, Mex-

cance in the United States,

College’s campus and cele-

ico. English, Spanish, and

even more so than in Mex-

brate an important day in

French troops had arrived

ico where it is hardly ob-

Mexican history.

Cinco de Mayo, also th

Left Out and Left Behind: Our Time is Now by Sarah Alvarez

May’s Trivia 1. What determines the sex of crocodile embryos— temperature, humidity, genetics. 2. What drug did the University of Pennsylvania animal behavior clinic prescribe for depressed dogs? 3. What elemental event rejuvenates a prairie by causing more plants to grow taller, flower, and produce seeds? 4. How many days can an ant survive under water? 5. What creature’s tongue weighs as much as a full grown elephant? Stop by the EDRC to see if you have the correct answers to this month’s trivia and your name will be put in the EDRC’s monthly drawing.

When people talk about diversity, it’s often regarding race, religion and everything else that employers aren’t allowed to discriminate against. There are numerous publications and resources addressing issues of diversity and making attempts to rectify the oppression that has taken place, and I think that is awesome. However, it is unmistakably obvious that there are still populations of minorities that are grossly underrepresented and unsupported. For people like me, there are no conferences to attend. There are no protests to fight injustices. We are expected to conform to the world around us, rather than have others accommodate and accept us for what we are. Look around you. We live amongst you, adapting to your rituals and customs and often going unseen. Approximately one out of every ten people you see are one of us, and our time to unite and fight for our rights is long overdue. We are left-handers, and let me tell you: it’s not easy. We are more likely to develop schizophrenia, alcoholism, and dyslexia than our righthanded counterparts; we are also more likely to die young and get into accidents. We learned early on that we have to ignore the metal coil in our notebooks, and that half of arts and crafts is usually taken up by searching for the sole pair of left-handed Fiskars that the teacher budgeted for. We've sat at your awkward desks and complied in silence when coaches and teachers instructed us to “hold the tool like Frances Moore Lappe, O this, in your right hand.” Magazine, May 2004 Look around you. The discrimination is everywhere. Handles, switches, knobs, levers, buttons, keys… from automobiles to vending machines, it truly is a right-handed world, and time and time again we have adapted to the ways of the majority. Indeed, the time for lefthanded equality is long overdue. Page 3

“I've grown

certain that the

root of all fear is that we've been forced to deny who we are.”

Cruel World by Ellijah Fogg

Other Awareness Dates:

Returning from University of Puget Sounds’ 2009 Power of One Conference there is too much to think about to focus on any single topic. One event that stands sashayed above all others is the Keynote speaker Kate Bornstein. Transsexual activist/writer Kate Bornstein is a fabulous speaker who was engaged in not only her presentation and signing of her latest book “Hello, Cruel World: 101 Alternatives to Suicide for Teens, Freaks, and Other Outlaws,” but also throughout the Conference. Whether slipping cash into Drag Queens’ panties or attending various workshops, Kate’s youthful and ever present personality was sure to make itself known. Kate’s seminar included a section of her latest book and stressed individuality in an out-of-the-box style that is unforgettable coupled with a lifestyle centered on a single rule. Don’t be mean.

23 - National Day (Morocco) 24 - Battle of Pichincha (Ecuador) 25 - Africa Day (Zambia, Zimbabwe), Anniversary of the May Revolution (Argentina), Independence Day (Jordan), Memorial Day (US) 26 - Independence Day (Republic of Georgia) 28 - Ascension Day (Coptic Orthodox Christian and Eastern Orthodox Christian), Shavuoth (Jewish), Dragon Boat Festival (China), Republic Day (Azerbaijan), Restoration of Statehood (Armenia) 29– Ascension of Baha’u’llah (Baha’I), Shavuoth (Jewish)

Campus Happenings

Homemade Gift Wrap for Mother's Day Crafts

ix 1/2 cups flour and 1/2 cups cold water in a small bowl. Add 1 1/2 cups boiling water and heat on low until mixture starts to boil, stirring constantly. Cool completely. Divide into portions and add different colors of food coloring. Create designs on paper using fingers, fists, or whole hands . Use your special paper to wrap up gifts for mom on Mother's Day.

GHC GSA Meetings (Gay‐Straight Alliance) Every Tuesday in room 1512 in library building Guest speaker: Rick Shenkman ‐Friday May 1, 12‐1PM room 2250 Gary Stroutsos and Pacific Rim Quartet ‐Saturday May 9, 7:30‐9:30PM ‐Bishop Center for Performing Arts $13 adults; $10 seniors; $7 students; $5 children 12 & under Safety Health and Wellness Fair ‐Wednesday May, 13 All day! MAYHEM!!!!!! ‐Thursday May 14, 11AM‐6PM Drama Dept. One‐Act Plays ‐ May 14,15 7:30‐9:30PM ‐May 16 4PM‐6PM and 7:30‐9:30 PM ‐Bishop Center for Performing Arts $5 adults; $3 students Memorial Day NO CLASSES ‐May 25 Advising period ‐May 26,27,28,29

Calling All Writers! The Diversifieds are an extension of the GHC campus and our surrounding community. We would like to welcome and encourage students and staff to submit articles for publication in The Diversifieds. This is a monthly publication. Please contact Erin Frasier at efrasier@ghc.edu for next month’s topics and to submit articles, poems or artwork.

DIVERSITY COMMITTEE Committee Chair: Brian Shook The Diversifieds Staff: Beth Lavallee Erin Frasier

Equity & Diversity Resource Center 360-538-4247 Room 219 1620 Edward P. Smith Drive Aberdeen, WA 98520 edrc@ghc.edu http://www.ghc.edu/edrc/brochure.pdf