10Jun

The Diversifieds A publication of the EDRC at Grays Harbor College

Volume 2, Issue 9

June 2010

Alternative Prom a Great Success

By Rob Hitt On May 28th the Gay-Straight Alliance Club hosted Alternative Prom in the Hillier Union Building and it was a rousing success. The purpose of the dance was to provide a welcoming environment to everyone, though specifically those who perhaps didn’t have similar opportunities during high school. Over 150 people dressed up and came to dance and enjoy the refreshments, while Johnny Manson of 105.7 “The Jet” fame served as the DJ. The theme was “Take your mask off!”, encouraging attendees to relax and have fun. Miki Cabell, a member of the GSA, explained that Alternative Prom isn’t necessarily about sexual orientation or identification, saying, “It’s about being human, free of any negative connotations. I’d say it was extremely successful.”

Another key aspect of the dance was to spoof traditional proms and find the humor inherent in it. The typical genders of Prom King and Queen were reversed, with Dale Steward and Kelsey Prittle elected Queen and King, respectively. Miki Cabell and Josh Harville were named Prince and Princess as well. A lot of time (over nine hours) and effort went into the decorations and setup, creating an atmosphere filled with eveStudent Awards & Recognition rything from balloons and a disco ball 3:00-4:00 PM June 9th to hundreds of Mardi Gras beads.

Campus Happenings GHC Music Pavilion

Graduation Breakfast 7:45-8:45 AM June 10th HUB

Nurses Pinning Ceremony 1:00-2:30 PM June 12th Bishop Center

Last Day of Classes June 14th

GED Graduation 7:00 PM June 15th Bishop Center; for details call 538-4167

WorkFirst Awards Banquet & Certificate Graduation 1:30 PM June 17th GHC Music Pavilion

Graduation Day June 18th

The last Alternative Prom took place three years ago, though a similar gap of time between this dance and the next one is unlikely. “We have just recently voted in new officers, all of whom are energetic and excited about next fall,” said Cabell, “The club’s support is growing and more and more people are interested in hosting Alternative Prom again next year.” The GSA has been a constant voice on campus, encouraging a thriving community of alternative students and allies by tabling at events like Mayhem, doing various fundraising activities, and advertising National Coming Out Day. One can find additional information at http:// www.salp.ghc.edu/clubs/clubs/gsa.

June is...

Black Music Month Gay and Lesbian Pride Month National Aphasia Awareness Month National Safety Month Children’s Awareness Month Great Outdoors Month Rebuild your Life Month

Awareness Dates: 1 2 5 6 9 12 13 14 16 16 16 17 18 20 20 23 24 24 24 25 27 27 29

Children’s Day (China) Republic Day (Italy) Constitution Day (Denmark) Memorial Day (South Korea) Accession of King Abdullah (Jordan) Independence Day (Philippines) Puerto Rican Day Parade (U.S.) Flag Day (U.S.) Martyrdom of Guru Arjan Dev Sahib (Sikh) Dragon Boat Festival (China) Youth Day (South Africa) Independence Day (Iceland) Evacuation Day (Egypt) Litha (Pagan and Wiccan) Father’s Day (U.S. and Panama) National Day (Luxembourg) Battle of Carabobo (Venezuela) Festival of St. John the Baptist (Canada and Puerto Rico) Manila Day (Philippines) Battle of Little Big Horn (American Indian) Stonewall Rebellion (Gay + Lesbian) National Veterans Day (U.K.) St. Peter and St. Paul Day (Colombia, Costa Rica, Peru, and Venezuela)

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

The EDRC Discusses Arizona Immigration Legislation Raising awareness about diversity issues and fostering dialogue between students, faculty, and staff is what the Equity and Diversity Resource Center is all about. We did just that on May 20th as EDRC members and friends gathered in the EDRC Foyer to discuss strict new anti-illegal immigration law signed by the governor of Arizona this past April. Everyone had the chance to share their ideas and learn from others.

Illegal immigration has been a hot topic for the border state of Arizona for some time, and fear of increased border violence related to drug smuggling and the widely publicized March 27th death of Robert Krentz, a border town rancher, contributed to the passage of tougher illegal-immigration law. Police have no suspect in the slaying of Robert Krentz, but there is speculation that the killer was an illegal alien. (1) The tragic death of Robert Krentz did put a spotlight on border violence, but the fear about increasing violence may be unfounded. A recent article by Martha Mendoza of the Associated Press cites an internal U.S. Customs and Border Protection study that concludes “violent crimes in counties along the Mexican border are among the lowest in the nation per capita, and they've dropped by more than 30 percent in the last two decades.” Mendoza also cites a recent FBI report that shows “the top four big cities in America with the lowest rates of violent crime are all in border states: Austin, El Paso, Phoenix and San Diego.” (2) Senate Bill 1070 On April 23, Arizona Governor Jan Brewer signed SB 1070 which made it a state misdemeanor for an alien to be in Arizona without carrying legal documents. This bill also required law enforcement to question individuals about their immigration status if they have any reasonable suspicion that they are an illegal alien. (3) The signing of this bill created immediate controversy and prompted demonstrations across the country both in support and in opposition to this bill. Opponents of the bill argue that it will contribute to racial profiling. They fear that even the most well-intentioned law officers will disproportionately target certain ethnic populations. In fact, many in the law enforcement community oppose the bill. Tucson Police Chief Roberto Villaseñor said at a press conference in May, "When you enact legislation that makes any subset of that community feel like they are being targeted specifiPage 2

By Brian Shook

cally or have concerns about coming forward and talking to the police, that damages our capability to obtain information to solve the crimes that we need to work with." (4) Supporters of the bill argue that the bill does nothing more than to enforce current federal law.

House Bill 2162 Seven days after SB 1070 was signed, Governor Brewer signed HB 2162 which made some key amendments to SB 1070. HB 2162 obligated law enforcement officers to question potential illegal immigrants for any, “lawful stop, detention, or arrest” as opposed to “any lawful contact” as noted in SB 1070. HB 2162 also made clear that law enforcement “may not consider race, color, or national origin” when implementing the law. (5) With such a controversial topic, we had a lot to talk about at the May 20th Diversity Discussion. We discussed whether we would like to live in a society where we have to carry proof of legal status with us wherever we go. Some comments were: “I leave my driver’s license in my car, so I’m not carrying any proof right now.” “What would happen if I was travelling through Arizona and I lost my wallet.” We also discussed the idea that even though the law says law enforcement cannot consider race, color, or national origin in the application of the law, in practicality it will of course be a factor and lead to racial profiling. This will lead to undue hardship for some just because of the color of their skin.

We discussed whether this is something we can accept in our society.

(1)

http://www.nytimes.com/2010/04/05/us/05arizona.html

(2)

http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/text/2012026799.html

(3) http://www.azleg.gov/legtext/49leg/2r/bills/sb1070s.pdf (4) http://www.tucsonsentinel.com/local/report/052610_villasenor_holder/ (5) http://www.azleg.gov/FormatDocument.asp?inDoc=/legtext/49leg/2r/ bills/hb2162c.htm

Volume 2, Issue 9

Mayhem Sherwin Phillips, EDRC intern, organized the Equity and Diversity Resource table during Mayhem on Wednesday, May 19th. Several people enjoyed creating “ME” dolls, several people signed up to be on the EDRC mailing list, and some people signed up to be EDRC volunteers. On our table we posed the question, “What Diversity Issues Should be Discussed on Campus?” Here are the responses:

Are you Mexican? Is not a question, it’s an assumption Different cultures in Aberdeen Not judging people by the way they look or by the color of their skin People say: “That’s so gay.” = Not OK Immigration law and no multicultural/ethnic studies in Arizona How to handle Hate/Bias issues

Lewis-Pacific Swiss Society Celebrates 47th Annual Schwingfest The Lewis-Pacific Swiss Society is located in Frances, Washingthe dance. Sunday features buebeshwingers, boys from six to ton, approximately 16 miles east of Raymond on Highway 6. fourteen years of age—real cute!

This year marks the 80th anniversary for the club and their 47th For more information, visit www.lpss.info or contact Erin Frasier. annual Schwingfest. A Schwingfest is a Swiss wrestling festival.

This year’s event takes place on July 2, 3, and 4th. Friday night includes live entertainment from Switzerland and a Polka band Direct from Switzerland! from the Chehalis area. Saturday includes Junior and Senior wrestlers, usually traveling to the event from Washington, Oregon, Entertainers from Switzerland, Kapelle Unspunnen, will be providCalifornia, Canada or Switzerland. Saturday night also features a ing a Friday night program at this year’s Schwingfest. The concert will begin at 8:00 p.m. with live Cabaret-style entertainment. The Polka band to dance to and the wrestling winners are crowned at entertainers will interact with the audience seated at tables on the dance floor. Come and enjoy dinner and watch the show. A wonderful concert for the whole family to experience.

Nonviolent Communication Workshop

Donna Hallock from the Mediation and Settlement Center has teamed up with The EDRC to lead a workshop on Nonviolent Communication. The quality of our communications with others has a large effect on the quality of our relationships. At the workshop we learned some great tools to help us communicate better with our family and friends, and we talked about communication in relationship to diversity.

Kapelle Unspunnen are from an area near Interlaken. The group consists of Peter Delaquis, Erica Wild, Francis Wild and Dani Wild.

The group will be playing alphorn, spinning coins in clay bowls and yodeling, and playing music on wine bottles and with bells.

They will be playing for the dance, as well, along with a Polka band, The Blasers. Dancing will commence after the concert program.

Page 3

Do the Math

By Meliza Bañales

The equation goes something like this: one white mother plus one brown father divided by two different worlds equals a daughter.

Give or take a decimal the American dream turns out to be two half-white children, two full-brown children, one small house in South Central LA, four jobs divided by two high-school-educated parents.

The quality of life is high, though the means is low.

The numbers vary from memory to memory.

Like Three-- three times a week I clean houses in rich neighborhoods to make my way folding sheets is difficult every house is owned by one rich, white lady with two dozen sheets times four beds which equals ten ways to fold the sheets so that they're perfect.

Learning to fold sheets at least four different ways means I can clean three to six houses a week which equals rent, tortillas and lettuce for the month.

Moving into One-- one night a week I go-go dance in a cage in a Hollywood nightclub, ten dollars an hour, plus tips.

I'm only eighteen back then, and already I know the equation for lust: one bare-ass in face gets a twenty plus one crotch-drop earns a fifty plus one tongue licking cage bars while slowly gyrating hips equals I am the first in my family to go to college.

Then there's Five. Five times a day I prayed to God through my seven-year-old body that my father would lose his Spanish accent.

I was convinced that if he did, he could get a better job and we wouldn't be poor anymore. I was convinced fortrying submission in nexttomonth’s newsletter is heDeadline just wasn't hard enough say signals instead of "singles" or 29th video instead of "bideo" May Five times a day I sent my other prayers, my secret prayers

that I was thankful for looking to most white in a family of coffee-colored children how I prayed that my brown blood wouldn't seep out of my white skin so that I could get an education, learn English, make my parents proud of half-white, half-brown accomplishment.

Five times a day times seven days a week plus two small hands clenched together in fear and ignorance equals a lifetime of trying to make halves a whole.

It's all in the numbers. These numbers that haunt my dreams make my past into single digits that have no common denominator.

Just once, I'd like to write an equation for all the things I can never write about.

For the three times my father took off work from three different jobs to see me in the school play, or the first and last time my sister told her abusive exhusband that she did not need him anymore and meant it, For the hundreds of times I saw my parents laugh until the tears rolled down their cheeks even in a neighborhood of drugs and gangs, or that one moment, I did see my father cry when I, the first in our family, received my college degree.

I'm writing a formula for all the numbers that have fallen on me-fifteen sunrises in three different states, eight-million breaths in one kiss, one-hundred-eighty-five poems in eight years-I am writing an equation, using the universal language of numbers to describe tenthousand ways that something can mean everything-it's just all in how you do the math.

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: Erin Frasier Rob Hitt

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