Thursday, March 9, 2017

Page 1

Thursday, March 9, 2017

IDS

For coverage of International Women’s Day see pages 2, 3 and at idsnews.com

Indiana Daily Student | idsnews.com

Minority women speak out By Hannah Boufford hbouffor@umail.iu.edu | @hannahboufford

Speaking from Ann Arbor, Michigan, in a video chat on Google Hangouts, activist SooJi Min told students in the Asian Cultural Center how to speak out about Asian American stereotypes and be active community members. The event was part of the ACC’s “Over a Cup of Tea” program, which features monthly discussions about issues facing those at the cultural center. Min’s discussion was planned in honor of International Women’s Day. Vanessa Teck, an incoming doctoral student, moderated the video discussion. Min is currently the board of directors’ secretary for the National Asian Pacific American Women’s Forum and has years of experience in areas like management, development and advocacy. She spoke to an audience of 14 people Wednesday about ways they can influence their communities and speak about the stereotypes many Asian Americans face. “For us to engage in this, we need to heal our own distrust and fears,” Min said. To do this, Min said it is important for people to find their authentic selves and recognize their responses to discrimination, whether it be overt or casual. These responses take the form of fight, flight or freeze, she said. Melanie Castillo-Cullather, the director of the ACC, said she has found many people often do not know how to respond in situations of casual discrimination. “It often leaves people jarred and questioning their identity,” she said. Finding one’s authentic self would allow people to gauge their responses in advance and know how to respond to similar situations, Min said. She stressed the importance of engaging in small ways throughout the community to become empathetic to others. This will allow people to understand each other and change the way they think, she said. “Know who you are and share that with others,” Min said. By lifting up individuals’ stories and experiences, Min said it was possible to combat the stereotypes many Asian Americans, especially Asian American women, face on a daily basis. Educating people about women’s rights, especially those about Asian American women, was echoed by Malina Xiong, the president of the Asian American Association. “There is this generalization about them not being outspoken and coming across as quiet and unopinionated,” she said. Min said to combat those stereotypes, people should take several steps. First, they should turn off their phones and turn their attention to those around them to notice body language and imagine the lives that each person lives. Next, people should strike up a conversation with a stranger on public transportation and be a “roving reporter,” to find out how other people perceive the world, Min said. Third, she told attendees to introduce themselves to a new person or neighbor to create a community where people watch out for each other. Fourth, she suggested attendees talk to someone of an opposing political stance and listen to the reason they came to that stance and why they believe in it. “The more we learn about others’ history and stories, the harder it is to distrust them,” she said. Fifth, when experiencing discrimination, Min told students they should not fight. Instead, people should express how a particular sentiment was hurtful. Finally, she told attendees just to listen to the stories of those around them. Sharing stories, she said, is the way to break down a single-minded stereotype about women or a minorities. Teck said she experienced similar feelings herself. “For me, knowing Asian American women are doing incredible things tells me and validates that I can have dreams and aspirations, too,” she said.

EMILY MILES | IDS

Dr. Will Cooke listens to the heartbeat of a 12-day-old baby. As the only doctor in Austin, Indiana, he usually delivers several babies each month.

Primary care Will Cooke is the only doctor in Austin, Indiana, a city that in 2015 experienced the worst HIV outbreak in recent US history. Two years later, his work is still not done. By Nyssa Kruse nakruse@iu.edu | @NyssaKruse

AUSTIN, Ind. — The only doctor in town has been at work for just half an hour, and already a crowd of nurses has descended upon him. “We met this gentleman who’s infected with parasites,” one says. “Someone was arrested and was off their meds,” another tells him. “We need to talk to the guy with the low viral load,” a third adds. “He’s working nights and two different jobs. He’ll try to call you again today.” Dr. Will Cooke nods. A low viral load means this man has HIV. It’s an infection most family doctors encounter perhaps a handful of times per year, but since an outbreak in Scott County two years ago, this disease has come to define Cooke’s career. In the span of a few months in 2015, nearly 150 cases of HIV were diagnosed in Scott County, most caused by needle sharing

typical of the opioid epidemic ravaging the Midwest. In Austin, Indiana, a town with a population of 4,200, HIV infection rates rivaled sub-Saharan Africa. Cooke answers the nurses one at a time and tells them something, too, before they move off to defuse each situation. “The hospital should be calling me,” he says. “A woman’s cervix might be open at 35 weeks. That’ll be bad if it is.” In other words, Cooke might be delivering a baby tonight, just like he did last night and as he does several times a month. He also treats strep throat, performs colonoscopies, diagnoses arthritis and makes hospice recommendations. Cooke may be on the forefront of a crusade against HIV, but he’s still the only doctor in town. * * * When he was in medical school, Cooke knew he wanted to work where there was a need for better health care, somewhere rural

where he could do the most good. He ended up in Austin, which sits in northwest Scott County about an hour and a half southeast of Bloomington. In rankings for county health outcomes, a composite statistic based on quality of life and healthcare factors across the state, Scott County is dead last. For years, Cooke spent his weeks split between being working shifts in the emergency room, practicing other kinds of medicine for the hospital and working in family medicine at his private practice. Then the outbreak happened. After more than 80 diagnosed cases, the state declared an emergency. Media inundated the town and the state temporarily brought in a few other doctors to help with treatment. Cooke became certified in HIV treatment after the outbreak. His practice secured funding so he could offer free HIV testing and treatment. He set up a mobile unit SEE CARE, PAGE 6

Treatment helps Scott County Virally suppressed people have a negligible amount of HIV in their blood. Through Dr. Cooke ‘s work, the rate in Scott County is almost three times the national average. PERCENT OF VIRALLY SUPRESSED HIV CASES 2015

2016

80% 60% 40% 20%

NATIONAL INDIANA

SCOTT COUNTY

SOURCE INDIANA STATE DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH GRAPHIC BY MAIA RABENOLD | IDS

MEN’S BASKETBALL

IU starts Big Ten tournament Thursday By Zain Pyarali zpyarali@iu.edu | @ZainPyarali

The Big Ten Tournament is the last chance for IU men’s basketball to secure a spot in the NCAA tournament — that is, if it goes on a significant winning streak. After earning the No. 10 seed in the tournament, the Hoosiers’ first test will be 6:30 p.m. Thursday against No. 7 Iowa in Washington, D.C. IU hasn’t fared well historically in the single-game elimination tournament. In the first 19 years of the conference tournament IU has lost its first game 10 times. In addition to that, the Hoosiers have only beaten a team with a higher seed than them three times and have never been crowned Big Ten Tournament champions. It’s been a down year for the Hoosiers, who ended the conference season at 7-11. After losing five in a row, IU won two of its last three games to end the regular season and IU Coach Tom Crean said he feels like his team can carry momentum from their finish into the Big Ten Tournament. “It’s important to have momentum, to have energy, to have confidence, to have health,” Crean said on his radio show Monday night on WHCC-FM 105.1. “Ob-

GREG GOTTFRIED | IDS

Junior guard Robert Johnson passes the ball after attacking the hoop. Johnson had 26 points, six rebounds and six assists in the 96-92 victory against Ohio State last Saturday. He will look to leadIU again in the Big Ten Tournament.

viously, we’d like to have more wins, we’d like to have some of the closer game wins, but to keep coming back, time and time again — I’m not sure most people have any idea how hard that is on a

young person.” The last time IU and Iowa got together Feb. 21 was one of those closer games the Hoosiers wished they would’ve finished off. IU took an early 13-point lead but Iowa

IU (17-14) vs. Iowa (18-13) 6:30 p.m. Thursday, Washington, D.C. SEE BIG TEN, PAGE 5


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