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Concerns raised over dangerous crosswalk Residents file complaints over missing makings by road signs, no painted lines MIKE ZLONKEVICZ/DAILY Student activists and youth leaders Rie’Onna Holmon, Sofie Whitney, Ke’Shon Newman and Alex Wind speak at the Wallenberg Medal Presentation and Lecture at Rackham Auditorium Wednesday evening. The event recognized students advocating across the country to end gun violence.
Young anti-gun violence activists given 2018 Wallenberg Medal for courage Students from Chicago, Parkland honored for their impressive actions to curb gun violence MOLLY NORRIS Daily Staff Reporter
Representatives from antigun violence groups Bold Resistance Against Violence Everywhere and March for Our Lives were presented the 26th annual Wallenberg Medal by the University of Michigan Wednesday night. The medal is presented in honor of Raoul Wallenberg, a U-M alum who saved tens of thousands of Jews in Budapest
during World War II. The award recognizes the honorable actions of humanitarians reminiscent of Wallenberg’s bravery. The University chose to honor two groups pioneering change in the fight against gun violence. Rie’Onna Holmon and Ke’Shon Newman accepted the award on behalf of B.R.A.V.E, an organization based in Chicago that focuses on training youth to be peacemakers within their communities. Alex Wind and Sofie Whitney accepted the
award on behalf of March for Our Lives, an organization created after 17 students at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School in Parkland, Fla., were killed by an active shooter on Feb. 14. Wind and Whitney were both students of the school at the time. University President Mark Schlissel presented the awards, commending the honorees for their commitment to improving society. He stressed the importance of tackling all types of gun violence, from mass
shootings to everyday firearm assault. “The tragedies of this epidemic go far beyond the shootings that grab the headlines,” Schlissel said. “Gun violence is an everyday reality in many neighborhoods around our nation. It steals life from our families and communities, affecting innocent youth as they walk to and from school and as they gather with their friends.” After Schlissel presented See WALLENBERG, Page 2
RACHEL CUNNINGHAM Daily Staff Reporter
At all times of day, crosswalks on the University of Michigan’s campus are among the most traversed in the city. Some of them are well-marked — the intersection of State Street and South University Avenue, protected by stop signs on all sides with vehicles directed by a four-way stop, is one of the most heavily trafficked. Just a few yards away, at the intersection of State Street and East Madison Street, though, pedestrians cross the street regularly, even though no crosswalk existed there until earlier this year. The crosswalk is now marked by painted lines as a legal pathway from the pedestrian view. From a driver’s perspective, no signs
clearly indicate the presence of the crosswalk. Law student Akash Patel said he and 64 other law students have filed complaints with the city regarding the crosswalk’s safety. Many of the complaints cited near collisions with drivers while attempting to cross the street. Patel has worked on a campaign to increase awareness in the city of Ann Arbor of the danger of the crosswalk. He said the crossing is especially dangerous in winter when daylight hours dwindle. “Hundreds of students of all different years and programs use that crosswalk, but there is no visible indication to cars that it is a crosswalk, especially at night since, that paint is not visible after dark,” Patel wrote in an email interview. “This is particularly a problem in a See CROSSWALK, Page 3
Trans activist speaks of her work, SAAN talks Professors South Asian progress within the trans community comment
CAMPUS LIFE
CAMPUS LIFE
sexual ed. curriculum
Ortiz was the keynote speaker for the Trans Awareness Week event series
Discussion hosted by the Woman’s Organization on Rights to Health
Reyna Ortiz, Chicago activist and educator, who helps connect transgender youth and women with medical, legal, education and housing resources, opened a presentation Wednesday by emphasizing the progress made by and within the trans community throughout time. Ortiz has been doing activist work in the trans community since her transition in 1994 at 14 years old. “I’m fighting for the liberation of the trans community in this country and in this world,” Ortiz said. “It’s my passion; it is my life. All my life experiences as a trans person for 25 years has brought me to this point, today, working and fighting for equality for trans people.” Ortiz spoke at the School of Social Work as part of the Trans Awareness Week series of events hosted by the Spectrum Center at the University of Michigan. She was the keynote speaker of the series and raised awareness of issues facing the transgender, genderqueer and gender nonconforming communities. Ortiz recalled the loneliness she felt when she came out as trans-identifying at a young age. She said for so long, she felt she was the only trans person in her
BARBARA COLLINS For the Daily
The Women’s Organization on Rights to Health and the South Asian Awareness Network hosted an open discussion Wednesday night to explore the topic of sexual health education in South Asian countries. The event “That’s Haram!: Sex Ed in South Asian Communities,” compared the teachings of sexual education in South Asian and American cultures, both of which have certain stigmas surrounding the issue. First-year Medical student Sai Talluru said she thinks there are many similarities between sexual education in South Asian countries and the United States, one of the most common topics being abstinence. “I think abstinence is definitely something that is implied or talked about (in sexual education), and it’s not always the best option,” Talluru said. “It’s just not as transparent of a conversation See CURRICULUM, Page 3
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community. This experience, Ortiz explained, helps her connect with the people she works with. “I think starting off trans so young, feeling so many types of ways about being trans is the reason why I work so well with youth in Chicago,” Ortiz said. The services Ortiz’s two trans resource programs include are GED preparation
programs, permanent and supportive housing research, and legal services for name-changing and criminal expungement. She said she’s able to see 60 to 80 participants weekly and found 50 kids supportive housing this past year. This work is not just for trans people, though, Ortiz said. She emphasized the importance of allyship,
urging allies to be active, consistent and to focus on the communities they’re supporting. Ortiz also noted everyone has different roles to fulfill in the movement. “It’s a call to action,” Ortiz said. “It’s being consistent. It’s about finding something that you feel is beneficial to a community. And it’s different for everybody, not everybody is going to do the same thing,
See AWARENESS, Page 3
MIKE ZLONKEVICZ/DAILY Reyna Ortiz discusses her work with the transgender community and her experience as a Latinx transgender woman in the School of Social Work Wednesday evening. Ortiz delivered her keynote address as part of Trans Awareness Week supported by the Spectrum Center.
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INDEX
Vol. CXXVIII, No. 32 ©2018 The Michigan Daily
on refugee detainment
The panel focused on children separation at US southern boarder MIRIAM MERKLIN For the Daily
The Donia Human Rights Center held a panel Wednesday night to examine the impact of the current “zero-tolerance” policy of detaining refugee children seeking asylum in the U.S. This policy calls for the prosecution of all individuals who illegally enter the United States, which has resulted in the detention of refugee children who are separated from their families. More than 50 guests attended the panel, which was hosted at the Ford School of Public Policy and consisted of Law professor James C. Hathaway, the director of Program in Refugee and Asylum Law; Sherrie Kossoudji, associate professor at School of Social Work; and Ann Lin, associate professor and the Public Policy School. The panel examined the psychological, political and legal impact of the policy on the families, policy makers and public opinion, asking the question of what’s at stake. Kossoudji initiated the See REFUGEE, Page 3
NEWS.........................2 OPINION.....................4 ARTS......................1B
SUDOKU.....................2 CLASSIFIEDS...............5 SPORTS....................7