ONE HUNDRED AND TWENTY-EIGHT YEARS OF EDITORIAL FREEDOM
Thursday, September 12, 2019
Ann Arbor, Michigan
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Panel discussion reflects on Trump admin global experiences of refugees moves to ban Researchers express findings of migrant experience in Europe, United States flavored e-cigs Move follows Gov. Whitmer’s MI ban, enacted due to health risks MADELINE MCLAUGHLIN Daily Staff Reporter
MICHAEL BAGAZINSKI/Daily Dr. Odessa Gonzalez Benson, Assistant Professor in the School of Social Work, presents at the Strength of Refugees and Their Communities lecture in the Hatcher Library Gallery Wednesday evening.
ALYSSA MCMURTRY Daily Staff Reporter
University of Michigan Rackham student Andrea Belgrade hosted the opening event for the Strength of Refugees and their Community in the Hatcher Graduate Library Wednesday night. A group of about 50 students and Ann Arbor residents attended the event. Belgrade does research with psychology professor Fiona Lee focused on Muslim-Americans, self-identified multicultural people, immigrants and refugees. The gallery at the event was an extension of her work. Belgrade began the discussion with a brief introduction on her goal for her research with
refugees: allowing refugees to talk about their own experiences instead of having their experiences discussed on their behalf. “Refugees are one group that are very often talked about, but less often, their stories and their voices are not centered and a part of that conversation,” Belgrade said. “While a lot of people you might speak to might be supportive of refugees, it often follows the single story of victimization and trauma.” The reception led to a panel discussion about research the panelists had done with refugees. Dr. Mari Kira, a psychology research scientist at the University, worked at the University of Giessen and
University of Marburg, Germany in the early 2010s. She said the migration of millions of refugees to Germany in such a short span of time prompted her group to begin researching refugees and their lives in Germany. “We focus on their challenges that the resettlement is bringing, but also the positive aspects,” Kira said. “We grow through every experience we have; how does the path of refugees help them to grow and enriches their understanding of not only themselves, but also enriches their understanding of this world and how it works?” Kira and her group of researchers studied with refugees in the U.S., Canada and Germany. She was able to
find commonalities between the groups: the loss of control over their own life, uncertainty and discrimantion. “I had a Syrian refugee tell me, ‘We here as refugees are unsafe,’” Kira said. “‘Maybe one day the state will say we are to go back to our home country. And what should I do there? I lost everything there.’” Ayah Kutmah is the co-founder of REvive, an organization that goes “beyond the scope” of United Nations refugee resettlement organizations. She spoke about how stereotypes of refugees as helpless and in need of others’ help does more harm than good. See REFUGEES, Page 3
Gov. Gretchen Whitmer doesn’t think President Donald Trump is blowing smoke when it comes to dealing with the youth vaping epidemic. She praised the Trump Administration on Wednesday for its intention to finalize a compliance policy that would clear the market of unauthorized, non-tobaccoflavored e-cigarette products. Last week, Michigan became the first state in the nation to ban flavored nicotine products, after Dr. Joneigh Khaldun, Whitmer’s chief medical executive, determined that youth vaping constituted a public health emergency. Whitmer applauded the Trump administration for their parallel move. “I’m glad this administration is doing the right thing and following Michigan’s lead to ban flavored vaping products,” Whitmer said. “This is great news for our kids, our families, and our overall public health… Banning these flavors is a bold step that will keep our kids healthy and safe from the harmful effects of vaping. I’m proud that Michigan has been a leader on this issue, and I’m ready to continue working to protect our kids and our
ADMINISTRATION
‘U’ adds Sister Helen Prejean discusses ethnicity new book about social justice selection Community members gather to hear renowned author, nun talk about importance of advocacy process U-M now gives specific identifiaction choices on Wolverine Access BEN ROSENFELD Daily Staff Reporter
Individuals can now voluntarily update ethnicity designations beyond standard federal definitions on Wolverine Access, University of Michigan administration announced in an email sent out to all students, staff and faculty in late August. To do so, individuals access the newly created “Extended Ethnicity” tab within the Campus Personal Information section of Wolverine Access, where they can add, delete or update ethnicity information. On Aug. 28, an email, signed by Robert Sellers, vice provost for equity and inclusion; Kedra Ishop, vice provost for enrollment management; and Richard Holcomb Jr., associate vice president for human resources, explained the highlights and the University’s commitment to “fostering an environment of inclusiveness.” According to the email, the ethnicity designations of individuals will not be published. However, the data may be used for statistical reports and approved research as well as for Student Life, Human Resource and Diversity, Equity and Inclusion programming. See ETHNICITY, Page 3
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ALEX HARRING Daily Staff Reporter
Approximately 150 community members filled the pews of First United Methodist Church to hear Sister Helen Prejean, a renowned author and nun, discuss her book “River of Fire,” released in August. She described what it was like to see injustice impact others and her advocacy work.
“We can’t make ourselves wake up,” Prejean said. “We can show up for things like this where someone’s going to be blowing on the coals and a fire might happen, but it’s always grace when we wake up. And it doesn’t matter when we wake up. It’s what we do after that I think is really important.” Prejean, who has been featured on “The Oprah Winfrey Show” and in the The New York Times,
began life as a nun at age 18. Her first book, “Dead Man Walking,” was turned into an opera and Academy Award-winning film. During her talk, she discussed her transition from a nun who grew up shielded from other cultures to living a life entirely devoted to social justice. Specifically, Prejean has been an advocate against capital punishment.
Prejean said she was inspired by an imprisoned pen pal, who was killed on death row two-and-a-half years after they met. When “Dead Man Walking” was released in the early 1990s, 80 percent of Americans supported the death penalty. Prejean said she attributes this support to fear and sees her role as changing the conversation. See SOCIAL JUSTICE, Page 3
ALEC COHEN/Daily Sister Helen Prejean discusses the background of her most recent book, “River of Fire: My Spiritual Journey” at the First United Methodist Church of Ann Arbor Wednesday evening.
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INDEX
Vol. CXXVIII, No. 131 ©2019 The Michigan Daily
public health.” In a statement, Alex Azar, U.S. Health and Human Services secretary, explained the decision was an effort to combat the harmful effects of youth vaping. “The Trump Administration is making it clear that we intend to clear the market of flavored e-cigarettes to reverse the deeply concerning epidemic of youth e-cigarette use that is impacting children, families, schools, and communities,” Azar said. “We will not stand idly by as these products become an on-ramp to combustible cigarettes or nicotine addiction for a generation of youth.” Last week, the University of Michigan released the annual Monitoring the Future Panel Study, which has tracked substance use among American college students and non-college youth since the 1980s. The study found dramatic increases in the vaping of marijuana and nicotine among young adults nationally. John Schulenberg, t he principa l investigator of t he Monitoring t he Fut ure Pa nel St udy, discussed how public perception of vaping ha s a dra matic ef fect on yout h usage. See E-CIGS, Page 3
BUSINESS
Shortage of White Claw leads to concern U-M students react to lack of access to hard seltzer on campus MOLLY NORRIS Daily Staff Reporter
Move over, avocado — there’s a new shortage rocking American college students. The country is facing the first-ever shortage of White Claw Hard Seltzer. White Claw is the hard seltzer industry’s prized possession, accounting for nearly 5 percent of all hard seltzer sales the week of July 4 this year. Drink sales have grown 283 percent over the last year and have outgrown the speed of production. White Claw confirmed to CNN Business there is a nationwide shortage of their product. White Claw President Phil Rosse said in an email statement to The Daily they are actively working to ensure stock returns to normal. “White Claw is currently growing at 260 percent for the third consecutive year – all thanks to consumers that love our product,” Rosse said. “We are working around the clock to increase current supply and total capacity heading into 2020 so that we can get every consumer White Claw when they want it.” See CLAW, Page 3
NEWS.........................2 OPINION.....................4 CLASSIFIEDS................6
SUDOKU.....................2 ARTS...................5 SPORTS.................7