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the Racquette
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Soca Loca Hosts Pagaent to Raise Funds for Club Ellens Ricks Staff Writer
Soca Loca will be hosting a pageant on March 26 in Dunn Theater in order to raise money and awareness for their club. Doors Open at 5:30 p.m. and the starts at 6 p.m. Soca Loca, which stands for “Students of Caribbean and Latin Origins, Cultures and Associates,” is an club for students of Caribbean and Latino decedent. The organization’s goal, said Soca Loca member Adonis Richards, is to “bring those cultures to this campus.” The club holds many events throughout the year. They host a heritage
dinner in the fall semester and both the pageant and a carnival in the spring semester. The Soca Loca pageant is in the a style similar to the Miss Universe Pageant. Pageant contestants, both male and female, will each be representing a different country, such as Jamaica, Grenada, USA, Dominican Republic, Cuba, Puerto Rico, China and Ghana. The pageant is open to students of all different cultures and ethnicities. During the show, after the contestants are introduced, they will be competing in three different areas: cultural wear, questions and talent. At the end of the night there will be the
crowning of fan favorite. The pageant will also have special dance performances from Team NV and Bear Witness that will surely entertain the crowd. Club member Bre’Annah Braithwaite says the goal of the event is to “promote culture and diversity on campus, and give people a place share their culture and who they are.” If you want to learn more about a different culture through music, dance and pageantry, they check out the Soca Loca pageant on March 26th. The event will be held in Dunn Theater at 6 p.m. Doors will open at 5:30 p.m.
DIAC Helps with Fall 2016 Course Selections Dr. Jennifer Mitchell Contributing Writer
Diversity and Inclusion Action Coalition (DIAC) is helping students make their fall schedules.Working with deans, department heads and faculty, DIAC has created a list of diversity-rich courses to be offered in Fall 2016. See it on the DIAC webpage and choose “course listings” on the left. The
purpose of the list is to help students identify courses that will help them to: 1. Understand and appreciate interdependence of humanity, cultures, and the natural environment 2. Practice mutual respect for qualities and experiences that are different from their own 3. Understand that diversity includes not only ways of being but also ways of knowing;
4. Recognize that personal, cultural and institutionalized discrimination creates and sustains privileges for some while creating and sustaining disadvantages for others 5. Build alliances across differences so that we collectively can work together to eradicate all forms of discrimination. Access the DIAC webpage at www.potsdam.edu/diac
Are you interested in sharing your voice with the Potsdam Community? Do you have a story about who you are and where you came from that you need to tell? Submit to our Community Page! The Community Page is dedicated to sharing stories about the various cultures here on campus. We are looking for stories about experiences related to your own culture or other cultures you have encountered. We are also interested in stories about the stigmas that have challenged you including racism, sexism, homophobia and more. Send your stories to racquette@potsdam.edu or to Dr. Jennifer Mitchell of DIAC at mitchejk@potsdam.edu Let’s work together to unite our cultures and our voices!
March 25, 2016
Upcoming DIAC Events Teaching Towards Understanding Series co-sponsored by DIAC with Center for Creative Instruction. Video recordings of these events will be available on CCI page. “It’s All About the Vitamins: The Biology of Skin Color, Race and Ethnicity”— 1 p.m. on Wednesday, March 16, in Crumb 204. Lecturer: Dr. Nasser Malit. “Black Lives Matter vs. All Lives Matter”– noon on Friday, April 8, in Crumb 204. Lecturer: Matt LaVine. Films “If These Halls Could Talk” by facilitator/ filmmaker Lee Mun Wah. 7 p.m. on Wednesday, March 23, in Kellas 103. Selected clips from film plus discussion. “White Like Me: Race, Racism, and White Privilege.” The college has streaming rights, and a screening and facilitated conversation could be arranged for a group at your request. Stream on campus at https://potsdam.kanopystreaming.com/ DIAC Campus Community Events Community Conversation – 6 p.m. on Monday, March 28, in theBarrington Union MPR. Town Hall Discussion – 6 p.m. on Monday, April 25, in the Barrington Student Union MPR.
PACES STUDENT AWARD 2016 The PACES Student Award Committee is accepting nominations for the annual PACES Student Awards. These awards recognize graduating seniors who have excelled academically while providing exceptional service in college and student life activities. Nominees must have a cumulative grade point average of 3.0 or higher and demonstrated noteworthy, productive participation in college and student life activities. Nomination packets must include a letter of nomination, two additional letters of support, and the resume of the nominee.
The PACES Award winner will receive a certificate and a $500 award. Two runners-up will receive certificates and awards of $200 each. These awards will be presented at an award ceremony in April. Please send complete nomination packets to: PACES Student Award Committee, PACES Executive Office, 129 Merritt Hall. As adequate time is needed to evaluate and interview final candidates, no nominations will be accepted after April 13, 2016.