Gonzaga University UMEC Newsletter May 2012

...There is a time for everything, and a season for every activity under the heavens. --Ecclesiastes 3:1

Every “season” has its challenges and rewards, and 2011-12 has been true to form in that respect. If I had to sum up life in UMEC this academic year in one phrase, it would be – A season of everything! Over 30 programs and events came to fruition thanks to the tremendous efforts of the hardworking UMEC staff. Most of it would not have been possible without the support and collaboration of campus and community partnerships willing to join us in cultivating mindfulness in creative ways like art, poetry, workshops and more.

UNITY

502 e boone ave msc#2466, spokane, wa 99258 (509) 313-5836 [email protected]

the

Director’s Corner

MULTICULTURALEDUCATIONCENTERVolume 2, Issue 4 May 4, 2012newsletter

Hey students, get your tickets for the Unity Multicultural Education Center Study Break, Monday, May 7 at 6pm in UMEC. Free tickets will be available in Crosby from 11am-1pm Friday, May 4 & Monday, May 7. Get ready for some food, games, relaxation, and more before finals!

inside this issue...Crafting Unity April Highlight

UMEC Study BreakDiversity Monologues Reflection

Ally Connection Yom Hashoah/Holocaust Remembrance Reflection

Stand Against Racism ReflectionBRIDGE/LEADS End of Year DinnerMCHS Cord Ceremony Highlight

BRIDGE Congrats

UMEC Study Break

Critically thinking about the things I’ve observed, learned, and experienced at Gonzaga this “season”, reiterates the importance of intentionality. My “season of everything” included investing time and energy into students navigating the rigors of higher education to grieving with those same students at mass honoring the life of Chris Gormley. Everything included mentoring a bright young professional, Rudy Mondragón for nearly two years, and then to saying farewell as he departed for a new career opportunity. Everything also included, devoting support to colleague and friend, Dr. Kellie Jackson, to praying for an optimal hire to replace her that would echo a commitment to diversifying the faculty. Everything also meant positioning topics of tension in order to promote equity, inclusion, and valuing human difference, to leaving some unmet hurdles on the path.

Some of these labors have no quantitative measurability that can

Director’s Corner continued on page 2

7 UMEC Study Break 13 Commencement

Upcoming EventsMay

Pictured above: Students coming together in the Crosby Center to learn and create their own yarn version of Hawaiian Lei, which is a symbol of aloha (love and respect).

Photo courtesy of UMEC Work Study Staff

Crafting Unity:Hawaiian Lei Making

Pictured above: Jordan Love, Sophomore and Two-time Diversity Monologues participant.

Gonzaga university unity multicultural education center

Diversity Monologues

This year marked the second year that The Diversity Monologues event was brought to Gonzaga’s campus. The event itself serves a great purpose extending beyond the cash prizes awarded to the winning participants. The Diversity Monologues allows for the voices of students to be heard, the voices of young people to be heard, the voices of the world’s up and coming generation to be heard through the use of an art form. There is so much meaning behind exposing one’s own vulnerability, and finding the courage to speak words that may never otherwise be spoken. The event has the ability to bring a large group of people together, in a safe space, not only to share in the very personal experiences of one another but to also be enlightened by the true beauty of diversity as well. On a campus in which the presence of diversity does not exist as prevalent, there is so much worth and value in putting on an event that supports and honors the vast differences that separate us as a community. Through the powerful dialogue and immense creativity within each story told, those same differences that separate us have the ability to bring us one step closer to uniting as an inclusive community.

Reflection:By

Jordan LoveThis year, there were nine participants expressing how each had come to know his or her community. No two monologues were the same. There was a wide-range of issues addressed from overcoming child abuse, struggling with racial identity, the feeling of rejection by a community and the hurt and frustration associated with it, the ability of loving and positive friendships to give purpose to life, opposing arguments regarding the use of the “N” word, and more. Each monologue was deeply moving in it’s own way through its content, delivery, emotion, and rawness. The overall content was definitely something that people on this campus needed to hear and be exposed to, though the realizations may not always be easy for the speaking party or the listening party to accept as reality. The participants this year were all truly in a league of their own, and I felt extremely privileged to be among such talented and gifted company.

The guest emcee, Shihan the Poet, served as a prime example of the beauty of voice and the power behind rhythmically stringing words together to relay honest messages of love, heartbreak, history, and hope. He stole the hearts of many sitting in the seats

Story continued on page 3

be readily transposed into graphs or pie charts. Yet, qualitatively, I believe our efforts do indeed make a difference to individuals in our midst and add depth to our intellectual community. My contemplative spirit continues to anticipate what’s next for UMEC and Gonzaga with respect to diversity. I challenge others to ponder similar questions particularly in the wake of current change movements all around us…accreditation, assessments, core curriculum, new academic deans, institutional mission statement, anticipated new construction, and yes, another freshmen class in fall 2012! In your areas of influence with students, colleagues, and the community, consider the following: What needs to be built up?; what needs to be torn down?; what needs to be embraced?; what needs to be let go of?; what needs to be mended?; and what needs to be loved in order to affirm our faith-inspired commitment to an inclusive community where human differences thrive? All of these questions can prompt us to foster relationships and be more purposeful about everything regardless of the season.

Tracy Ellis-Ward Director, UMEC

Director’s Corner continued...



Diversity Monologues Reflection continued...

of Jepson’s Wolff Auditorium with his ability to connect with the audience, his incorporation of comedic anecdotes, his own passion for life, as well as the brilliance of his poetry. Gonzaga could not have asked for a better role model to epitomize the art form itself, thus encouraging both the Monologue participants as well as every audience member listening and respecting every word being said; the result was active engagement in the liberating experience that is The Diversity Monologues.

It’s All About Community:Diversity Monologues

Highlights

Pictured below: Seniors, RJ Liggins and Marcus Parker breaks down the meaning of being a African-American male in their communities.

Pictured above: Diversity Monologues Guest Emcee, Shihan, bringing impactful poetry while keeping the audience excited during the event on March 29th.

Pictured below: Sophomore Anette Aga telling her story of how honored to come from a Samoan community. Anette also was crowned first-place winner.

Pictured below: Sophomore Brittney Burt had the courage to hold nothing back and give the audience an outstanding performance about the struggle of a student feeling like an outside, not welcomed by the Gonzaga University community and finding strength from her family, which is her true community.

Photos left and above courtesy of Student Publications/Aubrey Weber

Photos left and above courtesy of UMEC Work Study Staff


The Student Publications Department continues to value and invest in the area of diversity. We believe that the celebration of human difference enriches our community, bolsters our academic environment and fulfills the University’s mission. Culture Shock, one of the department’s four student-produced journals, provides the most tangible example of this commitment to diversity. Started in 2009 by Michele Pajer, this journal examines diversity at Gonzaga University and around the world. With the addition of Dr. Jessica Maucione as a new faculty advisor, we are excited to grow this journal’s impact and develop stronger relationships with UMEC, International Student Programs and other stakeholders at Gonzaga.

The department’s commitment to diversity is also present in its collaborative work. Staff members act as LEADS mentors, conduct workshops for BRIDGE, Act Six and other programs, participate in IMPACT, a group for faculty and staff of color, and have attended conferences on intercultural communication. We

Ally Connection

Chris WheatleyAssistant Manager,

Student Publications

are excited about continuing to deepen our understanding and commitment to the celebration of human difference and to be part of Gonzaga’s ongoing efforts to create and sustain a more diverse, inclusive and caring community.

Copies of the Spring 2012 edition of Culture Shock can be found in newsstands around campus or in College Hall 433. For more information about Culture Shock or other student publications, contact Joanne Shiosaki at (509) 313-6875 or Chris Wheatley at (509) 313-5865.

Yom Hashoah-

By Ryan Healey

Holocaust Remembrance Reflection:

It started with a ceremony: seven candles lit in memory of the lives lost during the Holocaust. Six symbolized the millions of Jews who never saw 1946; the remaining seventh symbolized the others systematically put to death by Nazi Europe for reasons of culture, ideology, orientation, and more. Rabbi Elizabeth Goldstein, a professor of Religious Studies at GU, performed the candle-lighting. After the ceremony, she also said a prayer called El Maleh Rahamim, or “God full of compassion.” This sort of prayer is common at funerals, and for this reason, often said during Holocaust remembrance services following the candle-lighting ritual. Another traditional part of the commemoration is poetry, performed that night by renowned author, poet, and professor Marjorie Agosín.

Professor Agosín recited her poetry in her native language of Spanish. Her poems talked about the personal effect the Holo-caust had on her family, her identification with Anne Frank, and the experience of loss both then and today. After the Spanish readings, Gonzaga students recited the English translations. I myself participated and found the experience to be moving. My poem talked about the immensity of six million deaths, about


trying to comprehend what that means. One line that really struck me was “Twelve million hands / That did not caress children and grandchildren.” Imagining this, I began to fully understand Professor Agosín’s statement, “The Holocaust is a human tragedy.”


“The event was awesome. The law students, really enjoyed the presentation. I’m grateful for UMEC for putting it all together with the law school diversity committee.” --Renee Hemmasi, Law School Student

Stan

d a

gai

nst

rac

ism

: “As an individual committed to social justice, I stand with Gonzaga University against racism and discrimination of any kind…” These words were uttered on April 27 and marked a national movement within the U.S. on GU’s campus for a stand against racism. Stand Against Racism is a movement started by the YWCA in 2007, in order to promote the understanding of racism in today’s world in order to end it. The YWCA invites community organizations to partner with them in this momentous occasion, and this marks GU’s second time participating in this event. The program included a line-up of GU’s Holy Infusion Gospel Choir performing and also a few words by the LGBT Resource Center’s Coordinator Jaime Hollis. Mrs. Hollis talked about the amount of hate crimes in the U.S., and talked about prevention methods against hate crimes.

To close the program, Dr. Raymond Reyes, GU’s Chief Diversity Officer, gave a moving speech on how to enact changes here on campus in terms of our diversity. In a show of showcasing Washington’s diversity, Dr. Reyes started his speech with a folktale from the Native people of Yakima, in order to evoke how the most unlikely of people can make a difference. He called each and every person within the program to action to spark change and be leaders around campus. This program provided a great platform, for going into this new

Reflection by Chare’ Gilliam school year, on how to change this campus to reflect what we as students stand for.

Pictured above: Members of GU Gospel Choir, Holy Infusion, lifting their voices for Stand Against Racism on April 27.Photo courtesy of UMEC Work Study Staff


Once again, this year’s BRIDGE/LEADS end of year dinner showcased the importance of community at Gonzaga University. UMEC would like to thank every participant for their time and support for each program. An excellent fact to note from this year’s LEADS program, there were 28 mentees and 56 peer and staff/faculty mentors.

BRIDGE/LEADS

Pictured above: Unity Multicultural Education Center’s Coordinator, Shawn Washington with LEADS Peer Mentor of the Year, Jordan Love with her mentee, Brittany Clark.

End of YearDinner

Multicultural Honor Society: Honor Cord Ceremony

Pictured above: Members of MCHS (Multicultural Honor Society) united for the end of year Honor Cord Ceremony Saturday, April 28.

Photos courtesy of UMEC Work Study Staff

Pictured above: Unity Multicultural Education Center’s Coordinator, Shawn Washington with LEADS Staff/Faculty Mentor of the Year, Maira Perez with her mentee, Maira Rodriguez.


Counselors

CONGRATS TO 2012 SUMMER BRIDGE TEAM!

Jordan Alcantara, Rene Alvarez Jr, Maria Caballero, Arlene Chandra, Madu Cole, Francis Chau, Jesus Esqueda, Lauren Ferguson, Jason Iloreta, Aleksey Kozlov, Jordan Love, Oscar Marmolejo, Elizabeth Martinez,

Nina Montoya

Michaela Brown, Program Coordinator

Ruben Yamada, Logistics Coordinator

Naseeb Bhangal, Public Relations Coordinator

B R IDGE

core

Have a great

summer and see

everyone in the fall!

--UMEC

Photos courtesy of UMEC Work Study Staff

Documents

Gonzaga University UMEC Newsletter May 2012