Throughout the school year, the Office of Multicultural Student Development sponsors many programs and special events. These programs highlight the diverse cultures that are present at Appalachian, and serve as an educational tool to inform students and members of the community about different perspectives, cultures and social issues.
All programs are free of charge and open to the public. Parking is available free of charge in the new parking deck next to the library after 5 p.m. For more information about parking, contact ASU Parking and Traffic at (828)262-2878 or www.parking.appstate.edu. Please visit www.maps.appstate.edu to see a campus map highlighting available parking and areas where our events take place.
Depending on travel schedules, many of the speakers are eager to meet with classes, student, staff or faculty groups in addition to the scheduled evening presentation. DVD and web-based recordings of some lectures are available for free on-demand viewing.
Please email Gus Peña at penaae@appstate.edu to request a class visit or to check-out a DVD from the Multicultural Resource Library.
Wednesday, Sept.30, 2009 IG Greer Auditorium 7:00pm
Cosmic Race, Rainbow People and other Myths
How do Latinos see themselves? As white? As indigenous? As black? As mixed? As Latinos grow into the largest population of people of color in the United States, there is increased scrutiny over how this group of ethnic communities defines itself, and thus, how it is seen by other communities. Join Jorge Zeballos through a multimedia journey that explores and examines the historical and contemporary forces that continue to shape the “Latino Identity.” Zeballos is an experienced diversity consultant who has presented at various national conferences such as the National Conference on Race and Ethnicity, the United States Hispanic Leadership Institute, the White Privilege Conference, the Southeastern Conference on Cross-Cultural Issues in Counseling and Education.
Wednesday, Oct. 28, 2009 Blue Ridge Ballroom PSU 7:00pm
Our Problems with Race: Addressing Biological Versus Social Definitions
What does evolution tell us about race and what are we taught to believe about race? What are the implications for how we view, group, and value others? Using his research background in evolutionary biology, Dr. Joseph L. Graves, Jr. explains how most Americans still believe that there is some biological legitimacy to our socially constructed racial categories despite the modern scientific evidence that discredits all of our social stereotypes. Dr. Graves has written two books that address the myths and theories of race in American society. He has published over 50 papers and book chapters and has appeared in six documentary films and numerous television interviews on these general topics. Dr. Graves is Dean of University Studies and Professor of Biological Sciences at North Carolina Agricultural and Technical State University.
Wednesday, Nov. 18, 2009 IG Greer Auditorium 7:00pm
One Better World: Privilege, Identity and Social Justice
“Injustice anywhere is a threat to justice everywhere” Martin Luther King, Jr. Imagine a society that is equitable and where all members are physically and psychologically safe and secure. As a process and as a goal, social justice means full and equal participation of all groups in a society that is mutually shaped to meet their needs. In this presentation, Vernon Wall helps audience members learn how their identities influence all they do and how this knowledge can help them become more aware and advocate for inclusion. Wall has written extensively on issues of inclusion on today’s college campuses. His award-winning programs and presentations have been seen by thousands of students, faculty, and staff on campuses across the country and have been described as being “a learning experience - with a touch of wildness.”
Spring 2010 events
Thursday, January 28, 2010 Farthing Auditorium 7:00pm
25th Annual Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Commemoration
During the 1950s and 60s, Civil Rights Movement leaders like Rev. Martin Luther King Jr. inspired millions to stand up against social injustice. The Movement’s message of non-violence and civil disobedience would inspire pivotal events like the lunch counter sit-in in Greensboro NC, the bus boycott in Montgomery AL, the integration of Central High School in Little Rock AR, the freedom rides throughout the South, the march to Montgomery, and the Civil Rights Act of 1964.
Nikki Giovanni is a world-renowned poet, writer, commentator, activist, and educator. One of the most widely-read American poets, she prides herself on being “a Black American, a daughter, a mother, a professor of English.” Giovanni remains as determined and committed as ever to the fight for civil rights and equality with a focus on the individual, specifically, on the power one has to make a difference in oneself, and thus, in the lives of others. Giovanni is a Distinguished Professor of English at Virginia Tech.
