Her face shape changed slightly and she noticed a slight difference in some features, but Katie Holdgreve-Resendez, coordinator for new student transition programs, said her eyes were the same in each picture.
"The eyes are the window to the soul," she said.
Kicking off the celebration of Black History Month, Campus Life sponsored a "Human Race Machine," enabling students, staff and faculty members to envision themselves in a different race. The machine is intended to be a powerful, yet subtle diversity tool.
 |
OF ANOTHER RACE: Krystina Downey, an Eastern
Michigan University sophomore majoring in nursing,
uses the Human Race Machine and discovers what
she would look like if she were from another race.
Downey and other EMU students, faculty and staff
have used the computer photo machine to generate
facial portraits of themselves — as persons of other
races. The machine was set up in the Student Center
as part of Black History Month on campus. Photo by
Alex Mandrila |
After the user's face is scanned, nine specific points on the face are plotted. The user can then view their face in six different races: Asian, Black, Caucasian, Hispanic, Indian and Middle Eastern.
The machine was displayed on the stage in the Student Center. Students seemed to enjoy the experience and many were surprised at what they saw.
"Wow! That was different," said senior Hillary Dandridge. "Being African American, I never thought about other races, unless when learning about it in a classroom. So, it was nice to have a different perspective on skin color."
"I didn't look that different. Is that the point of it?" asked Mary Brake, professor of engineering technology.
A goal of the machine was to make individuals aware of the fact that not even one gene distinguishes all members of a race from members of another race, according to California Newsreel.
Describing himself as colorblind when looking at others, senior Wil Bowen said, "I didn't realize how well I recognize certain features of a race."
The machine also morphed the user's face into what the individual would look like at an older age.
"I look good at 86," said Charnessa Paige, program coordinator for the Center for Multicultural Affairs.
Keith Jason, coordinator of student services for the College of Technology, was not happy with his future projection.
"I saw myself at 57 and didn't like what I saw. I guess I need to start taking better care of myself," Jason said.
The machine was available, free of charge, Feb. 4-8. A DVD played continuously and discussed race issues and printed information was available for users. One of the handouts provided "Ten things everyone should know about race."
The display stimulated conversations about race and ethnicity, which was an important goal.
"The importance of highlighting black history is that it is a significant part of American history and should not be excluded from any conversation," said Paige.
Graduate student DeRon Williams summed up the message of the machine: "We are all the same, but different in color."
