Drag queens, Salsa dancing and a play about a part of
the female anatomy highlight this year's diversity program
events.
This is the first year that diversity programs and community
service have their own department. Diversity Programs include
the Center for Multicultural Affairs (CMA); the Lesbian,
Gay, Bisexual, Transgender (LGBT) Resource Center; and
the Women's Center.
"We are very excited about our new department, diversity
programs and community service-learning. VISION and Academic
Service-Learning have already developed a collaborative
relationship and we believe that there are numerous intersections,
partnerships and collaborations in our bright future," said
Kay Woodiel, interim associate director of diversity programs. "The
obvious shared goals are educationally purposeful diversity,
civic engagement and community building. We believe that
the 'learning beyond the classroom' part of the new General
Education curriculum makes a great deal of sense and want
students to seek us out first when they make plans to fulfill
this requirement."
Upcoming diversity program events include:
The Women's Center hosts a Cell Phone
Drive throughout
the month of September. All students, staff, faculty and
community members are asked to donate their unused and
unwanted cell phones. SafeHouse Center will distribute
these phones to the women to use to dial 911 in case of
an emergency.
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ISLAMIC WOMEN UNVEILED:
"Unveiled: Stories
from the Lives of
Muslim Women" is a performance
piece that explores
the personal lives
and inner struggles and triumphs
of
Islamic women. It will be performed Sept.
11, 8 p.m.,
in the Roosevelt Hall
Auditorium.
|
"Unveiled: Stories from the Lives of Muslim Women," a
performance piece that explores the mysterious lives behind
the veil, is scheduled Monday, Sept. 11, 8 p.m., in Roosevelt
Hall Auditorium. This piece, directed by Bayyinah K. Muhammad,
an MFA candidate in education theatre at EMU, uncovers
for Western society the personal lives, inner struggles
and triumphs of Islamic women by providing an illuminating
tapestry connecting all through the threads of humanity.
Tickets are $8 for general admission and $5 for students.
Tickets will not be sold at the door. For tickets, call
487-2282.
The LGBT Resource Center kicks off the fall semester with
a Luau Celebration Monday, Sept. 18, 5:30-7:30 p.m., at
The Lake House. Everyone in the LGBTQA community is invited
to celebrate being back on campus with food, games, prizes
and more.
National Hispanic Heritage Month, celebrated
Sept. 15-Oct. 15, honors the contributions of Hispanics
nationwide. The CMA kicks off the celebration Friday, Sept.
15, 5-8 p.m., at The Lake House. All are welcome to enjoy
the live music and food. A Hispanic Heritage Movie, "Like
Water for Chocolate," will
be shown Tuesday, Sept. 19, 10 a.m.-7 p.m. (shown repeatedly
all day) in the lower level of McKenny Union. In Spanish
with English subtitles, "Like Water for Chocolate" captures
the magic of cooking when love is the main ingredient.
A Hispanic Tailgate is scheduled Saturday,
Sept. 23, 3:30 p.m., at Rynearson Parking Lot before the
EMU-Central Michigan football game. Learn to Salsa dance,
courtesy of EMU's own Suzanne Marie Zelnik-Geldys at a Salsa
workshop Tuesday,
Oct. 3, 6-8 p.m., McKenny Union Ballroom. The closing ceremony
will be Thursday, Oct. 12, 6-8 p.m., in the McKenny Union
Main Lounge. This event will honor the contributions of
Hispanic students on EMU's campus. The Latino Alumni Chapter
will award the Falcon and Casanova scholarships at this
ceremony.
October is Domestic Violence Awareness
Month and Breast
Cancer Awareness Month. The Women's Center will collaborate
on events with SafeHouse Center and First Step, two local
women's shelters. Events such as a candlelight vigil and
other workshops are in the works.
Out Week is scheduled Oct. 9-13. Events
are scheduled all week, including movies, music, speakers
and activism. To get involved, contact the LGBT Resource
Center at 487-4149.
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Corbo |
The CMA presents "Tres Vidas," an evening-length work
based on the lives of three legendary Latin American women:
Mexican painter Frida Kahlo, Salvadoran peasant activist
Rufina Amaya and Argentinean poet Alfonsina Storni. Actress
Georgina Corbo, who is accompanied by a chamber music trio,
portrays all these "tres vidas" (three lives). The performance
is scheduled Wednesday, Oct. 11, 8 p.m., in Pease Auditorium.
Popular Opinion Leader Training, co-sponsored
by the HIV/AIDS Resource Center (HARC) and the LGBT Resource
Center, is designed to change community norms regarding
safer sex practices and HIV risk reduction among young
people. Sign up to be a HARC peer educator today. Training
will be Friday, Oct. 20, 9 a.m.-5 p.m., in the McKenny
Union Founders Room.
 |
The Laramie Project |
Spotlight Students and the LGBT Resource Center will show "The
Laramie Project" in the Roosevelt Auditorium Thursday,
Oct. 26, 8 p.m.; Saturday, Oct. 28, 2 p.m. and 8 p.m.;
and Sunday, Oct. 29, 6 p.m. "The Laramie Project" is a
movie based on the true story of Matthew Shepard, a young
gay man who was murdered in 1998. The movie is a theatrical
collage that explores the depths to which humanity can
sink, and the heights of compassion it also is capable
of.
The Washtenaw Rainbow Variety Show is scheduled Tuesday,
Oct. 31, 7 p.m., in Towsley Auditorium at Washtenaw Community
College. This one-of-a-kind show will feature gender performances,
drag, spoken word and song. Everyone is invited to bid
at the silent auction, dress up for the amateur drag show
and come check out the best local, regional and statewide
talent. Proceeds from this effort will go to EMU's LGBT
Resource Center, the Office of LGBT Affairs at the University
of Michigan, the Washtenaw Community College LGBTA and
the WRAP Resource Center.
November is Native American Heritage
Month. The EMU and
Native American communities are welcome to celebrate at
the CMA's many Native American Heritage events. Native
American activist Kay McGowan will speak Thursday, Nov.
9, 6 p.m., in the auditorium of the new student center.
The movie "Windtalkers" will be shown Tuesday, Nov. 14. "Windtalkers" is
the story of two U.S. Marines in WWII assigned to protect
Navajo Marines, who use their native language as an unbreakable
radio code.
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Jacobs |
Michael Jacobs, member of the Oklahoma-based Western Band
Cherokee Nation, embraces his heritage by performing contemporary
Native American music Thursday, Nov. 16. A Dream
Catcher workshop and Native
Drum Circle also are planned for November.
The Women's Center sponsors "The Vagina Monologues," a
play made up of a varying number of monologues read by
different women with the recurring theme of female empowerment
and individuality. Auditions will be Nov. 27-28, 5-10 p.m.
Performances are Feb. 15-17, 2007, 8 p.m., in the new student
center.
For more information about events and activities, call
Diversity Programs and Community Service, 487-3118.
