Speakers help promote diversity

editorial cartoon by Melinda Sanchez
editorial cartoon by Melinda Sanchez

Promoting diversity is one of the key points to the University of La Verne’s community. It is a promise that ULV has greatly kept this past year by including a variety of speakers on cultural and social issues.

“The University promotes the goal of community within a context of diversity. The University, therefore, encourages students to understand and appreciate the diversity of cultures which exists locally, nationally and internationally. It also seeks to promote appreciation of biodiversity by helping students understand the impact/dependence of human beings on their environment,” reads the mission statement, under the heading “Community and Diversity.”

The first person who spoke to the school this fall was activist Haunani-Kay Trask, who talked about the sovereignty movement of Hawaiians, claiming they lack federal recognition. Trask tried to educate and show the true side of the Hawaiian culture, aside from the stereotypes that are often made.

She said Hawaii was transformed from a sugar-based economy, to what it is now, a tourist and military industry, and that currently “real” Hawaiians make up only 20 percent of the state’s population.

Trask insisted the American government has not politically compensated the damage to Hawaii. Hawaiians look forward to a new form of government, she said. She also said they claim two of the four million acres of Hawaiian land.

Though some thought the speech was controversial and it offended some people, it showed a different side of a people and its history.

Ward Churchill, an outspoken Native American activist, also spoke this fall and discussed the offenses of the United States and how it continues to commit atrocities against the land’s indigenous people. Churchill’s speech was part of the Native American Awareness Week and was sponsored by the Associated Students Federation (ASF) Forum. Churchill spoke on the genocide of many Native Americans by the United States government.

“I doubt any of you heard this in your history classes in high school, or even at this university,” he said, pointing out that the general public knows little about the relationship between the federal government and Native Americans.

On March 28, Dr. Joseph White, a professor emeritus of psychology and psychiatry, gave a lecture entitled “African American Male Psychological Challenges in the Journey of Living.” It dealt with some of the stereotypical images of African Americans. Dr. White helped create Black psychology in the 1960s and formed the Association of Black Psychologists.

This past October, ASF and the Lordsburg Union Debate Society sponsored a moving speech by Tibetan Buddhist monk Paden Gyatso. He spoke on his 33-year imprisonment by the Chinese government. While in prison Gyatso suffered through severe torture. He told personal accounts of the horrific trauma he faced every day while in prison. He spoke powerfully on the cruelty the Chinese government is committing to the Tibetan people.

Gyatso said of his captures “With hate inside you, there is no chance to be at peace.” Since escaping, Gyatso has devoted his life to speaking out against the injustice of the Tibetan people. Gyatso is a also a recipient of the John Humphrey Freedom Award, given by the International Centre for Human Rights and Democratic Development.

During his acceptance speech, Gyatso said, “As long as there is injustice in Tibet, as long as Tibet is squashed under an unfeeling, totalitarian system, that voice of our common aspirations will continue to speak loud and clear.”

Gyatso educated and informed the community of important world events that many would have not known otherwise, something that is important at any institution of higher education. And it is great to see that La Verne is taking an active role in providing a voice for all different points of view, especially for individuals who may not take the most popular of stances.

Last week, Rigoberta Menchú, the 1992 Nobel Peace Prize winner, spoke as part of Multicultural Week. Menchú spoke on human rights and her life in Guatemala. She is known worldwide for her pro-labor rights advocacy and her support for the rights of the indigenous people of Guatemala.

“The fight for human rights is not a temporal fight,” she said, “it is a permanent fight. To work for the rights of humanity is to work for our rights. It is to work for the rights of our children. It is to work for the rights of the community where we live.” She said people have three postures to choose from: “We can be compliant, silent people or activists to prevent those atrocities from expanding.”

To the University’s clubs, organizations and groups that have been able to bring such diverse and eloquent speakers on campus, a sincere word of appreciation. With many of the aspects of ULV drastically changing, at least students can count on a environment that will introduce, educate and inform them of a myriad of social, political and worldwide issues being faced everyday.

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Unsigned editorials represent the opinion of the Campus Times Editorial Board.

Melinda Sanchez, Arts Editor
Melinda Sanchez

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