The coalition of the Committee Advancing Racial Equality organized a panel discussion last night to encourage students to talk about issues affecting them.
Instead of speaking about international issues, topics for discussion were focused on what was happening at the University, such as rollover, racism and homophobia.
Issac Quinones, a committee member for the Ethnic Studies Center, spoke first about trying to get a service started to help minority students find organizations to participate in.
There are problems with minorities feeling outcasted and not finding things to do after classes, Quinones said. But he also pointed out that this was not to dismiss nonminority students.
The Ethnic Studies Center meets every Sunday at 5 p.m. in the multiculture room in the Union, and it’s trying to expand and get more students involved.
“Really, it’s not going to happen unless we get a lot more students coming and fighting for this,” Quinones said.
Joelle Ruby Ryan, one of the founders of Transcendence, spoke next about gender discrimination on campus.
“We started because there was a real lack of visibility,” Ryan said.
The group is trying to get gender-neutral restrooms in every building on campus, as well as gender-neutral housing options.
“We’re not being met halfway with the administration,” Ryan said, and described how transgender students are being discriminated against on campus.
“These are issues that people need to know about,” Ryan said. “We’re working to eradicate gender roles because they’re oppressive.”
Ryan also said society thinks “gender-varient people are disposable,” and something should be done to keep discrimination in check.
Mike Martinez, member of the Latino Student Union, spoke about starting a coalition consisting of all the leaders of the organizations on campus.
“I began to try to find a reason for all the negatives in the world,” Martinez said. “The common denominator is disunity.” If students had unity and support they could make all the changes they talk about, he said.
Martinez said the coalition would discuss the definition of racism and the history of race.
“You have to work for unity, it just doesn’t come about,” said Errol Lam, one of the leaders of CARE.
The organization FREEDOM also spoke about University Dining Services and rollover.
Lam said it’s important for students to keep fighting for their rights at the University.
“Try to win one battle at first,” Lam said. “You have to win the final battle by winning battles here and there.”
