Experience of a Lifetime

Leading into this “Holiday Season”, I start to think about how grateful I am that Christmas is observed by the school calendar. I have so much planning to do to make sure that I see all of my relatives, go to Christmas Eve service, and get all of my shopping done. All this hustle and bustle over one of my favorite holidays makes me start thinking about holidays for other religions and cultures.  I mean, should we even call this time the “Holiday Season” when there are so many people that do not celebrate any holidays during this time? Are there not many more holiday seasons for the multiple cultures and religions represented in the US? What I have realized is that many students still have to go to school and worry about homework and tests during their important cultural and religious holidays. If Christmas was not a recognized holiday it would undoubtedly bring in more stress and affect my religion’s most important holiday.

I cannot even imagine having to study for a test that would take place on Christmas day or having a project that is due on Easter, but there are people that attend OSU where this is a reality. An example for fall term is Shmini Atzeret/Simchat Torah which is October 20-21 and is supposed to be a nonworking holiday for the Jewish community. Another is Birth of Baha’u’llah on November 12 and is supposed to be a nonworking day for the Baha’i community. To learn more OSU observed holidays click here and to learn more about other religious holidays not observed by most school calendars click here. I have learned there are many holidays that take place throughout the academic year, yet our campus does not observe them as official holidays. I’ve always wondered what it would be like to ask a professor to reschedule a test or give me an extension on a project for a religious or cultural holiday. However, since I am a practicing Christian, and the academic calendar is shaped around the major Christian Holidays, this is something that I will never have to face. Therefore, I feel that I have an academic advantage as a result, which I see as unfair.

I am grateful that my holiday is observed, but how can people who observe other holidays gain access to necessary resources or be allowed the same grace as I with assignments or tests? This is where I can see that I am indeed privileged. It is so normative in the U.S. to celebrate Christmas and have “Christmas Break” off from school. Do you have privilege here as well? I am sure I am not the only one who has had this misconception. Trying to schedule a family get together, make sure I get my essential meals, and making sure that I am being successful in school would push me to the wall. Is there something that can be stated or included for students who celebrate major holidays during the school year to give them the respect that I would want?

— Kameron Beeks, Community Relations Facilitator

See the CRF website to learn more about the CRF Program and how to get involved.

Casa Della Pasta in McNary Dining Center has a new entrée: The Bene Vita Bowl.

It’s fresh, healthy and sustainable. The Bene Vita Bowl features plant-based ingredients such as beans, grains and vegetables. This hearty entrée is satisfying to most palates.

ALL the Bene Vita bowls are vegetarian and there are also gluten free and vegan options.

Stop by and try a sample at a tasting table event from 11 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. Tuesday, Dec. 6, in McNary Dining Hall.

Also, Casa Della Pasta will be featuring a Northwest Hazelnut Pesto Pasta from Nov. 28 to Dec. 2 for lunch (11 a.m. to 1:30 p.m.) and dinner (5 to 7:30 p.m.).

Northwest Hazelnut Pesto Pasta is made with toasted Oregon hazelnuts, fresh parsley and blue cheese. This dish is the perfect blend of savory flavors that will leave you delightfully satisfied.

Stop by the tasting table and try it for yourself from 11 to 1:30 p.m. Tuesday, Nov. 29. 

Natasha Luff, Dietetic Intern, University Housing & Dining Services

Throughout my undergraduate experience, I have learned a lot about myself and my culture. Before coming to Oregon State University, I had no idea there was a “me” to explore. My identity was something I never bothered to “discover.”

Now I understand identity it is much more important than I realized. My identity is not only who I am but also what I stand for because of my values. Thinking back, I can rationalize that I never placed real importance on my identity because I did not know what it meant. Now, I can only imagine how many other first-year students did not and do not know the meaning of identity as well.

In my K-12 education, I do not remember ever learning about myself or where I came from in any class. As a young Latina, I was curious to learn more about my history. I was finally given the opportunity to learn more about my culture at OSU; it was an opportunity I was hungry to explore. I took classes that were never offered in high school such as ethics of diversity through the philosophy department, sociology, and anthropology, where I was introduced to the topic of identity. I was glad to engage the topic but did not anticipate that it would also cause much confusion and anxiety.

As a Student of Color, I hated talking about my identity because I felt I didn’t know how to identify my multiethnic identities. Not knowing my identity made me feel like I had no past; I was ignoring my ancestors.  I felt like a tree that had no roots. I also started to realize that my identity consists of what makes me unique as an individual and different from others. I started to realize how important it was when I would talk about myself. Even answering a question such as, “where are you from?” was difficult for me to answer.

The process of identifying myself made me feel closer to my family because I was honoring them by learning where we came from and where our values are rooted. It also made me realize how much I have grown and learned at OSU. As a Community Relations Facilitator, I have picked up on several helpful tools that have helped me understand my identity and how I can help others in their own process of self-discovery.

It was a challenge for me to realize I was missing pieces of myself, but I am glad I am working towards finding all of the pieces of my identity.  I know classes I took helped me to reflect on my identity and on how I would identify myself to others. I feel these courses could help many other students who wish to explore their own identities.

If you are interested in exploring this topic, I recommend that you look courses that are offered in departments such as ethnic studies, philosophy, anthropology, women studies, and sociology. I encourage you to discover the courses, workshops  and events offered by these departments. I know courses from these departments have made a difference in my life; I hope they can inspire you to explore your identities as well.

Thanks for reading,

Angelica Perez, Community Relations Facilitator

As a Student of Color I have given much thought to the topic of racial identity. However, as a self-identified Chicano/Latino I admit I have not challenged myself to reflect on bi-racial or multi-racial identities. In high school I thought of race as what you would check on the identity box when taking the SAT’s, or any other state testing. Only recently have these identification forms allowed you to check more than one “racial box” or to state that you are multiracial. Like these forms I, too, had a binary way of thinking about race; in my mind you were either “this” or “that.”

During spring term of 2011 I decided to take a philosophy class titled “Ethics of Diversity”, which really sparked my interest in learning more about many topics around social justice.  This class talked about many issues like race, oppression, sexism, LGBT identities, etc. Towards the end of the term we began to discuss bi-racial and multi-racial identities. During this class the professor hosted a panel of students who identified as being bi-racial or multi-racial to speak on their experiences. When I got home that afternoon I saw an email from a student who was part of the panel. With his consent, I will share the email he sent to the class:

I would like to preface my statement by clarifying that it is not my intention to dismiss anyone or to attack them for their thoughts. These views come from my experiences and should not be used as a generalization for everyone.

I left the panel yesterday feeling very angry and resentful. Walking through campus, I could not pinpoint the center of my uneasy feelings, unable to locate the reason for which I was so unsettled by what happened. The issues discussed very well described what it meant to be bi- or multi-racial; but only a portion of what goes on. I felt as if the class was left with the idea that being multi-racial/ bi-racial meant being able to pick and choose which side we wanted to present: to be one, the other, or both when convenient.

It means a lot more.

• For some it means to be both always, forced with the inability to escape duality.
• It means not being able to pass completely for one or the other.
• It means to be Mexican and White at all times, for better or for worse, and to understand this and accept the consequences.
• It means to be mad at the world when you are rejected for one side, and then mad at yourself when you fail to speak up for the other.
• It means to be told that you are both the oppressor and the oppressed.
• It means to always be a minority, regardless of who you are with.
• It means to be admired for your ability to seamlessly cross between two worlds, and then hated for the same reason.
• It means to bottle up all your hurt for lack of anyone who understands you.
• It means that when you are unable to represent both cultures fully, you are seen as culturally ignorant instead of culturally unaware.
• It means to constantly try to acculturate to both sides and always be seen as assimilating.
• It is like your different sides staring at each other through a two-way mirror, screaming and banging and shaking to break free and join each other in a society that keeps them separated.
• But it also means to not only have to the power to “check” multiple boxes, but have the opportunity to embrace and express the cultures that you check.
• It means you can speak Spanish at one home and English at the other.
• It means you can share in the sorrows and happiness of two worlds.
• It means you are blessed with a curse and cursed with a blessing.
• It means you can find meaning in double the things.
• It means you see life from many different eyes.
• It means you can build bridges.

Thank You for your Time,

Agustin Vega-Peters

The class discussion and Agustin’s email were very insightful; it completely changed my way of viewing race. I began to reflect on the complexity of the concept of race. I was awakened to no longer see race as being “this” or “that” in an exclusionary manner. I now understood why my bi- and multiracial friends had a hard time when I asked, “what race do you relate to more?” or “which one of the two races do you identify as?” These questions assumed that they can separate their lives into imaginary compartments. I realized that my lack of awareness may have made my friends uncomfortable and my questions could have even been hurtful. Becoming more aware of this issue allowed me to think of how I can become an ally and be more inclusive to people who identify as bi-and multiracial. I actively remind myself to embrace and appreciate the whole individual for who they are and what they represent, rather than breaking down an individual into distinct characteristics that have no connection. I encourage you to reflect on your understanding of bi- and multiracial identities. How can you help create a more inclusive living environment in your residence hall for people who identify as bi- and multiracial?

If you wish to learn more about identity and other related topics, contact your Community Relations Facilitator (CRF) or participate in facilitations offered by CRFs in your residence hall.

Thank you for reading,

Miguel Arellano, Community Relations Facilitator

My experience in the world of social justice, diversity, and inclusion has evolved greatly over the past year and a half that I have been a Community Relations Facilitator (CRF). Before coming to college, I went to Sherwood High School which is in a suburb of Portland that is very much predominantly White.

In fact, my school’s population was 95 percent White, and my mother, step father, and brother are all White as well. The demographics of my high school were coupled with a lack of awareness on topics of social justice and inclusion.  When I first came to Oregon State University (OSU), I was shell-shocked by the relative racial and ethnic diversity of the campus. I had never been around so many people from so many different cultures or backgrounds in my life. It was at this moment I realized I had the option to choose how I would to react to this new environment.

As a first-year student, I was a person who was “color-blind”, “gender-blind”, etc. I did not want to identify the differences between people or notice the institutionalized oppression that was occurring around me. I just wanted everyone to be treated “the same”.

As a result, a problem started to form. There is a big difference between equality and equity. I started to realize if I treated people equally, I would have to treat everyone the same despite their differences. In my attempt to make sense of this concept I found it helpful to think of analogies. Treating everyone the same would mean that if I were to buy shoes for everyone in the world, I would have to buy everyone the same sized shoe. I would not account for differences or identities; the idea seemed ridiculous to me in this context I realized that if I were to want to treat people with respect, it would require me to notice difference.

In other words, I would have to understand that different shoe sizes would be a necessity to create equity. Instead of helping make change for identities that are oppressed and targeted, I was reinforcing the same institutionalized sexism, able-ism, etc. that I sought to resist by going with the status quo.

After recognizing my ignorance towards the differences between people, I started addressing these topics through a different lens. The next phase of my progression involved the idea of owning my privilege; this was about the time that I started working as a CRF. I started to realize that there is a significant difference between people based on their identities. These differences sometimes result in a societal advantage or disadvantage regarding access to resources.

A resource refers to job opportunities, money, living situations, tax breaks, and many other things. One example of advantages and disadvantages can be based on gender. Men are institutionally privileged in society compared to women, people who are transgender, and gender queer.

Take this brief example: As of 2010, men make $1.28 for every dollar a woman makes with the same credentials, according to the Institute for Women’s Policy Research. Understanding the world in this new lens allowed me to notice other differences in my own life. When I walk on campus at night, I never feel worried about my safety, yet I know many women on campus who do. Some of those women are very aware of their surroundings in an effort to protect themselves from sexual assault; something I am never challenged to think about in my daily life.

While I am grateful that I am more aware of my identities and difference, I know I have much more learning in my future. I am still working towards building more inclusive environments for all identities. I work and collaborate with the people of various underrepresented social groups to make Oregon State University a better place not just for them, but also for myself. The fact of the matter is that although OSU is much more diverse than my hometown, there is still a lot to be done to make this university more accepting and inclusive of its diverse population. Having different identities on campus is simply not enough. As I continue to work towards my personal commitments to social justice, I challenge you to think how you can start to do the same.

One great way to become more aware of diversity, inclusion and social justice is by connecting with the CRF Program! We are always here to help create space for exploration and learning through workshop facilitations and dialogues. CRFs host many events throughout the year specifically for UHDS residents. Look out for our event fliers, emails, and Facebook posts. Please visit our CRF website to learn more about the CRF Program and how to get involved.

Kameron Beeks, Community Relations Facilitator