Experience of a Lifetime

You never know what you get yourself into until you fully emerge yourself into it. Hi everyone, my name is Melissa Rico and I am the Community Relations Facilitator for the Westside.  I am ending my fourth week on the job and already I have so much to say, think about, learn, and most importantly, DO! Read the rest of this entry »

Last year at OSU I went through some amazing changes/realizations in my position as a Community Relations Facilitator. It took me over two terms of intense self reflection and training to finally grasp the concepts behind these things called social justice and diversity. I thought I would never again see myself disrespect or oppress another identity through my words and actions. I believe it was my young, cocky attitude that came out when I believed that I only needed a year worth of learning to really know everything I needed to know. The realization of how wrong I was hit me during this summer as I returned back to my hometown and started hanging out with the friends I hadn’t seen on a regular basis for a year. Read the rest of this entry »

After two years of working in University Housing and Dining Services as a team member to the Community Relations Facilitators, I’m sad to announce that I’m saying goodbye to the UHDS family. I’m not leaving empty handed though. Throughout these past two years I can definitely say that I’ve grown so much personally as well as in our position.

Being a CRF has really given me confidence in my self-expression. I’ve learned that sometimes it’s more beneficial to our awareness when we take a step outside our comfort zone and challenge people’s point of views in order to educate. I’ve also learned that challenging someone’s point of view doesn’t necessarily mean that you’re trying to pick a fight or that things will end badly. It can get uncomfortable, but as I’ve come to realize, those uncomfortable moments are sometimes when the most learning takes place.

In addition, I’ve enjoyed all the new relationships that have been built over the last two years. We’ve been able to spend time with RA’s, RD’s, the staff at the cultural, resource centers, Team Liberation, and many others. I’ve made connections that I know wouldn’t have been so easily made without my position and I appreciate the opportunity.

Thanks to everybody who supported our program in one-way or another. It was a fun two years and I wish the best of luck to Victor and Kevin and the rest of the CRF team. Again, thank you for your continued support of the CRF program.

-Alba Garcia

Community Relations Facilitator- Southside

Diversity Fun Fact

Did You Know…?

• June 19^th stands today by African Americans as Juneteenth Day.  Juneteenth Day is the name given to Emancipation Day which began in the early 1860’s.  It is also observed in other areas in regard to the abolition of serfdom or other forms of servitude.

Tuesday, June 1^st

• Free Stress Free Massages and Manicures 12:30-3:30 @ Native American Longhouse
• GLEE Night 9pm-12 @ Pride Center

Thursday, April 8^th

• Bites With Beth 11:30-1 @ Pride Center
• Dead Week Feast 5-7 @ Asian Pacific Cultural Center
• Stitch n’ Bitch 5 @ Women’s Center

Friday, May 21^st

• Black Comedy Show; 7pm @ LaSells Stewart Center

Monday, May 24^th

• Black Hair Care Day; 6pm at the Black Cultural Center
• End of Year celebration; 6-8 pm @ MU Ballroom

Tuesday, May 25^th

• Gospel Concert; 7:30pm @ First Methodist Church
• Got Debt? Student Loans and Debt Management; 6:30pm MU 212
• Glee; 9pm @ Pride Center
• Women’s Social Hour; 4-5:30 @ Women’s Center

Wednesday, May 26^th

• The Role of Social Support in Overcoming Obstacles to Abortion Access; Oregon Women Tell Their Stories; 11am @ Women’s Center
• Volunteer Meetings; 2-3pm @ Pride Center

Thursday, May 27^th

• Divine Nine Step Show Yard Fest; 12pm @ BCC
• Stitch n Bitch; 6:30 in MU 212
• Bites With Beth; 11:30am @ Pride Center
• Delta Phi Omega Sorority Inc. Birthday Party; 6:30-8pm @ Asian & Pacific Cultural Center

Friday, May 28^th

• Black Comedy Show; 7pm @ LaSells Stewart Center

Saturday, May 29^th

• 8^th Annual Divine Nine Step Show; 3pm @ LaSells Stewart Center (tickets $10 with Student ID)

After concentrating my learning this term on theories of social justice I have found one blatant truth; there is much that I was not and sometimes continue to be unaware of. As I have been learning more and more, I have been recognizing racism and other forms of oppression that exist everywhere around me.  Part of where this starts is in my own head and the times I classify people. Our minds are wonderful computers with the ability to classify different objects in order to survive. For example, it would be difficult and overwhelming to recognize over and over again that a knife is sharp or that a stove top is hot.   Although beneficial and necessary when dealing with objects, this can be severely detrimental when carried over to classify people.  I know that when I look at someone, I can automatically put that individual in a category.  It’s how I go about everyday life.  I don’t mean to hurt anyone, but I have realized what I have been doing is generalizing and stereotyping the people around me.  I automatically assume certain things based on the way they look, dress, or act.

It wasn’t until I started asking questions about myself that I started noticing what I was doing.  I’m not saying that I was oblivious to it, but I am saying that I was ignoring it and taking it for granted.  The ability to classify objects led me to start classifying people.  It is still a challenge I face every day.  I struggle with recognizing people for their social identities, without using what I see on the outside to shape my opinion (or classification) of them without getting to know them. I also realize that I want the same exact thing from other people.

I know I will continue to classify, but it won’t ever stop me from trying harder.  So now I put the ball in your court; can you see people as individuals AND as part of their social identities, at the same time not classifying them because of their social identities? I challenge you that it might be harder than you think.

Kameron Beeks
CRF – Eastside & Co-Ops

Monday, May 10^th

• Lei Day 10am @ Asian & Pacific Cultural Center
• Lube Trifecta-Music in The Quad; 12-2pm @ MU Quad
• LGBTQQIAAPPO2S- BBQ; Queer In the Quad; 12-1:30 pm @ MU Quad
• Coming Out 101; 2-3pm @ MU 208
• Queer Sex 101; 5-6 MU 208
• Pride Center Slumber Party; 8pm-12am @ Pride

Tuesday, May 11^th

• Exploring the Biological Basis of Sexual Orientation; 1-2pm @ MU 206
• LGBTQQIAAP…WTF; 3-4pm@ MU 208
• Families Alike; 5:30-7:30pm @ MU 206
• SOL Ice Cream Social; 7-8pm @ MU 208

Wednesday, May 12^th

• Dialogue on Sexuality Identity Development in Queer Community; 12- 1:30pm @ MU 206
• Queer Astrology 101; 2-3pm @ MU 208
• GI Corvallis; 4-5pm @ MU 206
• Drag ‘n Dine; 5:30-7:30pm @ Arnold Gold Room
• Out in The Halls; 8-9pm @ Bloss Hall
• Spring Clothes Swap; 12-4pm @ MU Brick Mall

Thursday, May 13^th

• Living in the Margins: Bisexuality in America; 11:30-1pm @ MU 206
• First Annual Queer Mind Spa; 2-5pm @ CAPS Mind Spa
• Drag Racing; 2-3pm @ MU Quad
• Olympic Athletes: Competing With Gender; 5-6:30pm @ Asian & Pacific Cultural Center
• Trans Film Show; 7-9pm @ Darkside Cinema
• Dehumanizing Fronteras; 7-9pm @ Club Escape
• Stitch N Bitch; 5pm @ Women’s Center
• Black Athlete Discussion Panel 6pm @ BCC
• Spring Clothes Swap; 12-4pm @ MU Brick Mall

Friday, May 14^th

• Spring Drag Show; 8-10pm @ MU Ballroom

Monday, May 3^rd

• APA Kick Off – 10am-3pm @ Mu Quad

Tuesday, May 4^th

• GLEE – 9pm @ Pride Center

• Getting To America – 5-7pm @ Asian and Pacific Cultural Center

Wednesday, May 5^th

• Salmon Bake – 12:30 -3pm @ Native American Longhouse
• Stitch ‘n’ Bitch – 5pm @  Women’s Center
• Purepecha Session – 5pm @ Centro Cultural César Chávez
• APASU Culture Shock – 7-9pm @ MU Ballroom

Thursday, May 6^th

• Feminist Fair 2010: Speak Out! Feminist Voices for a Just World – 10am-4pm @ MU Quad

Appearing Adverse

It is interesting what we see when we look in the mirror.  What is the first thing that you see?  I see the clothes I wear, my body size, and blemishes, but there is a lot more in my appearance that I take for granted.  I do not analyze my skin color or the fact that I am a male.  I do not consider the features that I cannot control necessarily, but I am aware that other people do. This causes me to ask questions that some other people do not think about.  Do you feel comfortable around other people, both males and females, every moment of every day?  Do you feel comfortable in your classes working in groups with people of other social identities; may it be their sexual orientation, social class, gender identity, race, etc?  Are you a member of an underrepresented group (racial, gender, etc.)?  Now imagine yourself as a person with the opposite social identity of yourself: opposite gender, race, etc.  Try answering the same questions as above and compare them to your previous answers.  Do you take anything for granted?  I know I do.  In the end, remember to respect people from other social identities and truly and wholeheartedly treat them the way you want to be treated.

Kameron Beeks

Community Relations Facilitator

Eastside & Co ops

Monday, April 26^th

• The Skee Week Kickoff 1:08 pm @ Black Cultural Center
• Glee Night 9:00pm @ Pride Center
• Money Matters 6:30pm @ MU 208

Tuesday, April 27^th

• What is Danza? 2pm-3: 30 @ Centro Cultural Cesar Chavez
• AKArobics 7:08pm @ Dixon Recreation Center

Wednesday, April 28^th

• Earning, Spending, Pricing 6:08 @ Black Cultural Center
• Volunteer Meeting 2-3:00pm @ Pride Center

Thursday, April 29^th

• Job Seekers Workshop 5:08 Black Cultural Center

Friday, April 30^th

• El Asesinato del General Francisco Villa 2pm @ Centro Cultural Cesar Chavez
• AKAlicious Fish Fry 6:08 Black Cultural Center
• A Celebration! For Grad Student Parents & Their Children 4-6pm @ Women’s Center