Week Seeks to Better Campus Atmosphere

Students for the Advancement of Race Relations co-chairwoman and sophomore Cassandra Davis said several events throughout the week will help to encourage different cultures and races to go beyond putting up with one another and actually get to know one another.

The event seeks to depolarize the campus and make races more comfortable with each other, organizers said.

Davis encourages people of all ethnicities to join in the activities, which she hopes will be widely attended.

"The goal is to get people talking," Davis said. "We have diversity on campus, but it's no good unless people will talk with one another."

The theme this year is "Mixin' It Up," and SARR has brought in a number of different campus organizations to add their own flavors to the week.

The first event begins at noon today in the Pit with a speech on contemporary racial issues by Tim McMillan, professor in the Department of African and Afro-American Studies, and Davis.

Later tonight, Rebecca Walker, author of the national bestseller, "Black, White and Jewish: Autobiography of a Shifting Self," will give the keynote address on the trials she faced as a biracial child and her thoughts on issues such as race, reproductive freedom and domestic violence.

She also will be signing purchased copies of her book at 3:30 p.m. in the Cobb Residence Hall lobby and again after her speech. Walker is the daughter of Alice Walker, author of the Pulitzer Prize-winning novel, "The Color Purple."

Event organizers hope that Walker's presence will generate a large turnout that will continue for the remainder of the week's events.

The week's events also include an interactive "Game of Life" that challenges participants to confront the daily struggles that plague minority populations.

On Wednesday, Niklaus Steiner from the University Center for International Studies will facilitate a discussion about the immigration laws.

Organizers think the topic of immigration fits into the week's theme because of the issue's prominence around the world.

After hearing experts discuss pertinent issues, students will have the chance to speak out about race or share any personal experiences at the Poetry Set/Open Mic later Wednesday night.

Another event of Race Relations Week will bring the action to the Pit, where a multicultural show co-sponsored by Hip-Hop Nation and Carolina Electronic Music Symposium will take place.

Students can also sign a petition supporting hip hop on campus.

To close out the week, students are invited to participate in Diversity Games at 2 p.m. Friday on Hooker Field. Teams will be composed of a variety of people with different cultural and racial backgrounds to promote true cooperation among students.

Organizers said Race Relations Week is a step in the right direction toward improving relationships between students of different racial backgrounds and ethnicities.

"Of course it's a good start, but we can't do it all in one week," Davis said.

Interested students can stop by the Race Relations Week table in the Pit all week to sign up for these activities and learn about other events taking place.

The University Editor can be reached at udesk@unc.edu.