Project examines racism against Asians

Since 1996, reported incidents of racism against Asians have risen by nine percentage points, according to the Racial Incidents Team report. \nAt the same time, incidents against Asian Americans have decreased by four percentage points. Daisy Rodriguez, a graduate student, said these incidents merit discussion, which is what she wants to do with the Responding to Incidents of Casual and Everyday Racism (RICER) Project.\n"We believe there's a need for this kind of thing, and we don't want students to feel isolated," said Rodriguez, who came up with the idea for the project and wrote a grant proposal that brought in funding from NAFSA: Association of International Educators.\nThe RICER Project started this semester and meets from noon to 1:30 p.m. every Tuesday at the Asian Culture Center. Participants meet to share personal experiences with racism, empower themselves to initiate dialogue on race and civility and discuss ways to identify, cope with and confront racism, Rodriguez said. She said the project will go on next semester with or without funding from NAFSA.\nAndrew Shih, a junior, has attended every session. He said he started going because he felt it would be a good place to voice his opinion and contribute to discussion. \n"To be honest, I haven't really experienced any sort of racism here on campus," Shih said. "I'm sure I've been stereotyped, but I don't think that was on purpose. Sometimes people are ignorant when it comes to other cultures."\nThe group begins by discussing reported incidents of racism on campus and the discussion is then opened up to personal experiences, Rodriguez said. The groups have consisted of about seven people each week. Rodriguez said she likes the small-group atmosphere and does not want the groups to be bigger than 10 people.\nA member of the Racial Incidents Team is present at every meeting, by request of Rodriguez and Melanie Castillo-Cullather, director of the Asian Culture Center. There is also a counselor and someone from international services.\nBill Shipton, co-chair of the Racial Incidents Team, has attended the RICER Project.\n"We're not there to take notes," Shipton said of the Racial Incidents Team's involvement in the meetings. "We're on hand for students, to make it easier for them to report incidents if they want to."\nThe team deals with harassment or racism based on race, religion and national origin, Shipton said. It provides a place where students can go to report incidents and get help dealing with them, he said.\nRodriguez said she wanted to create a program for students who had been targeted by racism or stereotypes. She said she thinks that too often students ignore racist comments or actions, and they think it is OK for other people to treat them as a stereotype. \n"Students do not deserve to be stereotyped and accept these assumptions as normal," she said. "I want to help prepare people to live in this world and be aware of who they are and proud of who they are."\nShih and Rodriguez said they have hope for what the RICER Project can do to improve conditions at IU. \n"I think, given time, this project will become huge," Shih said. "I think that once it is in full swing, it will make a huge difference on the IU campus"