Power outage doesn't stop forum on interracial, interfaith relationships

A blackout in Willkie Auditorium Monday night during a forum addressing interracial and interfaith relationships became a visual aid to a discussion on race, rather than an obvious nuisance.\nMonday's discussion, "Cultural Collision or Completely Compatible? Interracial and Interfaith Relationships," consisted of members of the IU community who were in or had been in interracial or interfaith relationships. Representatives from different religious groups were also in attendance.\nAfter the panel members introduced themselves, the floor was opened up for audience questions. However, minutes after the question and answer session began, the lights in the auditorium went out. It sparked a discussion on race, but was moved to the Center for University Ministries after the Willkie center building was evacuated. Nearly all 30 participants and the entire panel walked to the new venue, and the discussion continued.\nRohany Nayan, a Malaysian woman, met and married Michael Thomas, an African-American man and current Ph.D. student, while they were both undergraduate students at IU. Both families had reservations, but once they met their child's new partner, any worries disappeared. Nayan's African-American female friends showed the most opposition to the relationship. \n"I was very surprised, because I didn't come here with the idea of getting an American man," she said. "Love just happens."\nBoth Nayan and Thomas are Muslim, so faith wasn't an issue. \nSarah Nagy and Tim Stockton, both employees in Residential Programs and Services, were forced to overcome issues resulting from an interracial and interfaith relationship. The two have been spit on and have had bottles thrown at them while out riding their tandem bicycle. \n"But, in Bloomington," Nagy quipped, "riding a bicycle may have been enough to elicit a response like that!" Nagy is Catholic, and Stockton was raised Baptist, but they've managed to make it work. "People don't come in neat little boxes," Nagy said. "If you limit yourself, you may miss out on someone who can make you very happy. I wouldn't change a thing about him."\nJunior Katie Wampler said she is dating a Japanese man. The cultural barrier has been the most difficult thing to overcome, because both are Christian. \n"We embrace our differences," Wampler said, "but our cornerstone is our faith." Both of their families are supportive of the relationship, although cultural differences about what defines love have been an issue. \nBlack Student Union President Gerald Mitchell said the purpose of the event was to create a forum about interracial issues, and to walk away with something positive.\n"I thought tonight was overwhelmingly successful," Mitchell said. "With all of the problems, we still had around 30 people here." \nChris Ortega, a freshman panel member, said he believes Monday's forum is important to Bloomington. \n"This is an issue on this campus. We want to get it out there, this stuff goes on," Ortega said. "We want to open people's eyes to the issue"