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(10/25/07 4:00am)
When I heard in 2006 that Steven Spielberg would produce a live-action adaptation of the "Transformers" cartoons, I felt like I had won the lottery. When I heard a while later that Michael Bay would direct it, I wanted to give my ticket back.\nI'll admit to owning most of Bay's catalog on DVD for the hell of it, but this time he was messing with my childhood. Several months and hundreds of millions of dollars later, I'm pretty sure he made the best "Transformers" movie that could have been made, despite cramming in some of his usual excesses.\nThe plot, concerning a life-giving cube called the Allspark and the two warring factions of alien shape-shifting robots who seek it, is standard action-movie stuff. The cast, including Shia Labeouf, Megan Fox, a wild-eyed John Turturro and a self-deprecating Jon Voight, know not to take the material too seriously and mostly hit the right notes. I wish Bay hadn't chosen to portray the Decepticon called Frenzy (the little one who turns into a CD player and a cell phone) with such Jar-Jar-esque silliness, though.\nThe stars of the show here, though, are the robots (a.k.a., the Industrial Light & Magic effects team). "Transformers" marks the third collaboration between Bay and ILM, the first being the disastrous but pretty "Pearl Harbor" and the second being the underwhelming but pretty "The Island." This time, I can say without hesitation that "Transformers" is some of ILM's best work in its 26-year on-screen history, and while we're at it, go ahead and give the sound technicians their Oscars. Very few films give me that itch to spend the thousands of dollars required to upgrade to in-home HD and Dolby Surround, but this one does.\nA single-disc version is out there, but the two-disc special edition is worth the extra cash. Bay offers up some dry commentary on the first disc, and the second disc is all about peeling back the layers of flash and scratching the surface of all of our "How did they do that?" questions. There's also some material explaining the "Transformers" universe to the uninitiated, a.k.a., those among you who didn't spend countless hours of your childhood watching Hasbro videotapes and playing with Optimus Prime and Megatron action figures.\n"Transformers" is the perfect popcorn fare because of its combination of eye-popping visual effects and ear-jarring sound work, along with subtle smarts not usually found in Bay movies. Still, don't pop it in the player expecting anything more than some guilt-free laughs, a couple of gorgeous girls and some well-choreographed robo-carnage.
(10/11/07 4:00am)
Hoosier Hysteria:
(09/27/07 4:00am)
Dane Cook has arguably become the most popular comedian around. His first leading role in last year's "Employee of the Month" failed to let the Dane train leave the station by constraining him within an awful script. Now he's back with the R-rated "Good Luck Chuck." Sadly, the R-rating doesn't capitalize on Cook's vulgar stand-up persona.\nCook plays Charlie "Chuck" Logan, who is hexed during a childhood "7 Minutes in Heaven" game gone awry and discovers that the women he sleeps with find love with the next guy they meet. In the present, Charlie is a dentist who can't seem to say the L-word. When he attends the wedding of a girl he dated just six months previously, and the bride thanks him for being a lucky charm, Chuck notices women start to come on to him more often. At the wedding, he meets quirky penguin-keeper Cam (Jessica Alba), a walking accident of a woman, and falls for her.\nThe plot of "Good Luck Chuck" fails miserably, and the curse seems to exist only so Cook can bed tons of topless women and display myriads of weird sex positions with them, an exploitation of the R-rating. The script uses the "Deuce Bigalow"-esque cliche of making the lead sleep with a fat lady not once, but twice. When Chuck figures out the curse is real and attempts to break it, the solution is predictable.\nCook and Alba have on-screen chemistry, and some of their scenes are cute, but they never truly click, which is probably because neither could act themselves out of a paper bag. Alba pulls off slapstick a little better than I predicted (the penguin-feeding fiasco is painfully fantastic), but after a slew of jokes in the beginning, her clumsy characteristics are seemingly forgotten. The last 30 minutes of the movie, Alba all but disappears aside from Chuck spying on her, making sure she doesn't fall in love with someone else. \nThere are a few laugh-out-loud moments, but many more fall flat. Even with the R-rating, Cook doesn't show any glimpse of his impeccable joke-delivering stand-up greatness.\nWhile he is a stand-up master, Cook's comedy routine doesn't translate to the big screen, and the energy that fuels his stage performance is inexplicably absent. "Good Luck Chuck" is a movie to see if you're a fan of Cook or Alba or even penguins, but if you're looking for hilarious moments, you will be disappointed.
(08/04/07 4:00am)
It's a heady time for plastic guitar lovers. "Guitar Hero Encore: Rocks the 80s" came out on PS2 last week and gave us 30 reasons to roll up the sleeves on those bright shirts, throw on a white sport coats and show 'em what we got. \nHighlights are "I Wanna Rock" by Twisted Sister, "I Ran (So Far Away)" by Flock of Seagulls, "Heat of the Moment" by Asia and "Radar Love" by White Lion.\nIt's fun, but much like the decade itself, the '80s game is a bit of a letdown. Thankfully, half the songs for "Guitar Hero III: Legends of Rock" have been revealed, and they rock quite heavily.\nThe new songs include "Even Flow" by Pearl Jam, "My Name is Jonas" by Weezer, "Paint it, Black" by The Rolling Stones, "Rock and Roll All Nite" by Kiss, "Sabotage" by Beastie Boys, "Slow Ride" by Foghat, "La Grange" by ZZ Top, "Suck My Kiss" by Red Hot Chili Peppers and "Welcome to the Jungle" by Guns N' Roses. The YouTube video for My Name is Jonas got me giddy.\nIt's a pretty solid "who's who" of guitar rock, but I can't help feeling like a number of the all-time heavyweights got snubbed. Led Zeppelin, The Who, Eric Clapton, The Beatles, Phish and Frank Zappa have yet to appear in "Guitar Hero" (probably due to financial concerns), but in my fantasy list, they all get their shot. \nThe '80s game is just an encore, so it's understandable that there aren't any new features. This version is just a quick fix of songs to master until "Guitar Hero III: Legends of Rock" lays down the gauntlet this fall. According to Wikipedia's game summary, there's a multi-layered battle mode which sounds incredible, new guitars and venues and a boss mode where you get to play Slash. Here are 20 songs I'd turn my amp up to 11 for:
(03/06/07 5:00am)
It was the first time that a cook-off was held in Bloomington for a famous Central Asian and Uralic dish. Seven countries competed but only one would take home the trophy for best pilaf – a rice and meat dish.\nA group of more than 150 members of the IU and Bloomington communities attended a pilaf cook-off festival at the Leo R. Dowling International Center on Monday night.\nThe seven groups that competed were the Uyghurs, Tajiks, Uzbeks, Kazakhs, Iranians, Turkmens and a surprise contestant – Americans. Turkey was the only Central Asian country that did not participate.\nFatima Morrisroe, the outreach coordinator for the Inner Asian and Uralic National Resource Center, came up with the idea for the cook-off, saying Central Asian countries have been eating pilaf for centuries, yet students from these countries have never had a competition at IU to determine who made the best dish.\n“The countries have never competed against each other,” Morrisroe said. “The idea behind this pilaf contest is that the winner, whichever country it is, will be the one to cook for the Navruz Festival, a New Year celebration for the coming of spring, on March 24.”\nEvan Muchmore, a graduate student in Central Asian politics and languages, addressing the audience, said that in Uzbekistan, pilaf may have rice, meat, carrots, onions and spices. He said that the most common meat is from lamb.\n“Pilaf is usually eaten once or twice a day,” Muchmore said. “Families usually eat it on Thursday because it means good luck on this day.”\nHe said that in Uzbekistan, it is not polite to tell your guests to leave when an event is over so to signify the finale of an event, pilaf is served.\nWearing a “ton,” a colorful ceremonial outfit for young Muslim men, Muchmore recited an Uzbek proverb.\n“If you have just a little bit of money left, then eat pilaf. If you have just one day left, then eat pilaf,” he said.\nBill Fierman, the director of the Inner Asian and Uralic National Resource Center, said that he hopes participants who are unfamiliar with Central Asian culture will be inspired to learn more about their customs and traditions through cuisine.\n“I think it is important to get a sense of the cuisine of another part of the world and also meet some people from the region,” he said.\nTom Schafbuch, a senior in Slavic languages and political science, who spent time in Russia where he ate frequently at an Uzbek cafe, described the different versions of pilaf he was eating at the contest.\n“Most of it consists of beef and rice. There are many different countries here, so some of them here have salmon, some have chicken, but primarily most are meat, rice and carrots,” he said.\nDavid Knighting, acting president of the Navruz Student Association, said that he wanted the participants to learn about different cultures throughout Central Asia.\n“I hope people appreciate the commonalities but also diversity in this region,” he said.\nDr. Gulnisa Nazarova, a visiting professor teaching the Uyghur language, won the cook-off. Her pilaf was cooked with lamb. The people’s choice award went to the Tajiks.\n“I am very happy,” Nazarova said. “I did not expect to win because I know that all the pilaf was excellent.”\nAdorned with traditional Uzbek attire, Sitora Khatamova, a Fulbright scholar teaching Uzbek, performed a dance to upbeat music.\n“The dance has meaning; the song was about a boy and a girl,” Khatamova said. “He is saying the girl is beautiful and so the hand movements show this.”\nThe judges for the event were Michael Zennie, Indiana Daily Student reporter; Cindy Bradley, food columnist from The Herald-Times; Aggie Sarkissian, cooking instructor from the Bloomington Cooking School and Anne Pyburn, professor in the Department of Anthropology and the Department of Gender Studies.\nPyburn said she had to judge the food on appearance, flavor and texture.\n“All the dishes were very carefully prepared,” she said. “It was a difficult choice to make.”
(03/05/07 5:00am)
Bombay, India, meets Bloomington. \nA colorful Indian celebration with authentic food, music and traditional henna tattooing, or temporary body art, doesn’t have to be half a world away.\nA group of 30 multi-ethnic, multi-racial members of the Bloomington community gathered Friday at the Asian Culture Center to celebrate the Indian Holi Festival, or Festival of Colors, to commemorate the coming of spring.\nHoli is a festival marking the end of winter, the coming of spring and the “season of love.” The colors are a sign of happiness and goodwill, according to the Asian Culture Center.\nThe festival began with a slide show explaining the meaning of the Holi Festival, followed by a brief discussion period with questions from the audience.\nAfterward, participants tasted foods and sampled music from India. \nWendy L. Ho, graduate assistant and student outreach coordinator for the Asian Culture Center, said the event is celebrated annually at IU and the ACC takes part in it every year.\n“There’s a huge misconception that the Asian Culture Center only does things that relate to East Asia,” Ho said. “ In fact, we celebrate events from all over Asia, including Southeast Asia, and I hope participants who came here for the first time learn this about us.”\nAccording to the Society for the Confluence of Festivals in India, an organization in India promoting and preserving Indian culture, Holi is the most energetic and vibrant of Indian festivals. The organization says the festival “celebrates the triumph of good over evil forces and helps to spread harmony and brotherhood in the society.”\nDuring the celebration, participants listened and danced to upbeat Indian music, tasted some authentic Punjabi, or north Indian food, and drank Chai tea.\nOutside, dressed in jeans and T-shirts – or any clothes they did not mind being colored – the participants smeared bright pink, orange and red powder on one another’s faces and arms.\nSenior Rishi Verma, a computer science major, covered from head to toe with bright orange powder, said everybody from India celebrates the annual event. He said the festival was a time for family and friends to gather together.\n“North, south or wherever, everyone celebrates this event,” Verma said. “I came here when my shirt was one color, but as you can you see, that has changed. It’s all fun for everyone.”\nShweta Gupta, a graduate student in math education, said the Holi Festival represents friendship and companionship.\n“It is said that when you have an enemy, you are supposed to smear the colors on the enemy to show friendship or reconciliation,” Gupta said. “It is a time to be happy.”\nFor more information about the Holi Festival, visit the Asian Culture Center’s Web site at www.iub.edu/~acc.
(03/02/07 5:00am)
The continent of Africa – big enough to fit Europe, U.S. and China within its borders – is rich in minerals and resources, but Africans continue to struggle with poverty.\nThe IU African Student Association presented a symposium dubbed “Rich Africa” Wednesday in the Indiana Memorial Union to discuss Africa’s resource and human wealth as well as obstacles and possible solutions.\nA multiethnic, multiracial group of IU students and faculty came together to discuss the stereotypes and portrayals of Africa in Western media and talked about ways to educate others about the positive roles Africa plays in the global economy.\nAxelle Atchade, the president of IUASA, said that the event was an opportunity to discuss the realities of the continent as well as reinforce the positive strides African leaders are taking to make things better.\n“I hope students learned that Africa, first of all, is a continent, not a country, and also that the continent has a lot to offer the world in so many ways,” Atchade said.\nEric Love, IU director of Diversity Education and the moderator of the program, said he hopes participants learned something new and realized the misconceptions about the continent.\n“I hope people here have gained some knowledge and were able to break down some preconceived ideas about Africa,” Love said. “We have heard experts from different disciplines, and I hope the participants are inspired to help in some way.”\nScott Pegg, an IU-Purdue University at Indianapolis professor in the political science department and chairman of the International Friends Committee of Bebor Nursery and Primary School in Bodo City, Ogoni, Nigeria addressed the exploitation of Africa’s natural resources.\n“Most Africans have not benefited from the continent’s wealth,” Pegg said. “It is a phenomenon called the ‘resource curse’ that scholars have arguably said has increased government corruption, misallocation of resources or even no allocation of resources at all.”\nPegg said corrupt governments pocket the money from these resources. Wealth, such as oil from Nigeria and diamonds from Botswana, have been continually extracted from Africa and deposited into wealthier nations like the U.S. and Europe, with little benefit to Africans.\nJeffrey Hart, an IUPUI professor of political science whose research focuses on international politics and political economy, talked about trade relationships between African countries, Europe and the U.S.\n“Who is to blame?” Hart said. “Well, not just some corrupt governments but also big transnational oil and mining companies and the World Bank.”\nHart said that after Sept. 11, U.S. interest has increased in Africa.\n“Because of national security interests, the U.S. has become more involved in Africa,” Hart said. “One good example is the African Growth and Opportunity Act, which allows countries to trade with low or zero tariffs or taxes. … This is good start.”\nUna Okonokwo Osili, IUPUI professor of economics and chair of the African and African-American Studies Committee, discussed the role of African women in development.\nOsili emphasized the role of female education in Africa, calling it the “magic bullet” that would not only empower African women but help also children.\n“We can improve problems like child health, child nutrition, fertility and health care because educated women have smaller and healthier families,” she said. “When you educate a woman, you educate a nation.”
(02/28/07 5:00am)
In the spirit of “umoja” a Swahili word for “unity,” more than 150 members of the Bloomington community celebrated life, cultural identity and the deep ancestral roots of people of African descent.\nA group of multi-ethnic, multi-racial IU students, faculty, staff and Bloomington residents joined together Tuesday to celebrate the Africana Festival at the Alumni Hall in the Indiana Memorial Union.\nThe Africana Festival is an inclusive, educational program aimed at celebrating the heritage of people of African descent with the residents of Southern Indiana, according to the Office of Academic Support and Diversity.\nThe event included a prayer, a “Soul Food” dinner and various forms of entertainment.\nOyibo Afoaku, director of the Neal-Marshall Black Culture Center, said that the program is part of the Black History Month programming sponsored by the Black Culture Center and many other organizations and student groups on campus.\nDe’Ondray Pope, emcee and one of the presenters for the program, explained the meaning of the term “Africana” and the significance of the event.\n“Africana Festival is an event to bring together people from the African Diaspora – whether you are African-American, Caucasian, or even a native of Africa,” Pope said. “We are coming together to embrace the African culture – a culture is all about togetherness.”\nIntidane A. Moore, vice-president of the African Student Association, who has been helping set up the program for the past two years, said he was elated to see an array of people.\n“I hope we can continue gathering together and learn more about each other’s culture,” Moore said.\nSome IU faculty were involved in the event, performing on stage as well as setting up information boards about non-profit work.\nSamuel G. Obeng, a professor in the Department of Linguistics, performed the libation, or opening prayer, from his native country Ghana.\n“During libation, or prayer, you invite God or ‘kwame,’ Mother Earth and your ancestors to the prayer,” Obeng said. \n“You praise the ancestors for their blessings, pray for society, and your own well being.”\nAnn Marie Thomson, an adjunct professor in SPEA, who was born and raised in Congo, set up a bulletin board promoting her non-profit organization, Giving Back Africa.\n“Our goal is to foster education and community service in Congo,” Thomson said. “We support an orphanage, a secondary school and a university.” \nDiane Bolden-Taylor, professor of voice at the University of Colorado and an IU alumna who studied in Europe for 17 years, sang an African American spiritual called “He’s Got the Whole World in His Hands” by Margaret Barnes.\nBolden-Taylor told the crowd that African-American music is the root of jazz, pop and rock, as well as classical music.\n“It’s my duty and honor to expose black folks and white folks to classical music,” Bolden-Taylor said. “We cannot forget many black composers who have created numerous symphonies. We have a rich culture. It is not just one-sided but has many sides.”\nThe Africana Festival also included music from the Jazz Combo, step shows from the Alpha Phi Alpha fraternity and Zeta Phi Beta sorority and many others.
(02/13/07 11:12pm)
At age 15, his courage changed the face of public education. On Sept. 25, 1957, he and eight other black students integrated Central High School in Little Rock, Ark.\nTerrance Roberts will be lecturing from 7 to 8:30 p.m. today in the Grand Hall of the Neal-Marshall Black Culture Center. Roberts will talk about educational issues and desegregation in the public school system. The event is free and open to the public.\nTiffany Combs, program coordinator for the Vice President of Institutional Development and Student Affairs said that Roberts' lecture appropriately falls on the 50th anniversary of the Little Rock Nine's desegregation of Central High School.\n"The lecture is part of (IU's) Black History Month program," Combs said, "Roberts will be speaking on issues about desegregation, diversity, minorities in higher education and the importance of Black History Month."\nCombs emphasized the historical relevance of the actions of the Little Rock Nine.\nAccording to the Little Rock Nine Foundation Web site, Roberts and other high school students challenged social norms and decided to uphold the decision of the Supreme Court's groundbreaking 1954 case, Brown v. the Board of Education of Topeka, which banned racial segregation in schools. \nIU law professor Kevin D. Brown said in a press release that schools have actually been experiencing resegregation for the past 15 years, further separating blacks and Latinos from whites. \nRoberts will be addressing this trend as well as issues of desegregation that have been practiced for many years in public education, Combs said.\nCombs encouraged members of the general public to attend the lecture.\n"We would like to see students, staff, faculty and the community come out to the event," she said.\nCombs said that Roberts will be the only member of the Little Rock Nine coming to IU because scheduling conflicts prevented others from attending.\n"We would have liked to have more members come to speak, but they are all busy and have other speaking engagements," Combs said.\nTimberly Carter, a graduate student assistant for the Vice President of Institutional Development and Student Affairs, said that the event is significant because it allows students to reflect on progress in the educational system.\n"I think it is important to talk about integration because we are a public institution," Carter said. "Because of where we are (with integration at IU) right now, we need to look at the struggles they went through and appreciate what they did."\nTo learn more about this and other events planned for Black History Month, visit www.indiana.edu/~bhm/events.html for more information.
(02/09/07 4:42am)
Almost a year after Hurricane Katrina, 82-year old Herbert Gettridge is still rebuilding his home in the lower 9th Ward, one of the poorest and most deserted areas in New Orleans.\nMore than 85 percent of the residents, mostly poor, mostly black, were homeowners before the storm dispersed them around the nation. More than likely, former residents are renting apartments or homes elsewhere, according to Maria Lovett's video narrative "Perseverance."\nLovett, a doctoral candidate in educational policy studies at the University of Illinois and a film instructor, showed raw video footage to a group of 30 students and staff Thursday night about one man's plight to rebuild his home.\nShe said she decided to create the documentary to explore "issues of representation" in the media.\n"When I say 'the representation,'" Lovett said, "I am referring to how people are represented in the media -- how they are positioned by the camera and how American citizens are termed 'refugees.'"\nLovett said creating the documentary reinforced her own ideas about race and class in the U.S. She said race continues to be major factor in the lack of governmental response and aid after the hurricane.\n"The storm washed away America's ability to deny that racism and economic instability do not exist," she said. "Just last week, there were 300 kids -- American citizens -- who could not get into the public school systems in New Orleans. That says a lot."\nRasul Mowatt, an IU assistant professor in the Recreation, Park and Tourism Studies Department who helped organize the event, expressed what he hoped participants learned from the documentary.\n"I hope students get a more personalized sense of what happened during the actual disaster, but more so afterwards," Mowatt said.\nMowatt said he hopes students understand there are displaced residents who want to return home but the government has not reached out to them to allow them to do so.\n"A lot of the areas are also gone and barren even if people want to go home," he said.\nMowatt said he wants participants to challenge media coverage -- to think about New Orleans residents not only as victims but as human beings who are returning to the city and rebuilding homes and property they once owned.\n"This area had the highest home ownership," Mowatt said. "They were poor, but at least they owned their home -- that's important to remember."\nHeather Meece, a senior in tourism management who volunteered in New Orleans in December 2005 and December 2006, reflected on what she learned from the documentary.\n"The most interesting thing was to see his (Gettridge's) individual experience and what he had to go through," she said. "It wasn't just a generalized view of the people in New Orleans."\nMeece said her own ideas about racism in the country were only reinforced by the documentary.\n"Racism still exists, and whenever you see the media footage, it still shows the residents in a negative light," she said. "It still exists, whether or not people acknowledge it"
(02/02/07 7:15pm)
Each rhythm, tap and rattle of the drum summoned the beginning of a celebration.\nOne by one, they took turns beating the drum, saying a prayer of thanksgiving and blessings, much like their African ancestors past.\nA group of 50 students, faculty and staff attended the Fifth Annual Sound the Drum and Family Fest to celebrate the beginning of Black History Month on Thursday night at the Neal-Marshall Black Culture Center.\nOyibo Afoaku, the director of the center, said the drum symbolizes unity and solidarity in African societies. Some participants expressed appreciation for their family, friends and education. Others asked for peace and racial unity on the IU campus.\nAfoaku said she hopes participants learned to think more collectively.\n"I hope they learned to think about the community, not just only about themselves, but learn more collectively, not individually," she said.\nKwesi Brown, a graduate student in ethnomusicology, showed the crowd different drumming styles, including some styles from his native country, Ghana. \n"The master drummer is a link between the living and the ancestral world," he said. "That is how we communicate with our ancestors."\nJheremy Perkins, a freshman studying political science, said he attended the program to participate in a campus activity.\n"I wanted to get more involved with programming the Black Student Union promotes," he said. " I came out to support the black community and share our culture with others."\nCarol Reynolds, staff member at the Teaching Resource Center, said she learned that people of every background can come together and enjoy each other's culture.\n"I have really enjoyed this program," she said. "We all have something to learn from each other."\nAshley Gooch, a sophomore studying biochemistry, said she has never experienced anything like this before. She said she was happy she decided to attend the ceremony.\n"It was good for everyone to share their blessings and hopes for everyone else"
(02/01/07 5:08am)
They will talk candidly about leadership and education opportunities. They will talk about socio-economic issues, and how race and gender can affect opportunities -- as men of color. \nA group of multi-ethnic men will attend the third annual Men of Color Leadership Conference on Saturday at the Neal-Marshall Black Culture Center to discuss a range of issues affecting minority men.\nThe conference targets concerns related to African-American, Asian-American, Hispanic and American-Indian men, according to an IU news release. Some of the workshops will focus on leadership, cultivating cultural awareness and improving self-image. \n"We want to create a venue to talk about issues that impact them, empower them, and so then they can return to their communities and use those skills," said Patrick Smith, director of the Faculty and Staff for Student Excellence Mentoring Program.\nSome of the topics that will be discussed are immigration, media portrayals of male minorities, coalition, relationships between men and women, academic excellence and networking.\nThe conference strives "to empower them with the skills and knowledge needed to foster academic success; establish a support network; support the goal of graduation; and improve personal achievement by influencing leadership through representing unity and a commitment to the collective betterment of humankind," according to the Men of Color Leadership Conference mission statement.\nSmith said that the turnout of the upcoming conference is promising.\n"We are expecting between 100 and 150 people," he said. "They won't all be IU students -- they will come from all over Indiana. Some will be from Morgan State University in Maryland, Savannah State in Georgia and Eastern Illinois University."\nSmith said that over the years, registration has been steady, pulling in between 150 to 200 participants each year.\n"This year we are setting the cap at about 150," he said.\nParticipants from the conference will not only benefit from networking opportunities and educational skills from various speakers, educators and professionals, but will also be able to take home conference material.\n"Participants will be able to take home a souvenir bag, IU-related items, as well as have access to materials presented by speakers," Smith said.\nCivil-rights activist Juan Andrade Jr., president of the U.S. Hispanic Leadership Institute, will be the keynote speaker at the conference.\nIn addition, the Commission for the Status of Black Males will present a report at the conference.\nSmith noted that sponsorship for the conference will allow some participants to attend the conference at no cost.\n"We understand that the $50 fee may be difficult for college students, and we are grateful that our sponsors and supplementary resources were able to help students," he said.\nFor more information on the Men of Color Leadership Conference, visit www.indiana.edu/~moc.
(01/29/07 2:16am)
Lyrical sounds and sing-song rhythms bellowed from the depths of their souls. "Spoken word," or simply poetry, an expressive art form in African-American culture, rang throughout the Willkie Auditorium Friday night.\nThe purpose of the poetry slam and "rap battle" was to encourage participants to talk about issues such as positive black role models, the black experience, activism and the "power of one," according to a flier from the CommUnity Education Program, a group that promotes diversity awareness in residence halls.\nCommUnity Education Program staff member Stephanie Philips, who facilitated the program, talked about the inspiration behind the poetry slam and rap battle.\n"The programming was tied in with the 'power of one,' the theme for the Martin Luther King Jr. celebration, which is basically challenging us to understand each other and learn together, to solve social ills," Philips said.\nShe said her main goal was to allow people to feel comfortable talking about their experiences and understand the overall importance of expression, regardless of race.\n"I would hope that participants got a better idea of what it means to be black in America," Philips said. "I think we observed a lot through the different performers that everyone has his or her own experiences to share and we can all learn from that, regardless of our background."\nSome of the performers talked about the poetry and rap they performed on stage. Some talked about personal experiences; others spoke about social change.\nAmber Daniel, a freshman in apparel merchandising, read a poem called "Darkness."\n"The poem challenges nursery rhymes for kids from back in the day, which said it wasn't good to be black," she said. \nDaniel said the poem is about empowerment and honoring her African origin.\nTrinette Mumford, a senior in recreational sports management, read a poem called "Why am I Black?"\n"It's supposed to be a prayer," she said. "(It's) asking God why can't we all be the same color."\nOther participants spoke about varied topics such as self-empowerment, politics and love.\nJunior Steve Gaskin performed a rap song he wrote called, "The World is Cold and my Friends are Few," about empowerment and overcoming adversity.\nFreshman Edward Watters questioned the reasons for the war in Iraq in his poem, "I am here now."\nWilliam Nichols III, a freshman studying religion, read a poem titled "That Smile," about a girl from his hometown who he hadn't met until he came to IU.\nTyrone Allen, a safety and health management graduate student, said that he liked the program because it was lively and light-hearted.\n"I thought there were going to be a lot more people but I know it's Friday," he said. "But overall I was satisfied with the program"
(01/26/07 4:27am)
In a room filled with the aroma of baked bread and the soft sounds of traditional Venezuelan acoustic guitar, two young women kneaded dough, much like their ancestors had done for generations in Caracas, Venezuela.\nCooking is a major part of Latin American life and culture, bringing family and friends together, said senior accounting major Kimberly Roberts.\nThe Latino Culture Center, La Casa, held a cooking demonstration Wednesday night to show students how to make arepas, flattened baked bread filled with eggs, tomatoes, onions and ham. The ingredients stuffed inside the bread are collectively termed "perico" and can be compared to Hot Pockets.\nRoberts, one of the facilitators of the cooking demonstration, said cooking is a way to honor the traditions and customs of relatives past.\n"My grandmother always said that if you do not cook with love, the food that you cook will turn out ugly," Roberts said.\nRoberts told students that arepas were very easy to make and could be eaten any time of the day -- breakfast, lunch and even dinner.\nOne of the other cooks, IU alumna Marua Leon, discussed what she hopes students learned about Venezuelan history from the cooking demonstration.\n"When we take arepas out of the oven and do it by hand, it's showing that our ancestors did not have the utensils and even burned their hands to provide food for their families," she said.\nLeon also stressed that she hoped students learned that Latino culture is diverse.\n"Venezuelan culture is different from Mexican, Puerto Rican, Dominican and Cuban culture," she said. "Even if we speak the same language, we are very diverse in customs, traditions and culture."\nMatt Graf, a senior majoring in Informatics, said he was interested in the event because he wanted to learn something new about another culture.\n"I don't know much about Venezuelan cooking, and I want to experience new food from another country," he said.\nMindy Metzcar, a graduate assistant for La Casa, said she hopes to see the participants come back to the center.\n"I hope students learned that La Casa is a welcoming environment and they can learn something new about Latino culture every day of the week," she said.
(01/23/07 4:44am)
The Asian American Association sponsored a discussion, titled "Who Are Asian-Pacific-Americans?" on Friday to discuss how the efforts of civil-rights leader Martin Luther King Jr. and nonviolent protests have affected the Asian-Pacific American community.\nThe discussion was the first installment of a series of similar presentations by the group.\nStudents talked Friday about how nonviolent protests not only positively affected black communities in the civil-rights era, but were also evident in movements in Asian and Mexican-American communities. Students also talked about contemporary social controversies, including the racial and political implications of Hurricane Katrina and diversity concerns on the IU campus. Other widely discussed topics included gay rights and racism on campus.\nJunior Samantha Loo, moderator and advocacy chairperson of the Asian American Association, said she got involved in the group because of her interest in what it does. \n"I am really interested in cultural and political issues," Loo said. "I am a gender-studies major and learn a lot about issues concerning gender and sexuality."\nLoo said her job as advocacy chair is to promote diversity and awareness about Asian-American culture.\nShe also explained the term that sparked the discussion.\n"'Asian-Pacific American' is an inclusive term that means any type of Asian and also the Pacific Islands," Loo said. "And we throw in the word 'American' because a lot of people don't understand the difference between Asians and Asian-Americans, and it could apply to Americanized Asians or Asians who have migrated here from a different country and have integrated (into) American culture.\nLoo said she wants people to be aware of what's happening in their community, and she also hopes to influence others to change or improve society.\nWendy Ho, the graduate assistant and student outreach coordinator at the Asian Culture Center, said the planning process for the discussion series takes into account current events as well as broad social issues.\n"The talk series has been at the center for the couple of years," Ho said. "A lot of the ideas of programs come from our director. We sit down with the advocacy chair for the Asian American Association and try to incorporate topics that are relevant to the month."\nHo said topics relate to all sorts of issues, including the Asian female for Women's History Month and interracial dating for Valentine's Day.\nLoo said other topics that will be covered include the model-minority myth -- the idea that Asians represent an ideal group of people who have succeeded in American society. Ho said she wants participants in the discussion series to explore other social and cultural perspectives.\n"I hope it brought a different perspective, since we are all usually caught up in our own bubbles or comfort zones," Ho said. "We are not trying to preach or talk about a certain belief or attitudes"
(01/23/07 4:42am)
Music, meaning and movement are three words that describe the conversations between a diverse group of about 20 students during a discussion about the link between hip-hop music and social struggles -- particularly civil rights.\nThe CommUNITY Education Program hosted a discussion dubbed "The Meaning Behind the Lyrics" in the lobby of Read Center on Jan. 18. Participants talked about how hip-hop lyrics are linked to slavery struggles and the civil-rights movement.\nThe purpose of such programming is to "foster respect and understanding in all residence hall communities and to create an environment that seeks, welcomes and values all people," according to CUE's mission statement.\nStudents discussed the origin of hip-hop songs by analyzing lyrics from such artists as Tupac Shakur, Common and Talib Kweli. They also discussed the lyrics of rhythm and blues artists such as Alicia Keys and Curtis Mayfield as well as reggae artist Bob Marley.\nJunior Jorge Wellmann, a CUE staff member, led the discussion. He expressed his desire in holding a discussion about the meaning of hip-hop lyrics, saying that looking back into history reveals songs that inspired social change in many communities.\n"When you look at the rap industry now, many artists have enough power and money to inspire youth to wear certain clothing," Wellmann said, "and I think they can also do the same by inspiring social change."\nWellmann said the purpose of the program was to highlight the positive influence of hip-hop music, instead of the negativity surrounding the genre.\n"I want students to do their research reading through different lyrics and try to find the meaning and message of certain lyrics," Wellmann said. \nWellmann hopes participants learned that they have the power to make a change in their communities and that students can initiate that change, big or small.\nHe became interested in hip-hop lyrics and their connection to social change because he has family involved in the music industry, he said. He understood that even though there are artists who want to produce positive music, the pressures of success can limit those positive voices, producing only a mainstream, often commercialized form of hip-hop.\nSophomore Ta'Vonna Robertson, a resident assistant at Read Center, worked closely with CUE in helping organize the program. \n"We have been planning programs like these since we got back into school," Robertson said.\nRobertson said they have a committee for each program that is hosted. About five RAs worked on the program, she said.\nRobertson said she hoped students learned a great deal from the program. She emphasized that some hip-hop lyrics speak about empowerment, hope and stories about strife and struggle.\n"I hope the people learn that when you listen to the lyrics of rap music, it's not always about violence, drugs or being in a gang," she said. "Some things send a positive message and are near and dear to our communities and do have power."\nTo learn more about CUE events, visit www.cue.indiana.edu.
(01/18/07 5:08am)
A group of 30 students, staff and faculty joined together to prepare foods from diverse cultures and discuss the meaning of social change Wednesday night at the Helene G. Simon Hillel Center.\nThe event, dubbed "Power of One, Community of All," is part of the campus-wide celebration of the life and legacy of civil rights activist Martin Luther King Jr.\nLillian Casillas, Director of La Casa Latino Cultural Center, said it was an opportunity for participants to meet new people, learn about other cultures and discuss the importance of social change in the community.\nJean-Christophe Henry, a senior from France, talked about his experience on the Civil Rights Immersion Trip this weekend, where 55 from IU visited Birmingham, Al.\nHenry said he met an Alabama resident who said race relations have not changed and are more difficult now than during the segregation period. Henry emphasized that the civil rights movement is not over, and initiating social change is everyone's responsibility.\nIn addition to the discussion of race, culture and social change, participants prepared food from different cultural backgrounds. Casillas said that a representative from the Muslim Student Association showed the participants how to make hummus.\nThe Asian Culture Center contributed egg rolls; the Gay, Bisexual, Lesbian and Transgender Student Support Services contributed a rainbow fruit salad; and the Neal-Marshall Black Culture Center contributed carrot and cucumber salad.\nSenior Khalil AbuGharbieh, president of the Muslim Student Union, said he decided to be a part of the event because it was a gathering of people from so many different backgrounds.\n"I had never heard of it before, and it is amazing that we are involved in an event like this," AbuGharbieh said. "This is the first time the Muslim Student Union is involved and it's amazing."\nGulshan Patil, a graduate student from India, said he came because he wanted to learn more about Martin Luther King Jr. \n"I want to gain as much knowledge as possible. I have been going to lectures, seminars and different functions to learn more about the civil rights leader." \nKetwana Wilson, a graduate assistant from the Neal-Marshall Black Culture Center expressed what the "Power of One" theme meant to her.\n"Everyone has the responsibility to make social change occur," she said. "And one person can definitely make a difference, no matter how big or small"
(01/16/07 5:39pm)
BIRMINGHAM, Ala. -- All of us are in this struggle together. The struggle is not over.\nThis year's Civil Rights Immersion Trip to Birmingham, hosted by the CommUnity Education Program, was successful because it challenged the notions that civil-rights struggles were a "black issue" and that the movement is over.\nFrom Burma to Bloomington, France to Florida, Pakistan to Pennsylvania, blacks, whites, Latinos, Arabs, Asians, women and men -- all came together to learn more about courageous individuals behind the civil rights struggle. \nTaking the "Freedom Walk" in Kelly Ingram Park, along a trail of the neatly paved concrete leading to sculptures of activists, one cannot help but stare back at the glaring eyes of history.\nWhen you arrive in Birmingham, the remnants of segregation are still apparent. Clear economic divisions between what is "black" and "white" are evident in neighborhoods, businesses and even restaurants.\nGregory Lewis, a 62-year-old retired black man, told me a gloomy story about when the 16th Street Baptist Church was bombed by the Ku Klux Klan on Sept. 15, 1963.\nLewis was working on the other side of town when a loud bang ripped through the streets like thunder. No one knew who did it, but the news spread quickly. Four little girls, who had been getting ready in the bathroom, were killed by the bomb.\nHe said he cannot forget that day. He also said that while laws have changed some of that mentality remains.\nLewis sat at the stairs below the church, waiting for the bus. Poor, retired and critical about race relations in Alabama, he waited patiently for the bus that he said at one time would not always pick him up and would seat blacks in the back. \n"When I was younger, I used to wonder if I would ever sit in the front of the bus," Lewis said with a grin before he walked off.\nSpeakers, film series, photography and sculptures from the Civil Rights Institute, Kelly Ingram Park and the 16th Street Baptist Church depicted the harsh existence of freedom fighters. \nOrdinary people, all a part of an extraordinary experience, were beaten, harassed, jailed and killed by police for attempting to integrate buses, restaurants, schools and neighborhoods.\nAt the end of the excursion, students had the opportunity to reflect on what they had seen, what they had heard. A dialogue about race and slavery ensued. Some thoughts were eye-opening. Others revealed that more dialogue was needed.\nA student said it was difficult for her to talk about "black issues" because she did not want to be misunderstood and offend someone.\nAnother student stated that she did not like to see the images and asked why whites today are held responsible for something that happened a long time ago.\nOne student replied that the wealth from slavery was passed down from generation to generation and that the majority receives those benefits today.\nThe Civil Rights Immersion trip was successful because it exposed discrimination experienced by all races and challenged the notion that the struggle was over. Conversations on civil rights quickly pulled in issues of human rights in developing countries. More importantly, the trip created a safe space for dialogue about race.
(01/12/07 2:42am)
Oil and watercolor paintings by Bloomington artists, lithographs signed by famous artists such as Marc Chagall, Joan Miro and Georges Braque, as well as an evening dress worn by Jane Fonda in the movie "Monster in Law" will all be auctioned off at 5 p.m. Saturday.\nMiddle Way House, a domestic violence and rape crisis center, will hold its annual art auction Saturday at the Neal-Marshall Black Culture Center, according to Jimmie Dean Coffey Auctions and Realty's Web site.\nThe money for the annual Middle Way art auction will be used to maintain the center, which helps battered women and children.\nSigned lithographs by Chagall, Miro, and Braque; African- and Asian-folk art and numerous oil and watercolor paintings from local Bloomington artists will all be auctioned. Other interesting items for sale are Fonda's evening dress and a drawing from Joe Petts, a political cartoonist who used to work for the Herald-Times newspaper.\nIn addition, participants will have the opportunity to sample live music, a wine bar and hors d'oeuvres by FoodWorks.\nBobbie Summers, the event's coordinator, said this is the second year the art auction will be hosted on its own. \n"In the past, we collaborated with the IU School of Music to host a fundraising event, Night at the Opera," she said, "However, last year it was so successful it stood on its own and we decided to do it again."\nSummers said many people spent time and energy making the project possible.\n"Mollie Lemon, an IU intern; Stephanie Burks, a volunteer, and members of the board of directors and many Bloomington residents spent nine months developing and planning the event," she said.\nSummers pointed out that WFIU, a local National Public Radio affiliate, gave the art auction visibility and exposure in the Bloomington community.\nToby Strout, executive director of Middle Way House, said the items on sale are rare, with some being expensive and others being more affordable. \n"We have $30,000 worth of items," Strout said. "In past times, we have had a lot of support from the IU campus and the local Bloomington community," she said.\nMiddle Way House serves Bloomington by providing a telephone hotline for abused women and girls, legal support, emergency child care, emergency crisis intervention, counseling and a shelter.\n"We want to raise funds to support these basic and emergencies services," Strout said.\nMiddle Way House is also raising funds for a building called New Wings. The building will offer office space, daycare programs and transitional living in the old Coca-Cola bottling plant on Third Street. The House bought the property with sponsorship from the Business Investment Incentive, Housing and Neighborhood Development, Landmark Historic Preservation and the Bloomington Urban Enterprise Association, according the Middle Way House Web site.\nFor more information on the annual Middle Way House auction, call 333-7404 or visit http://www.bloomington.in.us/~mwhouse.
(01/11/07 5:33am)
For the fourth year in a row, students, faculty and staff will take a bus tour dubbed the "Civil Rights Immersion Trip" from Jan. 12 through 14 to Birmingham, Ala. \nThey are scheduled to visit civil rights landmarks, such as the Birmingham Civil Rights Institute, Kelly Ingram Park and the 16th St. Baptist Church.\nThe trip, sponsored by CommUNITY Education Program or CUE, is part of a week-long series of activities celebrating the life and contributions of civil rights leader Martin Luther King Jr., according to the MLK Committee.\nThe trip will also highlight other civil rights leaders such as Rosa Parks, according to the CUE Web site.\nBarry Magee, assistant director for Diversity Education in the division of Residential Programs and Services, said that 55 students, faculty and staff will be attending the trip, with undergraduate students making up 80 percent of the participants. One high school student will be attending as well.\nSome participants on past trips had never been to the South or out of Indiana, Magee said.\nParticipants were asked to pay a $20 registration fee on a first come, first serve basis, he said. The trip was full by Dec. 20.\n"The registration fee covers the bus ride, hotel, entrance to museums and one meal -- a low cost due to all the sponsors that gave to the trip," Magee said. "Individuals will be responsible for other meals and anything else they wish to buy."\nParticipants will take part in "reflection sessions," discussions about the various topics they will learn throughout the trip. \nThe group will also watch movies related to civil rights struggles, such as "Eyes on the Prize," and "4 Little Girls."\nOne stop on the trip is the historical 16th St. Baptist Church, once a center of life for blacks in Alabama and a target of hate crimes by racist groups, according to the Birmingham Civil Rights Institute.\n"We will be visiting the 16th St. Baptist Church that has a history of being bombed," he said. "We will visit the jail where Martin Luther King, Jr. was held and Kelly Ingram Park," Magee said.\nJust talking about Martin Luther King, Jr. is a completely different feeling than actually standing in the church where he was a minister and gave his inspiring speeches, Magee said.\nThe trip has catered to a diverse body of students, faculty and staff since its inception.\nLast year a graduate student, who was not a U.S. citizen, participated in the 1989 protest in China's Tiananmen Square, attended the trip, Magee said. \n"We have had a number of white and Latino students," he said. "Diverse individuals bring different perspectives."\nDiscussions about civil rights generally cause people to think about African-Americans, but the group's diversity helps them understand struggles in other communities as well, Magee said.\n"Diversity brings richness to common struggle," he said.\nPrevious Civil Rights Immersion trips have visited Montgomery, Ala. and Memphis, Tenn.\nFor more information, visit the CommUNITY Education Program Web site at www.cue.indiana.edu or the MLK Committee Web site at www.indiana.edu/~mlkjr.