Panel focuses on race relations, experiences
Institutional racism, Eau Claire's diversity highlight discussion
Luke Anderson
Issue date: 4/30/09 Section: Campus News
A variety of local men and women from different cultures in the Eau Claire area discussed race relations and personal experiences Tuesday night at Stella Blues, 306 E. Madison St., as part of the panel discussion "Can We Talk About It?"
The panel included David Shih, associate professor of English and Diversity Fellow at UW-Eau Claire; Evan Xiong, director of the Hmong Mutual Association; Mimi Vollmar, an African-American attorney; Jesse Dixon, director of the Office of Multicultural Affairs at UW-Eau Claire; and Mireya Sigala de Kirby, a graduate of UW-Eau Claire and Spanish-English interpreter.
Don Christian, dean of the College Arts and Sciences, moderated the discussion. He said the discussion was important in getting the community involved in race relations.
"We want to talk about what these experiences are like and how they differ for white people and people of color," Christian said. "We should think about how our communities are affected by racial bias and what kind of concerns we should have about racial equity to build strong communities and fair opportunities for everyone."
Large segments of the community ranging from university officials to local teachers had personal conversation for more than two hours. Topics discussed included how to improve Eau Claire's diversity, how to deal with questions about race with children and multiple experiences non-whites have faced.
One of Shih's goals is to have more honest conversation about race. He feels what often is ignored is institutional racism, which are organized policies and practices that privilege whites and disadvantage people of color, often inadvertently or unintentionally.
"Institutional racism persists regardless of the mindset of the people within that system," he said. "That is one of the most provisos forms of racism that exists in our society. ... One of the most common examples … is the criminal justice system and drug sentencing laws for possession of cocaine."
The panel included David Shih, associate professor of English and Diversity Fellow at UW-Eau Claire; Evan Xiong, director of the Hmong Mutual Association; Mimi Vollmar, an African-American attorney; Jesse Dixon, director of the Office of Multicultural Affairs at UW-Eau Claire; and Mireya Sigala de Kirby, a graduate of UW-Eau Claire and Spanish-English interpreter.
Don Christian, dean of the College Arts and Sciences, moderated the discussion. He said the discussion was important in getting the community involved in race relations.
"We want to talk about what these experiences are like and how they differ for white people and people of color," Christian said. "We should think about how our communities are affected by racial bias and what kind of concerns we should have about racial equity to build strong communities and fair opportunities for everyone."
Large segments of the community ranging from university officials to local teachers had personal conversation for more than two hours. Topics discussed included how to improve Eau Claire's diversity, how to deal with questions about race with children and multiple experiences non-whites have faced.
One of Shih's goals is to have more honest conversation about race. He feels what often is ignored is institutional racism, which are organized policies and practices that privilege whites and disadvantage people of color, often inadvertently or unintentionally.
"Institutional racism persists regardless of the mindset of the people within that system," he said. "That is one of the most provisos forms of racism that exists in our society. ... One of the most common examples … is the criminal justice system and drug sentencing laws for possession of cocaine."
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