[Peace] Racism, Power, and Privilege @UIUC Thursday, February 1, 2006, 4:00 – 6:00PM

[Lori Serb]

Hi all,

We need to pack the house! Follenger has 1700 seats and the University 
has done little to promote this event, it has been the volunteer time 
and effort of students, faculty and community members like myself.

I am helping to coordinate the open mic slots and Q&A session, if you 
have a comment (under two minutes) that you want to say to Pres. White 
and other Admins. please email me. This portion is for the Admins to 
listen not respond--so let me know if you want to be part of it and I 
will make arrangements. The Q &A needs submissions that can be typed on 
index cards that will ask for a 2min response from admins. Let me know 
if you have a question you would like the moderators to ask.

Lori
laserb at shout.net


****  PRESS RELEASE  ****

  - FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE  -
.
RACISM, POWER, AND PRIVILEGE AT UIUC:
A FREE AND OPEN FORUM FOR ALL CAMPUS AND COMMUNITY MEMBERS


WHEN:  Thursday, February 1, 2006, 4:00 – 6:00PM

WHERE: Foellinger Auditorium, 709 S. Matthews Ave., Urbana, IL

WHO:  Co-sponsored by the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign,
Chancellor’s Office and organized by Student Transforming
Oppression and Privilege (S.T.O.P.), a multiethnic coalition of students,
faculty and community members.

WHAT: Students, faculty, and community members, will have the 
opportunity to
voice their frustrations and concerns regarding the racist and hostile
environment of the University of Illinois, Urbana-Champaign (UIUC)
campus.  Members of the University administration will participate in a
panel to openly listen to feedback and provide answers to poignant
questions regarding the future development of a safe and open
environment for the campus community.

Scheduled to participate on the panel include:
- President B. Joe White  - Vice Chancellor of Affairs
- Chancellor Richard Herman   - Dean of Students

This forum is a direct result of requests that students made in the 2006 
Fall
Semester after student protests in response to the racist exchange that 
took
place at a UIUC sorority and fraternity “Tacos and Tequilas” party on
October 5, 2006.   This racist exchange mirrors similar incidents at other
universities across the country (e.g., University of Texas “Ghetto
Fabulous” party, Tarleton State University “MLK Party”, John Hopkins
“Halloween in the Hood” party) and is linked to a long history of racism,
privilege, and intolerance at UIUC that has continued since these parties
with increased threats to safety (e.g., threats to Native American students
on UIUC Facebook group).

University of Illinois students, faculty and community members will call
on the UIUC administration to end acts of racist hostility and provide a
safe and open environment for all members of the UIUC community.

SOURCE:  Students Transforming Oppression and Privilege (STOP)

CONTACTS: action at iresist.org