Theme Semester

March Diversity theme semester events

All are free and open to the public.

March 16, 4 p.m., Rackham Auditorium. "Race in Black and White: Different Perspectives from Recent Research," a panel discussion featuring authors Abigail Thernstrom (America in Black and White), Tamar Jacoby (Someone Else's House) and James Jackson (New Directions in Thinking About Race in America: African Americans in a Diversifying Nation). The panelists will present their views and take questions from the audience. Sponsored by Dialogues on Diversity, www.dialogues.umich.edu.

  • March 17, 3 p.m., atrium , C.C. Little Bldg. Tohono O'odham (Pima) Native American music will be presented by Esther and Jake Escalante as part of the course, "Popular Culture and Multicultural Practices." Escalante works for the Dallas/Fort Worth school district in multicultural education. Her brother is chief of the O'odham in Arizona. They will demonstrate the music, waila, and discuss its role as dance music and the use of borderland instrumentation. For more information, contact James Standifer, jstand@umich.edu.

  • March 19, concert, Pendleton Room, Michigan Union, 9:30 a.m.-1 p.m. March 20, 2 p.m., educational workshop, Kuenzel Room, Michigan Union. Sones de Mexico, a folk musical ensemble from Chicago, specializing in Mexican traditional music. Sponsored by Alianza Latino/a. For more information, contact Veronica Sanchez, rannysan@umich.edu, or Diana Derige, dderige@umich.edu.

  • March 20, 9 a.m.-6 p.m., Michigan League. "Coloring Outside the Lines: Third Annual Conference on the Mixed Experience" sponsored by the Minority Marrow Donor Coalition (MMDC) and Mixed Initiative, an interest group for students who identify as bi/multiracial, multi-ethnic, and/or transracially adopted. There will be a keynote speaker and sessions on a variety of topics. The MMDC will make a presentation and draw blood for the national registry. For more information, contact Summer Del Prete, sdelpre@umich.edu.

  • March 23, noon, Institute for the Humanities, Rackham Bldg., and 2:30-4 p.m., Residential College Auditorium. Christopher Paul Curtis, winner of the Hopwood and Newberry awards, and author of The Watsons Go to Birmingham, will talk about his writing. Co-sponsored by the Isenberg Fund, the Hopwood Room and the Residential College.

  • March 24, 7 p.m., Vandenberg Room, Michigan League. "Before the Bleach Gets Us All: Our National Retreat from Affirmative Action-What Are Our Responsibilities?" A lecture by Michelle Fine, professor of psychology, City University of New York, Graduate Center. Her recent books include The Unknown City (with Lois Weis, 1998), Becoming Gentlemen (with Lani Guinier, 1997), Off-White Readings on Society, Race and Culture (with Linda Powell, Lois Weis and Mun Wong, 1996) and Beyond Silenced Voices: Class, Race and Gender in American Schools (with Lois Weis, 1992). Fine has provided courtroom expert testimony in numerous cases involving equity in education. In addition, she works nationally as a consultant to parents' groups, community groups and teacher unions on issues of school reform. Sponsored by Dialogues on Diversity and the Institute for Research on Women and Gender. The diversity theme semester Web site is at www.umich.edu/~theme.