C e n t e r
f o r
M u l t i c u l t u r a l
E d u c a t i o n
VOICES
February 7, 2014
Promoting Diversity in the University Community and Beyond...
Inside this Issue:
Dr. Blackwell Piece:
2
If We Must Die
The Crisis in The
Central African
Republic
3
Remembering Pete
4
Seeger and Black History Month Preview
WGS V-Week Preview 5
New Word Search
6
and Crossword Puzzle
Answers
Upcoming Voices and 7
Student Worker
Highlight
TRIVIA

What city did Diane
Nash grow up in?

What year did Fannie Lou Hammer
attend the Democratic National
Convention?

Which hall of fame
was Coretta Scott
King inducted into
in 2009?
Women in the Civil Rights Movement
Jo Ann Robinson
Ella Baker
Dorothy Height
After completing her
master’s degree at Atlanta
University, she accepted a
teaching position at
Alabama State College in
Montgomery. Here she
joined the Women’s Political Council and would
later become president.
Her focus was on racist
bus policies. The night of
Rosa Parks’ arrest, Robinson stayed up all night
organizing what would be
known as the Montgomery Bus Boycott.
Although Robinson
tried to stay behind the
scenes, she was a victim
of several police brutalities. She kept moving
forward though, and
helped sustain the boycott
by
providing
transportation
for
boycotters.
Ella Baker was a
prominent leader in the
Civil Rights Movement.
However, she believed the
movement should not
place emphasis on a single
charismatic leader, rather,
on group process and consensus. She started off as a
secretary for the NAACP
and cofounded In Friendship to raise funds to fight
against Jim Crow laws.
Subsequently, she became Executive of the
SCLC, where she became
especially known for her
organizational skills.
Baker used those skills to
help start the Student
Nonviolent Coordinating
Committee (SNCC). How
the youth in the movement
loved her!
Dorothy Height’s civil
rights career began when
she joined the National
Council of Negro Women.
Eventually, she was elected president and brought
black and white women
together to converse in an
effort called “Wednesdays
in Mississippi.”
Height was present at
most of the major events
of the Civil Rights Movements. She was at Pres.
Johnson’s signing of the
Voting Rights act in the
White House in 1965.
Many of the issues she
focused on dealt with
black women and unemployment, illiteracy and
voter awareness. In 1994,
she was awarded the
Presidential Medal of
Freedom, and in 2004,
she won the Congressional Gold Medal.
Come to CME with
Trivia answers to win
prizes!
http://www.aaregistry.org/
historic_events/view/jo-ann-gibsonrobinson-was-unsung-activist
http://ellabakercenter.org/about/whowas-ella-baker
http://www.ncnw.org/about/height.htm
Page 2
By: Dr. Michael D. Blackwell
If we must die—let it not be like hogs
Hunted and penned in an inglorious spot,
While round us bark the mad and hungry dogs,
Making their mock at our accursed lot.
If we must die—oh, let us nobly die,
So that our precious blood may not be shed
In vain; then even the monsters we defy
Shall be constrained to honor us though dead!
Oh, Kinsmen! We must meet the common foe;
Though far outnumbered, let us show us brave,
And for their thousand blows deal one deathblow!
What though before us lies the open grave?
Like men we'll face the murderous, cowardly pack,
Pressed to the wall, dying, but fighting back!
What prompts a person to write a poem such as this one called “If We Must
Die”? It seems provocative, over-thetop, inciting of violence, and crying of
foul. Perhaps, a little context is necessary to understand what prompted such
a verse and call to action.
The author is Claude McKay (18891948) who was born in Sunny Ville, Jamaica. He grew up among peasant
farmers who inculcated in him a sense
of national and cultural pride. He expressed an early interest in literature,
and had a proclivity for the stories and
poetry of English masters. Under the
tutelage of his schoolteacher brother
and a neighbor, McKay started first to
mimic these writers—for which he had
noticeable skill—until he was urged to
utilize his own Jamaican dialect.
At seventeen, McKay moved from
Sunny Ville to Kingston. While Sunny
Ville was predominantly black and rural, Kingston was primarily white and
urban. It was a sea change for McKay,
i.e., a culture shock. It was in Kingston
that McKay was exposed to inveterate,
multidimensional poverty. From illiteracy to dilapidated housing and homelessness, Kingston shone a light on the
multiple and cumulative effects of racial
discrimination. McKay could not stomach this blight upon humanity, so he left
his apprenticeship, pulled up stakes,
and returned to his hometown!
McKay continued to write poetry
during his stints in Brown’s Town
and Kingston. However, the nature of those poems drastically
altered. Instead of writing about
the joys of living in beautiful Jamaicaland, McKay began to pen
poems depicting the miserable
side of life as urban blacks. In
1912, two collections of McKay’s
poems appeared in print: Songs of
Jamaica and Constab Ballads.
The former received award recognition; the latter painted a dismal
picture of impoverishment in
Kingston. With the monies he received for Songs of Jamaica from
the Jamaican Institute of Arts and
Sciences, McKay ventured to the
United States: first to Tuskegee in
Alabama, then to Kansas State,
and finally to the sleepless city of
New York.
Yes, you guessed it! The pangs
of living in Kingston returned to
him while living in the squalid
confinements of Harlem USA. The
good thing for many Harlemites
and posterity is that he started
writing feverishly again. The ravaging and pillaging of modern capitalism reared their ugly heads as
affluent surroundings determined
the extent of second-class citizenship and fiscal decline in black
neighborhoods. It was under these
inhumane conditions that McKay,
angry as all get-out, summoned the
courage to write “If We Must Die.”
The poem was a kind of call to
arms, compelling folks to fight their
own penury by retaliating against
their white oppressors.
It is a marvelous poem! Beautifully written, direct, and full of pathos and impassioned fury, it defies
its narrow standpoint by transcending the minutia of a particular race
to encourage those who are marginalized around the world and rises
above the burgeoning Harlem Renaissance to encompass and imbue
time’s infinitude. It is a poem for
the ages. 125 years after the birth of
this literary giant, the poem remains inspirational for countless
advocates for and activists of social
justice worldwide!
Page 3
By: Diane Ihimbazwe
Capital city: Bangui
Population: 5 , 1 6 6 , 5 1 0
Government: Republic
Official Languages:
French, Sango and Tribal Languages
Total Area: 240,535 (sq. miles)
Religion: I n d i g e n o u s b e l i e f s
35 % , P r o t e s t a n t 2 5 % ,
R om a n C a t h o l i c 2 5 % , M u s l i m
15%
The Central Afrian Republic map.
The violence is majorly in Bangui,
the capital city of the CAR.
The Central African
Republic Flag
The Central African Republic (CAR)
is a landlocked country, approximately the size of Texas. It is one of the
least developed countries not only in
Africa, but also in the world. In March
2013, rebels called Sekela ousted former Central African Republic President, Francois Bozize. They are mostly Muslim and originate from the
Northern part of the country.
These rebel groups have been engaged in battles with current government troops. A peacekeeping deal
between the government and the rebels was established in 2008; however, Bozize broke the agreement and
the rebel group installed Michel
Djotodia as the interim President.
By March 2013, Bozize, had been in
power for a decade. Rebel forces took
over Bangui, the capital of CAR and
their leader, Djotodia, accused the
disgraced former President of crimes
against humanity and incitement to
Genocide.
Over the past year, there have been
clashes between the rebels and the
former President. Violence has escalated and hundreds of civilians have
been tortured, raped and/or killed.
Hunger and poverty are rampant in a
country that has rich deposits of gold,
diamonds and uranium.
As a result, 20% of the population,
according to the BBC, has fled from
CAR—seeking refuge in neighboring
countries like Chad and Cameroon.
Meanwhile, the Sekela army has
forced children to join its ranks. In
true retaliatory fashion, Christian militias have employed similar insidious
tactics since September past as their
Muslim counterparts.
Promising new developments have
recently occurred that might effect
positive, constructive change. For
example, on January 10 of this year,
Djotodia resigned under international
pressure primarily from other African
leaders. Subsequently, the mayor of
Bangui, Catherine Samba-Panza,
was elected as interim President on
January 20. She was the first woman elected chosen as President of
CAR. With a well-practiced legal
mind, she has inspired others to
believe she can lift the country out
of the black hole in which they were
mired for many years.
Nevertheless, the struggles in
CAR will continue for some time.
As a survivor of the Rwandan Genocide, I am acutely aware that intensive and extensive crises of violence
will not disappear overnight, so to
speak. Frequently, support from
the international community is
slow and token. Current news about
the situation in CAR is sporadic and
untrustworthy. As a matter of fact,
for many people around the world,
and particularly in well-developed
countries such as the United States
and Great Britain, the situation in
CAR is completely off their radar.
Problems in the Middle East have
continued to seize their attentions,
so much so that the strife in CAR is
scarcely noticeable. Information
about the tensions there and the
lack of response to them remind me
how cries of “Never Again” quickly
diminish and weaken in resolve.
The above notwithstanding, I still
have hope that things will get better
in CAR, as they have in Rwanda.
Certainly, things are not perfect in
either country, but I feel that we are
turning a corner in the former, even
as the people in the latter are on the
verge of turning a page themselves.
There is an old Rwandan proverb
that says, “Every cackling hen was
an egg at first.” CAR will not sprout
into a model democracy just because we want it to do so; it will
take hard work and the help of
countless others to shape a respectable republic. So let’s get busy!
Page 4
By: Dr. Michael D. Blackwell
An undeniably central part of social
movements is the singing of songs.
When reflecting on the Civil Rights
Movement, it is nearly impossible not to
call up a variety of songs. Much of the
music from that movement was adaptations of gospel and popular songs. Any
historian of the Civil Rights Movement
worth one’s salt cannot omit, for example, “We Shall Overcome” and “Woke Up
This Morning with My Mind Stayed on
Freedom.” Moreover, singers such as the
Mother of Gospel, Mahalia Jackson, the Jamaican crooner, Harry
Belafonte, and folk singers such as
Bob Dylan, Peter, Paul, and Mary,
and Joan Baez must also be
mentioned.
While in undergraduate school, I
was thrilled, one day, to encounter
the guitar-slinging Kate Seeger. At
the time, she was still honing her
craft; nevertheless, I was mesmerized by her presence because she
was a niece of renowned sing-along
king, namely, the late Pete Seeger.
He died January 27, 2014. Seeger
got over on the crowd not because
he had a great voice, but rather because he had the uncanny ability to
coax people to join in. He helped
them to embody the songs that he
was singing: to use their bodies as
instruments and their voices to replicate environmental sounds. He
was a genius! The above notwith-
standing, his greatest attribute was
his knack for conveying utmost sincerity and the rightness of the
cause. In his honor, let us hammer
the hammer of justice, ring the bell
of freedom, and sing the song about
love between my brothers and my
sisters all over this land. He will be
sorely missed!
By: Zach Owens, CME Student Worker
http://www.impawards.com/2013/
butler_ver2.html
Black History Month showcases the
culture of African Americans and the
issues they face. The Black Student
Union (BSU) decided three years ago
to expand its observance on campus,
and the past two years have gone great!
This year we are doing things a little
bit differently! We are bringing back a
couple of events that made the most
impact, such as: Disco Skate (January
31) at the Wellness and Recreation
Center in the intramural courts 1-4 at 8
pm; and Teju the Storyteller in the
Coffee House of the Maucker Union on
February 13 at 7 pm. For movie night,
we are playing The Butler (February
17); we are also reprising Tunnel of
Oppression (February 19).
The Divine 9 Stroll Off (February
22) will be an exciting and fun night.
This year, the Toast for Change
(February 28) is featuring a selfmade millionaire! But we are also
bringing in some new events that will
hopefully go over well. We are having
a game show that is taking place February 6 in the Maucker Union Ballroom at 8pm. And we are also having
a soul food night at the Wesley Center
that’s from 3-6 pm. We are hoping to
build upon last year’s Black History
Month. I hope to see you at these
events!
*Please see the calendar on the following page for a complete listing of
events
Page 5
By: Susan Johnson, WGS Intern
On February 14, 2014, the letter V
will not just stand for “Valentine,”
but for “vulva," "vagina,” “violence,”
and “victory.” During the week of
Valentine’s Day, February 10-16,
UNI will be celebrating V-Week,
part of a global activist movement
whose goal is to end violence aimed
at women and girls. UNI’s V-Week
events are sponsored by the Women’s and Gender Studies Program
and the Feminist Action League,
two campus organizations with a
goal of empowering women and
putting an end to violence. Daily
events focused on violence prevention will be held throughout the
week, culminating with performances of the Vagina Monologues
on Saturday and Sunday.
V-Week begins on Monday, February 10, with the V-Men Workshop, which aims to bring men’s
voices into the conversation about
violence against women and girls.
The workshop will give the men of
UNI’s campus a chance to discuss
the causes of violence and the ways
that they, as men, can be active in
ending it. This conversation, led by
Alan Heisterkamp, Mark RoweBarth, Michael Fleming, and Harry
Brod will educate men to shift the
social and cultural norms that define manhood and lead to an environment of violence towards women. The workshop is free of charge
and will be held from 3-5pm on
Monday afternoon.
Other events include a film
screening of “Until the Violence
Stops” and a presentation by special
guest speaker Byron Hurt, who will
be discussing his film, “Hip Hop:
Beyond Beats and Rhymes.” “Until
the Violence Stops,” hosted by the
Feminist Action League, serves as
an introduction to the V-Day organization and the work that it has
done over the past ten years to impact the lives of women and girls.
Byron Hurt will be discussing the
social phenomenon of hip hop and
how that particular subculture presents stereotypes of sexism, violence, and homophobia. His documentary includes interviews with
famous rappers and producers, asking for their insights about the issues pervading the industry.
The main event of V-Week will be
held on Saturday, February 15 at
7pm and again on Sunday, February
16 at 2pm in the Lang Hall Auditorium. The Vagina Monologues is a
performance created by V-Day
founder Eve Ensler. It contains interviews and monologues by a diverse group of women who all have
a story to tell about sexism, stereotypes, and violence. According to
Ensler, the performance uses
“humor and grace to celebrate
women’s sexuality and strength.”
The performance also brings to light
a subject that is not commonly discussed or performed in public. Admission to the performance is $5,
and all proceeds will go to the Cedar
Valley Friends of the Family, a local
organization that provides assistance to those facing homelessness,
domestic violence, and sexual assault.
V-Week gives faculty, staff, students and community members the
opportunity to engage in discussion
about this crucial and frighteningly
prevalent topic. The purpose of
these events is to bring to light the
issue of violence against women and
girls and to empower everyone to
take a stand and do what they can to
end this violence. For any further
information, visit www.vday.org or
http://www.uni.edu/csbs/
womenstudies/v-week-events. Take
part in UNI V-Week: end the violence, and help bring about a victory.
V-Week Schedule of
Events
V-Men Workshop
Monday, February 10
3:00 p.m.
Location: TBA
Hip Hop Beats and Rhymes
Tuesday, February 11
6:30 p.m.
Lang Hall Auditorium
Film and Discussion
Until the Violence Stops
Wednesday, February 12
7:00 p.m.
Friday, February 14
12:00 p.m.
Location: TBA
Film and Discussion
Vagina Monologues
Saturday, February 15
7:00 p.m.
Sunday, February 16
2:00 p.m.
Lang Hall Auditorium
Cost of Admission: $5.00
Page 6
Here are the answers to the January Newsletter Crossword
Page 7
3 Featured Female Civil
Rights Leaders
Diane Bevel Nash:
Ms. Nash was involved with the student wing
of the 1960’s movement, leading many successful campaigns.
Fannie Lou Hamer:
Ms. Hamer was instrumental in organizing
Mississippi Freedom summer and the Student Nonviolent Coordinating Committee.
Asian American Heritage
Month Coverage:
Look for more puzzles
and activities in the
next Voices
Newsletter!
Coretta Scott King:

Ms. Lela Lee Event
Preview

CME Book Club Highlight
of The Psychological
Health of Women of Color
by Lillian Coma and Beverly Greene
The widow of MLK, Ms. King was not only
active in the civil rights movement but also
the women’s and LGBT movements.
Meet Parash Upreti!
Some of Parash’s Favorite Things!
Color: Purple and Gold
Food: Something that fills me up.
Movie: They are just for entertainment!
Store: Walmart/Aldi
Class: The ones where professors care about students.
TV Show: Same as movies!
Hobby: Meeting new people and talking to them.
Parash will be studying abroad in Turkey this Spring. He
will be returning to UNI in August! We wish him luck!
Parash is a Junior at UNI, studying economics and mathematics. Parash grew up in
Nepal, just outside of Kathmandu, where he
lived for ten years before coming to the states.
His family comprises of his parents, grandparents on his dad’s side of the family, and his two
siblings. All of which live back in Nepal.
He chose to come to UNI because of the
friendly behavior he experienced when applying and the amazing assistance he received. He
also mentions that the scholarships he was
awarded were a key factor in helping him afford
to attend UNI.
Parash started working at the CME in the
summer of 2012. His favorite part about working at the center is getting to know and talk to
new people. He also enjoys the staff he gets to
work with including Jenny, Tabby, Dr. Blackwell and all of the student workers. Parash does
not have a favorite memory at UNI; instead he
tries to make new memories everyday. He feels
UNI is a great place to be!
Page 8
March
Women’s
History Month
March 13
March 24
March 24
March 26
CME Book Club
Reaching for Higher Ground Film
Series
WGS: Women’s
History Month
Event
WGS: Women’s
History Month
Event
King Corn
Women’s History
Month Keynote
Speaker
Lecturer Dr. Jodi
Eichler Levin
Check out the
Women’s and Gender Studies Website for more ways
to celebrate women
this month!
Asian American
Women’s Popular
Literature: Feminizing Genres and
Neoliberal
Belonging
http://
www.uni.edu/
csbs/
womenstudies/
By: Pamela Thoma
3:30 pm
7:00 pm
CME
Daisy Hernandez
7:30 p.m.
Room 2, Sabin Hall
7:00 p.m.
TBA
CME
http://www.genomicron.evolverzone.com/2010/02/valentines-day-cartoons-for-scientists/
Center for Multicultural Education
109 Maucker Union
Cedar Falls, Iowa 50614-0165
Phone: 319-273-2250
Email: cme@uni.edu
Website: www.uni.edu/cme
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Our Mission:
We foster success in racial and ethnic minority students, contribute to the cultural competence of all
students, and promote an appreciation of diversity in the university community.
Editor-in-Chief: Dr. Michael D. Blackwell
Co-Editors: Lauren Wypiszynski, Brittni Haag and Diane Ihimbazwe