By Megan Tritch and Cailey Williams
The fourth annual Unite for Awareness Week kicked off Sunday
and continues until April 11.
Unite for Awareness Week is a student-initiated program that
focuses on different forms of prejudice.
Sara Banchy, P4, is the chair of Unite for Awareness Week.
She has been involved with the event for the last two years, and served as
chair of last year’s event.
“The only way to spark change is to educate people,” Banchy
said.
Each day of the week will focus on a different “-ism,” with
corresponding activities.
On Sunday, speaker Philip Milano presented at 7 p.m. in the
McIntosh Ballroom. The goal of his speech, “Did you really ask that?” was to
get people to talk about issues they normally would not.
Today is classism day, with a hunger meal being hosted by
Habitat for Humanity. Tickets for the activity are $5. The meal puts people
randomly at different classes, showing them what they would get to eat at each
level.
Tuesday is gender orientation day. The movie “Celluloid
Closet” will be shown in the McIntosh Activities Room. A candlelight vigil will
be held to remember those who have been killed or attacked for their
orientation at 9 p.m. in the English Chapel,
Wednesday is ableism day. Disability awareness challenges
will be going on from 4:30-7 p.m. in the Activities Room, showing people what
it would be like if they had to fold laundry with only one workable arm or if
they had to use a wheelchair.
Thursday is sexism day. Speaker Rus Funk’s speech is geared
toward men, but women can benefit from hearing him also. The speech will take
place at 7 p.m. in the Activities Room.
On Friday, Susan Tower will be speaking about “The Heart of
Humanity” at 1 and 4 p.m. in McIntosh conference rooms 7 and 8. Friday night
there will be a bonfire near the mud volleyball courts from 9-11 p.m., with
snacks and drinks provided.
As well as the daily events, the House of Oppression will
also be returning this year.
Miranda Martinez, a senior criminal justice major, is
reprising her role as House Coordinator for the second year in a row. The House
of Oppression is known for showing skits of real-life discrimination and
oppression. Each year, different skits are performed by student actors in the
Multicultural Center. In previous years, the skits were written by a class for
the actors to perform. This year, all of the skits are based on real
situations, and the scripts were written by those working on the House.
Some of the skits students can expect to see revolve around
racial profiling, weight discrimination, elderly abuse and homophobia. Students
will be led through the House by a tour guide, going through each room and
seeing every skit.
After the tour, students will be discussing the impact of
what they saw. There will be a discussion leader to help students understand
what they have seen.
“[The point is] to encourage people to talk about and
understand the meaning of the House,” Martinez says. “We want to open people’s
eyes to different types of discrimination.”
The House of Oppression will be taking place Monday-Thursday
from 5-7 p.m., with new tours every 15-30 minutes.