|
Sources: Be Stoney, 785-532-3531, bstoney@k-state.edu;
and Scott Jones, 785-532-6432, sjones1@k-state.edu
Website: http://k-state.edu/cchw/
News release prepared by: Kayela Richard, 785-532-2535, media@k-state.edu
Thursday, Sept. 16, 2010
COMMUNITY CULTURAL HARMONY WEEK FEATURES DIVERSITY EDUCATION
MANHATTAN -- Kansas State University and the Manhattan community will celebrate Community Cultural Harmony Week Sept. 19-24.
The event is in its 23rd year and has two new co-organizers.
Be Stoney, associate professor of curriculum and instruction, and Scott Jones, assistant dean of student life, took charge this year. Both have been on the week's organizing committee for more than 10 years.
Stoney and Jones want to promote a greater appreciation for the event in the community.
"Community Cultural Harmony Week is one way to fulfill the university's mission of providing a broad education to students," Jones said. "It is important to function in a global society, and this week creates an opportunity to face common issues we are continually trying to resolve."
Stoney said she would like to see more participation by the community.
"It's time to tap into people who aren't used to being a part of these types of groups," she said. "Sometimes we don't want to participate in things that we think don't really involve us, but Community Cultural Harmony Week involves everyone in the surrounding community."
The week starts at 6 p.m. Sunday, Sept. 19, at the UFM Learning Center's peace pole. Presentations will be made by representatives from the city of Manhattan, Manhattan-Ogden USD 383 and K-State.
A highlight of the week will be diversity training and development for faculty, staff and students. The training is sponsored by K-State's Diversity Programming Committee, the School of Leadership Studies and the office of diversity and dual career development.
The training will include Maura Cullen, a national speaker on diversity and author of the book, "35 Dumb Things Well-Intended People Say." She will speak at 7 p.m. Thursday, Sept. 23, in Forum Hall at the K-State Union. Her presentation is free and open to the public.
Other activities during the week will include:
* Bill Tammeus, the Faith Matters blogger for the Kansas City Star, and Rabbi Jacques Cukierkorn, spiritual leader of the New Reform Temple in Kansas City, will deliver a lecture at 1:30 p.m. Wednesday, Sept. 22, in the Big 12 Room of the K-State Student Union. It is sponsored by the A.Q. Miller School of Journalism and Mass Communications. The men will discuss their book, "They Were Just People: Stories of Rescue in Poland during the Holocaust." The book tells the stories of Jews in Poland who survived the Holocaust with help from non-Jews. In most cases, these stories are based on interviews -- in the United States and in Poland -- with survivors and with members of the families who helped them survive. The lecture is free and open to the public.
* Adam Gussow, an associate professor of English and Southern studies at the University of Mississippi, will present Gussow will present "It's All Mississippi to Me: Promoting the Blues and Forging Beloved Community in the Contemporary South" at 10:30 a.m. Friday, Sept. 24, in the Leadership Studies Building's Town Hall. The lecture is free and open to the public. Drawing on his training as a scholar of African-American literature and culture, he'll speak frankly about race relations in the contemporary South, and offer a message of hope for those seeking to increase the peace. Gussow also is a professional harmonica player and master teacher. He will perform at Pat’s Blue Rib'n Barbecue, 1200 Moro St., with Wayne Goins, K-State professor of music, and the Red State Blues Band starting at 9 p.m. Sept. 24. He will play material from his new CD "Kick and Stomp." The performance is free but limited to adults 21 and older.
More information on Community Cultural Harmony Week is available at http://k-state.edu/cchw/.