Diversity Dialogues at Cuyamaca College

Posted on: Jan 29, 2019 8:00:00 AM
In: Cuyamaca, District
Campus Life
Contact: Anne Krueger anne.krueger@gcccd.edu

Religious intolerance, sexual discrimination and the female Latinx experience will be among the topics tackled during Cuyamaca College’s spring lineup of Diversity Dialogues, which gets under way Feb. 5 with a session focusing on Native American culture and tradition.

 “Cuyamaca College is committed to a culture of inclusion, and Diversity Dialogues is among the efforts that have established our campus as a leader in building sparking discussion and understanding among various ethnic and religious groups,” said Dean of Student Affairs Lauren Vaknin. “We have lined up an array of experts in their field, and we encourage students, faculty, staff and members of the community to join us for this spring’s series of workshops.”

 All workshops are free and open to the public. Sessions scheduled this spring are:

 Intersection Between Culture and Tradition. Richard DeCrane, who is Navajo and Crow and who serves as cultural educator and trained facilitator for the Gathering of Native Nations, will discuss Native American history and its impact on Native American nations. Set for February 5 at 12:30 p.m. in the Room I-207 of the Student Center.

 Discrimination Based on Gender. Mayumi Y. Douglass, a lecturer at San Diego State University and a clinical supervisor at the Cuyamaca College Health and Wellness Center, joins master’s in counseling candidate Erika Meza in workshop covering the history of gender discrimination among different cultural groups. Set for February 21 at 3 p.m. in Room I-207 of the Student Center.

 Challenging Contemporary Notions of Body Movement: Capoeira Angola, Afro Brasilian Dance – Martial Arts – Game. James Diokno, executive director at Barangay Arts & Cultural Movement, will lead an interactive discussion focused on the roots and fundamentals of the movement and music of Capoeira. Set for March 4 at 2:30 p.m. in Room I-207 of the Student Center.

 Discrimination Based on National Origin. Mayumi Y. Douglass and master’s in education candidate Magaly Corro Flores will lead workshop participants in a discussion about the impact of migration waves in the United States and advocating for basic human rights for all people, regardless of their national origin. Set for March 21 at 3 p.m. in F-724.

 Safe Zones. Cuyamaca College instructors Nancy Jennings, Cassandra Marra and Moriah Gonzalez-Meeks lead this three-hour ally training session aimed at bringing awareness of LGBTQIA issues and providing insight on improving campus climate. Set for April 5 at 1 p.m. in Room F-724.

  Discrimination Based on Religion. Mayumi Y. Douglass and Ahmed (Rasheed) Aden, an assistant professor and counselor at San Diego City College, conduct a workshop that reviews the basic teaching of Judaism, Islam and Christianity and delves into the growth of religious intolerance in the United States. Set for April 18 at 3 p.m. in Room I-207 of the Student Center.

  Latinx Women Writing History Panel. Rita Sanchez (Mesa College Professor Emeritus), Sonia Lopez (retired San Diego State University Chicano Studies Professor), Patricia Santana (Cuyamaca College Professor Emeritus), and Irene Lara (San Diego State University Women’s Studies professor) discuss their experiences as Latinx women and share excerpts from their books. Set for April 26 at 1 p.m. in the Samuel M. Ciccati Theatre.

 Filipin(A), Filipin(O), Filipin(X): Contested Ethnic Identities. James Diokno leads a discussion on how identities within ethnic groups have become increasingly debated and contested in recent decades, especially among diaspora communities and marginalized groups within those ethnic communities. This workshop will explore some of those issues as they pertain to Filipino communities. Set for May 1 at 3 p.m. in Room I-207 of the Student Center.

 Diversity Dialogues was developed by Vaknin in 2011 with a handful of workshops that drew just a few dozen students. Several hundred people are expected to attend this year’s workshops.

 Cuyamaca College is at 900 Rancho San Diego Parkway in Rancho San Diego. For further information about the Diversity Dialogues program, please contact Vaknin in the Student Affairs Office at (619) 660-4295.