The Multicultural Fair generally attracts 3,000 to 4,000 people each year, and exemplifies UMW’s commitment to enhancing multicultural awareness. The Fair provides an entire day devoted to multicultural entertainment, children’s activities, international and American food, and ethnic craft vendors. Each year the Multicultural Student Affairs and James Farmer Multicultural Center work closely with UMW student organizations, faculty and staff in planning festivities. The University also partners with the greater Fredericksburg community, which plays an integral role in successfully implementing the fair.
Afro-Latin American Women’s Writings in Latin America
March 29, 2011 :: Lee Hall, 411 :: 6 p.m.
The legacy of Black women’s writings in Latin American remains at best one of the least known bodies of literature in the Americas. This presentation takes up that issue as it seeks to confront some of the situations that surround that body of work, at times paying special attention to the writers themselves. Presented by Dr. Dawn Duke, Assistant Professor of Spanish and Portuguese in the Department of Modern Foreign Languages and Literatures at The University of Tennessee . Dr. Duke specializes in Afro-Latin American literature and cultural studies.
Make-up Drive to Benefit Hope House
The Women’s History Month Committee is sponsoring an event on March 25, 2011 from 8:00 a.m. – 5:00 p.m. titled, Fresh Face to the World…Easy, Breezy, No Makeup on that Covergirl. The purpose of the drive is to inform students, faculty, and staff that true beauty is far beyond the general products some individuals administer to their bodies each day and encourage them to participate in a one-day attempt to eliminate beauty enhancing products from their daily routine.
We encourage everyone to please donate any unused and unopened makeup they may have to benefit this wonderful cause. All donations will go to help the women of Hope House, a local nonprofit organization geared toward assisting homeless women and their families during their journey of regaining financial independence.
Donations can be made throughout the entire month of March to the James Farmer Multicultural Center (Lee Hall, 211). In advance, thank you to all that donate and plan to participate!
DUCC Bullying Forum
The Diversity and Unity Coordinating Committee of UMW is to provide the UMW and Fredericksburg area communities with a Bullying Forum. Faculty and administrators from UMW’s College of Education, Psychology Department, Counseling and Psychology Services and the Office of Judicial Affairs will facilitate the discussion and serve as experts
in their respective fields. The purpose of the forum is to provide participants with an opportunity to productively discuss bullying as it comes into conflict with our communities. Various forms of bullying and its repercussions will be explored from the perspective of the bully, the victims of bullying, as well as the onlookers of these acts. The forum is scheduled for 6 o’clock in the evening Thursday, February 17, 2011 in Lee Hall Room 412 on UMW’s Fredericksburg campus. For more information or questions, pleasecontact Lee Gilliam at lgilliam@mail.umw.edu.
Afro-Latin American Women’s Writings in Latin America
March 29, 2011 :: Lee Hall, 411 :: 6 p.m.
The legacy of Black women’s writings in Latin American remains at best one of the least known bodies of literature in the Americas. This presentation takes up that issue as it seeks to confront some of the situations that surround that body of work, at times paying special attention to the writers themselves. Presented by Dr. Dawn Duke, Assistant Professor of Spanish and Portuguese in the Department of Modern Foreign Languages and Literatures at The University of Tennessee . Dr. Duke specializes in Afro-Latin American literature and cultural studies.
Women’s History Month 2011 “Role” Call: Women’s Presence and Power in Society
Sheesh, Is She Crying Again?
The Connection between Gender and Rationality
Date: March 8 | Time: 3:30-4:45 p.m.
Location: Annex A, Room 110
Traditionally, women have been associated with an excess of emotion and a lack of mental discipline; men, on the other hand, have been thought to be more rational. Do these stereotypes still exist? Please join Dr. Ray Mataloni, Visiting Professor of Economics as he discusses this topic and much more.
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Who Opens the Door and Covers the Check? Exploring Roles and Stereotypes in the GLBTTQQIAAP Community
Date: March 9 | Time: 6 p.m.
Location: Meeting Room #4, Woodard Campus Center
Please join members of Women of Color and People for the Rights of Individuals of Sexual Minorities (PRISM) for a stimulating conversation about the expected and stereotypical roles of women in GLBTTQQIAAP relationships. FOOD WILL BE PROVIDED
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Latin American Women Intellectuals
Date: March 10
Time: 5:30 p.m.
Location: Combs 139
Join Dr. Claudia Cabello-Hutt, Assistant Professor at The University of North Carolina Greensboro as she discusses how Latin American women writers challenged the traditional definition of the Latin American public intellectual.
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Writing the South in the 21st Century
Date: March 10 | Time: 7 p.m.
Location: Combs 139
Award-winning author Jill McCorkle, a writing professor at N.C. State University, will talk about what it means to be among the foremost female fiction writers of our time.
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You Better Work!
Open Lecture featuring 2003 America’s Next Top Model finalist April Wilkner
Date: March 14 | Time: 6 p.m.
Location: Lee Hall 411
April Wilkner will discuss her experience as a model-hopeful on one of the world’s leading shows. Her emphasis will be on the significance of intelligence and diversity within the modeling industry.
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Ms. UMW: More than a just Beauty Pageant
Date: March 15 | Time: 7 p.m.
Location: Dodd Auditorium, George Washington Hall
Join UMW hopefuls as they compete for the coveted title of Ms. UMW in this nontraditional pageant that celebrates women and their beauty from the inside out.
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Dr. Gail Dines Women’s History Month Keynote & Cultural Awareness Series Speaker
Date: March 16 | Time: 7 p.m.
Location: Great Hall, Woodard Campus Center
A professor, author, and internationally-acclaimed lecturer, Gail Dines is an energetic and outspoken critic of pornography and the hypersexuality that permeates pop culture. Dines’ vision is to heighten awareness of the shallow and sexist side of the mass media, and she has targeted outlets like MTV with undermining equality and intimacy in relationships.
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The Vagina Monologues
Date: March 18 & 19 | Time: 8-9:30 pm
Location: Great Hall, Woodard Campus Center
Cost: $3 in advance; $5 at the door
Proceeds to benefit Hope House
Email zoller.eli@gmail.com to purchase tickets.
The 8th annual UMW production of The Vagina Monologues, written by Eve Ensler, uses the arts to explore women’s issues such as sex, love, rape, abuse, relationships, menstruation, and childbirth. By promoting inner beauty and self-worth, The Vagina Monologues celebrates the true essence of the vagina, femininity, and the ability to speak out against the pressures of society.
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The Gender Pay Gap:
Where do Women Stand Now?
Date: March 22 | Time: 7 p.m.
Location: Lee Hall 411
Join Radford University Professor of Psychology Hilary M. Lips as she explores the current status of the gender pay gap and how it undercuts women’s power and limits their achievements in today’s workforce.
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Women’s Research Symposium
Date: March 23 | Time: 4-6 p.m.
Location: Red Room, Woodard Campus Center
Please join UMW students as they showcase their undergraduate research in women’s studies. Cash prizes will be awarded to winners. Please contact Professor Cooperman at rcooperm@umw.edu for more information regarding submitting an entry.
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This is What Makes Her Special…
Brown Bag Lunch
Date: March 24 | Time: Noon
Location: The Underground
Join campus and community members as they read short stories and poems about the women who have had the greatest impact on their lives.
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Fresh Face to the World…Easy, Breezy, No Makeup on that CoverGirl
Makeup Drive
Date: March 25 | Time: 8 a.m.-5 p.m.
Locations: Lee Hall 211 or OSACS office
Beauty is far more than enhanced eyelashes, plucked brows, and fiery red lips. Campus and community members are invited to share their true beauty by participating in a day devoted to no makeup. Participants are strongly encouraged to donate their new and unopened cosmetic products to benefit Hope House.
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For Colored Girls
Film and Discussion
Date: March 29 | Time: 7 p.m.
Location: Lee Hall 412
Based on Ntozake Shange’s Obie Award-winning play, For Colored Girls Who Have Considered Suicide When the Rainbow is Enuf, this presentation is a poetic exploration of what it means to be a woman of color in today’s world. Discussion immediately following the film. Food will be provided.
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Freedom Riders
Great Lives lecture featuring Raymond Arsenault
Date: March 31 | Time: 7:30 p.m.
Location: Dodd Auditorium, George Washington Hall
Raymond Arsenault, author of Freedom Riders: 1961 and the Struggle for Racial Justice, will present the Great Lives lecture, followed by a discussion with a panel of Freedom Riders, which will include some of the women who changed the face of racial and gender equality for our country
Multicultural Fair 2011
The Multicultural Fair will be held on Saturday, April 9th from 10:00 a.m. – 5:00 p.m. throughout the UMW campus community. The James Farmer Multicultural Center encourages everyone to attend or participate. Participation opportunities include, vending, performing, volunteering, or modeling in the Fashion Show.
If you are interested in any of the opportunities please visit the event’s website at http://www.umw.edu/multicultural/multicultural_fair/default.php or contact LaNita Weisenberger at lweisenb@umw.edu or (540) 654 – 1044.
Black History Month
BLACK HISTORY IS…
Celebrate and Educate
Black History Month celebrates the journey that African Americans have traveled over time. Their path has been filled with struggles and acts of perseverance. We come together this month to honor, celebrate, and educate everyone about the movements and achievements that have transformed society. The James Farmer Multicultural Center, the Black History Month committee, and the Black Student Association (BSA) invite you to reflect on this journey and join us in celebrating all the progress that has been made. We continue to hope that, as a people and a society, we will further strive to achieve a nation where social justice and equal opportunity become a reality for all Americans.
*Cuisines of Black Cultures, Seacobeck Hall
Cost: one meal-plan meal or $7.75 for lunch, $9.90 for dinner (plus tax)
Feb. 7 – dinner; Feb. 21 – lunch, Select Mondays in February
Campus Dining Services will celebrate Black History Month by featuring
dishes from African, Caribbean, Creole, and Southern soul cuisines.
*My Journey: African-American Stories
Wednesday, Feb. 2, 2011
6 p.m., Lee Hall, Room 411
An open-panel discussion of the journey of several African-American
UMW and Fredericksburg community members who will relate
personal experiences in their professions. Refreshments provided.
*Celebration Keynote Performance: Saul Williams
Friday, Feb. 4, 2011
7 p.m., Dodd Auditorium, George Washington Hall
Experience the lyrical force of Saul Williams’ spoken word art. Williams
is a former Grand Slam Champion and HBO Def Poetry Jam performer
who explores social consciousness through his poetry.
*Eric Etheridge – Breach of Peace: Portraits of
the 1961 Mississippi Freedom Riders
Monday, Feb. 7, 2011
7 p.m., Great Hall, Woodard Campus Center
Reception to follow.
Etheridge is the author, journalist, and photographer behind Breach
of Peace: Portraits of the 1961 Mississippi Freedom Riders, a “then-and-now”
memoir of individuals who took part in the Freedom Rides of 1961.
Part of the James Farmer Visiting Professor Lecturer Series,
in collaboration with Freedom Riders 50th Anniversary Commemoration.
*“The Negro Zone” Discussion
Tuesday, Feb. 8, 2011
6 p.m., Lee Hall, Room 411
Panel members will discuss this short, satirical film that addresses
stereotypes African-American men face in the United States. Refreshments
provided. Co-sponsored by Brothers of a New Direction (BOND) and BSA.
*Comedy Performance featuring Jordan Carlos
Friday, Feb. 11, 2011
8 p.m., Great Hall, Woodard Campus Center
Jordan Carlos is a Brooklyn-based comic raised in suburban North
Dallas where he was the only black kid in class and at all the bar mitzvahs.
He has appeared as Stephen Colbert’s black friend, “Alan,” on the Colbert
Report and performed on Comedy Central’s Live at Goth. Sponsored by
GIANTProductions.
*Step Show
Saturday, Feb. 12, 2011
6:30 p.m. – doors open, 7 p.m. – show begins
Dodd Auditorium, George Washington Hall
Cost: $7; $5 with UMW ID
Join an array of the most talented area step teams performing in this high
energy, entertaining competition. Co-sponsored by Women of Color, BOND,
and the Fredericksburg Area Boys and Girls Club.
*Candido: Hands of Fire
Tuesday, Feb. 15, 2011
6 p.m., Lee Hall, Room 411
Ivan Acosta directed Candido: Hands of Fire, a documentary about a well-known
Afro-Cuban percussionist, Candido Camero. The audience will be
treated to a viewing of this documentary followed by a discussion led by
Mr. Acosta. Co-sponsored by the departments of Modern Foreign Languages
and English.
*HIV/AIDS in the Black Community: A Panel Discussion
Wednesday, Feb. 16, 2011
6 p.m., Lee Hall, Room 411
Black Americans have been disproportionately affected by HIV/AIDS and
that disparity continues to grow. Sponsored jointly by BSA, People for the
Rights of Individuals of Sexual Minorities (PRISM), and Fredericksburg’s
Home of Miracles and Embraces (H.O.M.E).
*A Night of Jazz: Performance and Discussion
Thursday, Feb. 17, 2011
8 p.m., The Underground, Lee Hall
Join Doug Gately for a discussion of jazz music in the African-American
community and enjoy a performance by the UMW Faculty Jazz Sextet. Co-sponsored by the UMW Department of Music.
*Gospelfest
Sunday, Feb. 20, 2011
6 p.m., Great Hall, Woodard Campus Center
Enjoy an evening of gospel music and spiritual uplift with choirs, singing
groups, and praise dance teams as they display their musical talents.
*Coming Out? African-American Culture and Sexuality
Tuesday, Feb. 22, 2011
6 p.m., Lee Hall, Room 411
A candid discussion about stereotypes surrounding black homophobia and
non-heterosexual lifestyles. Co-sponsored by BSA and PRISM.
*Gay Rights versus Civil Rights
Wednesday, Feb. 23, 2011
7 p.m., Lee Hall, Room 411
Involved in the struggle for both GLBT and civil rights equality,
Fredericksburg musician and activist Gaye Adegbalola presents a unique
and personal interpretation. Sponsored by PRISM.
Islamic Cultural Week 2011
“Stereotypical Islam: Dispelling the Myths, Labels, and Prejudices Surrounding Islamic Culture “
There is no poster child for Islam. It is a religion and culture that is constructed of a diverse community that cannot be defined by media images and the acts of extremists. In truth, Islam is a peaceful and open religion; one that is often typecast based on the false myths, labels, and prejudices created by various forms of media. The Islamic Student Association and James Farmer Multicultural Center aim to educate the members of the campus and greater community about the truths of Islamic culture and increase the acceptance levels of not only the members of the Islamic community, but all individuals who have suffered from intolerance.
Are you a Terrorist?
Film and Discussion • Monday, January 24
Lee Hall, Room 411; 5 p.m.
Please join the Islamic Student Association for the viewing of The Road to Guantanamo Bay. This film is a docudrama about “The Tipton Three,” three British men who were held in Guantanamo Bay by the United States government for two years. The film features interviews and archival footage to tell the story of possible abuse by the government in the name of fear. The film will be followed by a discussion about the actions that took place during the years these men were imprisoned and whether prejudices toward Islamic culture influenced these actions.
Muslims and Miniskirts: What you Don’t Know about Islamic Fashion
Fashion Show • Tuesday, January 25
Great Hall, Woodard Campus Center; 7 p.m.
Fashion in Islamic culture is certainly not confined to niqabs and kufis. It is just as diverse as the culture itself; filled with elements of self expression, wonderful colors, and a variety that ultimately dispels the stereotypical images media provide of the men and women of Islam. Members of the UMW community will model various fashions to highlight how different and actually modern the clothing and culture of Islam can be.
Henna Night
Wednesday, January 26
Great Hall, Woodard Campus Center; 5 p.m.
The art of Henna is often thought of as being a part of Islamic religion, but in fact it is part of its culture. The decorative body art has been in existence longer than Islam and is celebrated by individuals from around the world. Please join the Islamic Student Association as they address the history of Henna in combination with providing individuals the opportunity to express themselves utilizing this form of body art.
Islamic Cultural Banquet
Cultural Awareness Series Keynote Speaker:
Dr. Liyakat Takim
Thursday, January 27
Great Hall, Woodard Campus Center; 6 p.m.
The Islamic Cultural Banquet offers traditional foods, fellowship, and a keynote lecture from Dr. Liyakat Takim. Dr. Takim is the Sharjah Chair in Global Islam at McMaster University in Hamilton, Canada. He has written over 70 scholarly works on Islam in America, both pre- and post-9/11.
All events are free and open to the public unless otherwise noted.
For more information, contact James Farmer Multicultural Center, 540/654-1044, Lee Hall, Room 211 | www.umw.edu/multicultural
Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Celebration Week
“Letter From the Birmingham Jail”: Breakfast & Discussion
Date: Tuesday, Jan. 18, 2011
Time: 7:30 a.m. – 9:00 a.m.
Place: Faculty/Staff Dining, Seacobeck Hall
“Injustice anywhere is a threat to justice everywhere.” These famous words written by Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. in his open letter titled, “Letter From a Birmingham Jail,” still ring true today. The program will feature a panel discussion including UMW faculty members regarding the spirit and compelling message of Dr. King’s Letter. This event is co-sponsored by the Office of Student Affairs and the Fredericksburg chapter of Alpha Phi Alpha Inc., an organization in which Dr. King was a member.
Kwanzaa
Date: Tuesday, Jan. 18, 2011
Time: 7 p.m.
Place: Great Hall, Woodard Campus Center
Reservations are preferred but not required for this event; please contact the James Farmer Multicultural Center at 540/654-1044.
Kwanzaa was established by Dr. Maulana Karenga and first celebrated on Dec. 26, 1966. It was created in order to enhance the value of unity throughout the African and African-American communities as a non-religious, week-long holiday celebrating and honoring African culture and heritage throughout the world. Traditionally celebrated Dec. 26 to Jan. 1, Kwanzaa consists of seven days of celebration, featuring activities such as candle-lighting, pouring of libations, and culminating in a feast and gift giving. Please join us as we partake in the activities and rituals of Kwanzaa as well as enjoy a feast together. This event is cosponsored by the James Farmer Multicultural Center and the Black Student Association.
THE UNIVERSITY OF MARY WASHINGTON’S DR. MARTIN LUTHER KING, JR. CELEBRATION KEYNOTE SPEAKER:
Nontombi Naomi Tutu
Date: Wednesday, Jan. 19, 2011
Time: 7 p.m.; reception to follow in Trinkle Hall Rotunda
Place: Dodd Auditorium
Sponsored by the Office of the President
The challenges of growing up black and female in apartheid South Africa led Naomi Tutu to her present role as an activist for human rights. Her experiences have taught her how much we all lose when any of us is judged purely on physical attributes. The third child of Archbishop Desmond and Nomalizo Leah Tutu, Naomi Tutu was born in South Africa and has also lived in Lesotho, the United Kingdom, and the United States. She was educated in Swaziland, the U.S., and England, and she has divided her adult life between South Africa and the U.S. Growing up the “daughter of” has offered her many opportunities and challenges. Most important of these has been the challenge to find her own place in the world. She has taken up the challenge and channeled the opportunities that she has been given to raise her voice as a champion for the dignity of all.
Tutu has served as a development consultant in West Africa and a program coordinator for programs on race, gender, and gender-based violence in education at the African Gender Institute at the University of Cape Town. She has also taught at the universities of Hartford and Connecticut and at Brevard College. Tutu began her public speaking as a college student at Berea College in Kentucky in the 1970s when she was invited to speak at churches, community groups, colleges, and universities about her experiences growing up in apartheid South Africa. Since that time she has become a much sought after speaker for groups as varied as business associations, professional conferences, meetings of elected officials, and church and civic organizations. In her speeches she blends the passion for human dignity with humor and personal stories.
Tutu has also led truth and reconciliation workshops for groups dealing with different types of conflict. Together with Rose Bator she presents a workshop titled “Building Bridges: Dealing with Issues of Race and Racism.” The two also lead women’s retreats through their organization Sister Sojourner. They are also writing a book, I Don’t Think of You as Black: Honest Conversations on Race and Racism.
Tutu is a consultant for two organizations that reflect the breadth of her involvement in issues of human rights, including the Spiritual Alliance to Stop Intimate Violence, founded by renowned author Riane Eisler, Nobel Peace Prize Laureate Betty Williams, and the Foundation for Hospices in Sub-Saharan Africa.
In this empowering keynote speech, Naomi Tutu combines Dr. King’s dream of the “Beloved Community” with the teachings of a South African proverb, speaking to the need to understand how our actions – or inactions – affect ourselves and all with whom we come into contact. Rather than focus on what separates us, Tutu encourages us to focus on our shared humanity in order to build a just world. Both the “Beloved Community” and the proverb share an underlying theme: the importance of not dehumanizing those with whom we are in conflict and instead concentrating on what we have the power to change.
The Celebration of the life of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. will also include a week-long community service challenge at UMW. All students, faculty, and staff members will be charged with serving the greater Fredericksburg community.