The Dialogue on The Human Race: Nov. 4-5

October 18, 2006

Racial barriers continue to influence social, political and economic realities despite decades of progress and understanding. All aspects of diversity are important and an upcoming cultural retreat will provide an opportunity for students from varying racial backgrounds to engage in dialogue about the role that race plays in their lives.

Leadership Development and Residence Life, along with the University of Wisconsin-Whitewater, will be sponsoring "The Dialogue on The Human Race" cultural awareness retreat November 5 as a means to provide an experimental learning environment that is both challenging and supportive for students.

The retreat will feature discussions and experiential exercises developed to explore issues related to racial diversity. Two poets from Milwaukee, Muhib Dyer and Antoine Nixon, will also attend the retreat, sharing pieces that have strong cultural influences. Representatives from various organizations on campus have also been invited to be a part of the retreat, sharing anything from a story or a dance to a song or skit.

In its first year, the two-day retreat is for students who wish to increase their self-awareness and insights as they relate to issues that deal with race. It is also an opportunity to celebrate diversity.

"The retreat is designed to stir emotions and feelings on difficult topics. People do not have to be afraid to talk about how they feel, and we have designed a safe environment to encourage openness and sharing," Benson Residence Hall Director Chris Hollar said. "Topics on race and diversity are often ignored, and people tend to dance around the subject, ignoring what is there. We want to encourage communication and have people open their eyes."

The idea for "The Dialogue on The Human Race" retreat was taken from a National Association of Student Personnel Administrators (NASPA) conference. NASPA is the leading voice for student affairs administration, policy and practice and affirms the commitment of student affairs to educating the whole student and integrating student life and learning. The original retreat started as "Dialogue on Race," and Hollar said that the sessions felt black and white. With UW-Whitewater's retreat, Hollar wanted to look at things that didn't necessarily have a color, things people often forget about. Collaborating with Sonya Gladney, student services project manager at Leadership Development, the two were able to modify and create a cultural awareness retreat unique to UW-Whitewater.

"We added 'human' to the title because people have more than one background. As part of the retreat, students can choose how they want to identify and represent themselves, whether it be as a women, a homosexual, an African-American or a person with a disability. The students choose what best defines and reflects who they are for the purpose of this retreat," Hollar said.

The retreat also targets students who want to become more skillful at addressing issues of prejudice and discrimination with their peers, as well as increasing students' leadership roles in addressing critical issues as they affect UW-Whitewater.

"We want to bring the campus together for a sincere conversation. The hope is that people open up, ask questions and get answers," Hollar said.

Hollar added there will be a lot of interaction to mix things up and to allow people to get to know one another. The activities focus on providing education because not everyone is exposed to the same environment or has the same cultural upbringing.

"The retreat will allow people to share things they normally wouldn't and is set up for people to talk so they can better understand differences," Hollar said.

The retreat is designed for students of diverse racial and ethnic backgrounds who have a strong commitment to fostering a positive racial climate at UW-Whitewater, as well as a willingness to explore their own racial biases and assumptions. Those who attend must commit to both days of the retreat and have an open attitude to listen and help others explore racial issues in a safe and supportive manner.

Applications are due by October 24 and there is no fee to attend the retreat.  All retreat meals, as well as a follow-up dinner, will be provided. Facilitators will also be present at the retreat, including UW-Whitewater faculty, staff and master level students from diverse racial and ethnic backgrounds, to encourage sharing and to foster a healthy, safe environment.

For more information or to register, contact Chris Hollar at hollarc@uww.edu or (262) 472-2126.