Diversity Media Watch

California
Proposition 54, known as the “Racial Privacy Initiative,” was rejected by voters during the California gubernatorial recall election on October 7. Voters asserted that if Proposition 54 had passed, university researchers would not have been allowed to conduct necessary work to help analyze the social problems that affect disadvantaged communities. Also, the measure would have made it illegal to record race-based hate crimes, which “skyrocketed by 345.8 percent in California in 2001 after 9/11.” (“Blinding Ourselves with a ‘Color-Blind‘ Initiative: Why Proposition 54 is NOT Color-Blind,” by Lizelle Festejo, Asian American Curriculum Project Newsletter, September 2003; and “Connerly: My fight is not over on Prop. 54,” by Joe Gaspar, Alameda Times-Star, October 13, 2003).

Illinois
On October 20th, DePaul University hosted one of two hearings called, “The Public Truth: A Hearing on Racial Profiling of Immigrants and People of Color.“ The hearings are designed to raise public awareness about increasing patterns of racial profiling related to local law enforcement practices and Homeland Security policies. Hayelom Ayele, an Ethiopian immigrant, commented, “I have always felt that immigrants and refugees have a lot to share with the African American community...holding this event in Chicago signals that the communities are open to making the connections.” (“African American and Immigrant Groups Fight ‘Alarming’ Rise in Racial Profiling,” by Anmol Chaddha, ColorLines RaceWire, October 23, 2003, and the Office of Multicultural Student Affairs Web page at http://studentaffairs.depaul.edu/omsa/
index.html).

New York
With an impending shortage of teachers of color and an increasingly diverse student body, the College of Saint Rose and University at Albany held a “Dreaming of Teaching” conference to encourage minority high school students to pursue a teaching degree. To persuade attendees to consider a career in teaching, the conference, provided seminars on financial aid and the college admissions process, the role of the teacher in today’s society, and education programs at both institutions. (“Diversity moves to the head of class: Albany Event aims to inspire minority students to pursue a degree in teaching,” by Breea Willingham, The Times Union, October 23, 2003).

Michigan
Rod Gillum, vice president of corporate responsibility and diversity at General Motors, based in Detroit, says his company was the first to file a brief supporting affirmative-action initiatives at the University of Michigan because there were clear business reasons.
“We were trying to influence the courts with an understanding of the magnitude and the importance of giving the universities a tool in which they can recruit and attract students that were from a diverse background and then us, as a corporation, being the ultimate beneficiaries,’ says Gillum.” (“Affirmative Action & Beyond: Corporate American Takes Aim at Washington”, by C. Stone Brown, DiversityInc, October/November 2003).