Minorities' struggles not over, panel says

By Molly Leaverton

Twenty years after the founding of the Multicultural Center, there is still much work to be done for minority rights at Santa Clara, four speakers said in a panel discussion Tuesday.

To kickoff their 20th anniversary celebration, the MCC sponsored "Celebrating Struggle," a panel discussion held to discuss the historical and current issues facing minority students, professors and workers on campus.

The panel consisted of four speakers: professor of history and ethnic studies Ramon Chacon, Santa Clara alumnus Travis Walker, senior Josh Crosson and university employee Vicenta González.

Each panelist highlighted different points of advice for minority students in light of their own experiences as a member of a minority community.

Chacon received his doctorate from Stanford University. The son of poor Chicano farm workers, Chacon spoke about his struggle both in his schooling and as a professor in a predominantly white school.

"A lot of times faculty of color experience the same things that students of color do," Chacon said.

Throughout his speech, Chacon emphasized the importance of the MCC to provide minority students a place where they feel comfortable and do not feel that they need to assimilate into the American system.

"In American society you are going to study the system a lot more than the system is going to study you," he said.

Walker was co-chair of the MCC during the Unity Three Movement in 1999. The movement was a student-led initiative to move the MCC from the Graham basement to a more accommodating and more visible place on campus.

According to Walker, the MCC space in Graham flooded frequently and was infested with rodents.

Students then slept outside for three days in hopes that it would force the university to recognize the unsatisfactory conditions of the Graham basement.

The movement ended with an agreement between the university and the leadership of the MCC to grant them a new home in Shapell Lounge.

Crosson, the former president of the Gay and Lesbian Alliance defines himself as a "super minority."

"A super minority is being a member of all different groups, both numerical minority groups as well as oppressed minority groups," he said.

Crosson addressed the conflicting nature of his Roman Catholic faith and sexual orientation. The "tension" between these two groups has caused Crosson "to feel lonely at times, but to also find strength."

González spoke on behalf of minority workers on campus. As a mother of five and grandmother of 13, she is grateful for the job that she has here at Santa Clara, but feels she is often judged unfairly because of her limited English-speaking skills.

"We have a bad experience because people do not respect us because our English isn't good," González said.

As a final piece of advice, Walker told students to stay involved in the movement for minority rights, even after they graduate.

"The thing about struggle for students is that it's over in four years," he said. "Four years and your movement is over. That is what the university banks on. We have to grow leaders for the next generation and keep in touch with the students."

Contact Molly Leaverton at (408) 554-4546 or mleaverton@scu.edu.