2008 Woodie Awards
Hate- free community not just a D.R.E.A.M.
Kelly Fabela, Staff Writer
Issue date: 3/1/06 Section: Student Life
| |
|
DREAM's goal is to create dialogue with students on topics that are usually avoided, such as bias, discrimination, and hate crimes. Their ultimate goal is to create a hate-free community. 60% of the entire SSU population will participate in a workshop and its completion will be marked by a pledge. The pledge is symbolic in which it asks students to take action when they witness something deemed hateful.
The DREAM workshop is a one hour workshop facilitated by a DREAM member. During this workshop, students, staff, or faculty are asked to discuss biases, prejudices and discrimination. There are 4 main themes in the workshop: where do we learn and how we spread bias? How do we participate in hate? What can we do in our everyday lives to stop hate? What do we do if we are the victim of hate or witness hate?
By participating in a workshop, students will be given the opportunity receive a Hate Stops Here! button and decal. When students display these items on their backpacks or windows, they will be contributing in making SSU a hate-free community by telling everyone that HATE STOPS HERE!
"Many students at SSU think that the atmosphere is already tolerant, but there needs to be respect and acceptance. Things do happen. You would be shocked if you saw what happened," said Cindy Steinberg, President of DREAM
Steinberg says that just because you don't see something, does not mean that incidents are not occurring. There are many incidents that have occurred and students usually have not heard anything. DREAM was not created because SSU has a large problem with hate; it was created to get students to prevent hate from escalating to a much larger problem. As is depicted in the "pyramid of hate," hate begins with a joke or stereotype and escalates to vandalism and to even life-threatening acts. DREAM works very hard to teach students what has occurred at SSU and in Sonoma County.
"When students hear that swastikas were painted on a SSU trash can or KKK flyers were passed out in a local community paper, students are usually shocked. DREAM is here to educate the students to be aware of their surroundings and to prevent anything from occurring. The more students aware of what hate is and how to prevent it, the safer SSU will be," said Steinberg.
Kathy Anderson, Manager of Employee Relations and Diversity is available on campus for students to report a hate incident.
"I have had students come forward with incidents in a classroom that made them feel uncomfortable. I then turned to the university who was very responsive to the student's needs."
Any student who is involved with DREAM is a leader. DREAM offers leadership opportunities to students who wish to volunteer a little or a lot of time. Most students who participate with DREAM are trained to be facilitators and host the Hate Stops Here workshop in classrooms, meetings, dorm rooms etc. If a student is not comfortable with being a facilitator there are leadership opportunities in promotions, organizing events, creating posters and marketing the program. There is always the opportunity to work directly with the Sonoma County Commission on Human Rights on their efforts to create hate-free communities at the county level.
"In upcoming events, DREAM will be collaborating with other SSU departments to host the "Ten Ways to Stop Hate on Campus" conference being held March 16-17. There will also be an Anti-Defamation training being held at the end of March," said Steinberg.
Club meetings are from 12-1pm every Thursday upstairs in the Student Union Club Room. Students are also welcome to visit the Intercultural Center for more info (664-2537)