April
9,
2004
MHC
Senior Creates Forum to Examine White Privilege
On April 17, Mount Holyoke will
host a daylong conference titled “Understanding Whiteness,
Recognizing Privilege: Continuing the Conversation on Racial
Justice.” The conference will examine the experience of
white privilege, how it affects people’s lives, and ways
to promote social justice and antiracism. There will be discussions,
workshops, and lectures by three speakers: Enoch Page, an anthropology
professor at UMass; Tim Wise, an antiracist activist; and Becky
Thompson, a sociology professor at Simmons College.
Kyra Zola Norsigian ’04, conference organizer, explained that the event
is modeled on a similar one she participated in two years ago at Hampshire College. “That
conference was a slightly nonacademic way of looking at racism,” Norsigian
said. “It was very inspiring and a big success. I thought, this really
needs to happen again.”
Norsigian, an anthropology major who is pursing a minor in race and racism in
the U.S., began preparing for the conference last fall. Her first step was an
independent study with Susan Pliner, associate director of the Weissman Center
for Leadership and the Liberal Arts, to create a conference-planning guide. Since
then, she has enlisted the sponsorship of many organizations and offices, including
the Offices of the President, Dean of the College, and Dean of Students; the
Campus Conservation Coalition; and the African American and African Studies Committee.
With assistance from a dedicated group of students, Norsigian has put together
an impressive and informative Web site (http://whiteprivilege.mtholyoke.edu),
which provides schedules,
presenter profiles, and a wealth of resources and information about the conference
and its subject matter.
Norsigian sees the conference as a means to continue the discussions that started
two years ago at Hampshire and also to draw new people into the dialogue. “It’s
especially timely now at Mount Holyoke because of the conversation about institutional
racism,” Norsigian said.“I hope to get staff, faculty,
students, and people from South Hadley to take the subject and
apply it to their lives in the classroom and beyond. We want to
provide a space for people to
challenge themselves.”e
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