Dear Editor,

I wanted to share with The Beacon that in your article, “Kappa Helps Women Take Back the Night” in the April 6 edition, there was no mention of Women’s Voices, who co-sponsored and co-organized the “Take Back the Night Performance Festival.,The naked truth about Kappa performance

Dear Editor,

I wanted to share with The Beacon that in your article, “Kappa Helps Women Take Back the Night” in the April 6 edition, there was no mention of Women’s Voices, who co-sponsored and co-organized the “Take Back the Night Performance Festival.” The two organizations worked very hard together to make the festival happen, and that collective effort was not included in the piece.

I also felt Mia Van De Water’s performance was misrepresented. She did not “step” on stage naked. She removed a costume within the context of her performance while on stage. She did not violate any rules or agreement because she was not required to submit her decision to be nude for approval.

There was no reason for her to “tell Kappa Gamma Chi members that should appear naked on stage.” Mia and the eight other performers (who weren’t mentioned in the article) all challenged themselves to perform revealing and dynamic material. The spirit of the event was a radical showcase of Emerson females’ talent, courage and boundary breaking perspectives expressed through solo and small group performance work including in various forms. Women’s Voices and Kappa worked together to plan a celebration of this work which resulted in the “Take Back the Night Performance Festival.”

I appreciated the coverage in the paper, but I wish the reporting had been more complete. Thank you.

-Mallory Hanora

Women’s Voices of Emerson

Diversity op-ed misses the mark

Dear Editor,

I’m sorry, but the author of “Diversity is not only race,” (4/6/06) has got to be kidding with her rose-colored, naive article regarding her opinions on diversity. Not only does she make statements that are simply nonsensical “Diversity exists within this country, and therefore inherently exists within our school”, but also seems to dismiss the positive aspects of noticing, accepting and appreciating racial differences.

The critical flaw in the author’s argument is revealed when she declares, “Even our school’s diversity awareness groups are focused solely on skin tone.”

This is, at best, a gross oversimplification of what race actually means. As a progressive community, it is our duty to look deeper.

What the Center for Diversity understands that the author doesn’t is that we shouldn’t ignore our racial differences, which are obviously not merely about color, but learn how to effectively discuss them. This is the only way we can develop a very necessary dialogue that enables us to share our experience and viewpoints.

Campus Conversations on Race is absolutely essential, evidence by this piece, especially at a college that lacks diversity, despite how the author tries to spin it, in a city that is known for being segregated. Shying away from racial discourse is a huge mistake; instead, we must work collectively toward genuine social justice and equality by developing an open, honest and continuous conversation.

Our generation must learn to talk about what we intimidated and confused by. It’s the only way we can change things.

-Alex Straaik

Graduate student

IT staff member

Racial diversity is still an issue

Dear Editor,

In response to last week’s piece “Diversity is not only race,” (4/6/06):

Race is not something that can be easily discarded and forgotten, no matter how painful the circumstances surrounding it may be. This facet is all too apparent to a minority student in an environment such as the one here at Emerson, a school starving for racial diversity.

You can make a case for Emerson having diversity in other areas (although I would argue it does not) but that does not negate the need for, and lack of, racial diversity at this institution.

As nice as it would be to live in a society where we are free of social classifications, we do not, so it is therefore necessary to confront these social constructs and then do the necessary work to break down the prejudice that come with such labels.

There’s something to be celebrated in racial differences. They are an integral part to who we are as human beings, and to deny that is to deny ourselves an identity. I take tremendous pride in my racial identity, and I refuse to believe that it should not count for something. It is because of this that I take issue not only with the lack of diversity at this school, but with the comments in that article to the contrary.

Segregated public schools, workplaces and businesses are not “inherently diverse”, neither are non-segregated institutions for that matter, or any institution that has control over its membership.

True diversity can only exist if we take an honest look at our society, our community and ourselves, not by celebrating what little diversity we may have while alienating those who are grossly underrepresented in this community.

-Jeff Dorsey

Sophomore

Film major