Diversity through Anthropology

Diversity may be achieved through a variety of methods. Affirmative action in a business environment may create a more diverse workforce. Bussing in public schools may introduce a more diverse student body to a school that previously wasn't. It's a personal decision to choose to become more tolerant of diversity, and the same is true here at Ole Miss. In our anthropology department, becoming educated and more tolerant of diversity is as easy as showing up for one of Dr. Robbie Ethridge’s lectures.

Dr. Ethridge, a cultural anthropologist, author, and Ole Miss professor of anthropology, leads classes that concern a variety of anthropological topics. Her classes range anywhere from studies of the Environmental History of the South, surveys of specific Native American cultures, to graduate research seminars. Despite her wide range of course study, they all concern one thing; diversity.

“By definition, anthropology is the study of diversity. Students who take anthropology courses get exposed to many different cultures and many different kinds of people around the world, ways of thinking about the world, and looking at the world,” said Ethridge.

In her book Creek Country: The Creek Indians and their World, Ethridge explores the cultural significance of the native tribe that called the southeastern United States their home. Some may have even lived around the area where the University of Mississippi is located. While she only explores this one native culture in her book, understanding one culture may help us better understand others.

Maggie Coakley, 21, who is currently taking Dr. Ethridge’s “Native Americans and the Natural World” course here at Ole Miss, feels like classes that cover cultural diversity topics should be required as a means to encourage people to be more open-minded.

“I feel like if more people took classes like this, then they would understand why people around them are different. Maybe they wouldn’t think others are ‘wrong’ because they dress or look differently. It should be required,” said Coakley.

Coakley’s opinion reinforces exactly the idea that Dr. Ethridge is trying to promote through her classes. She thinks that through study of diverse cultures we may understand exactly how we are all different, and then we will finally understand how we are all the same.

“Students who take anthropology come away with a better sense of the diversity in the world and the global forces that unite us all as well. It’s not just the diversity here, it’s the commonalities,” said Ethridge.

Despite the immense geographical distances that separate different cultures, the study of these people, thousands of miles away, may help us to better understand the differences of someone that is sitting right next to us.

LGBT Community at Ole Miss (video)

LGBT Community at Ole Miss (Video)

Diversity on Campus Beyond Black and White Stereotypes

Minorities in the South are traditionally seen as African Americans, but the university hosts many other cultures. Carolina Orrego, the assistant director of enrollment services, immigrated to Florida in 2000 from Columbia.

In Feb. of 2011 she became a U.S. citizen, but the process began in June of 2010, after she had been a permanent resident for five years and became eligible for citizenship.

For Orrego this was a long time goal she had been looking forward to.

“To me it was just more exciting because it was finally the time I was going to be able to do something that I’ve been wanting to do since I got here,” Orrego said. “[The naturalization test] wasn’t hard because I have a background in political science.

The ceremony took place in Oxford, but Orrego said that she preferred it because of the more intimate feel than in her hometown Orlando, FL.

“[In Oxford] it is not something that happens every weekend like it does in Florida because there are so many immigrants there and here they made such a big deal about it. Even the mayor of Oxford was at the ceremony,” Orrego said.

Orrego’s colleague and friend John Welch attended the ceremony in support of Orrego.

“The ceremony was really great and it made me feel patriotic. It was great to see so many different countries represented in Oxford because some of them are students here,” Welch said.

Coworker Lauren Unacpher Stokes said it was great how big a community event it was.

“It wasn’t just her becoming a citizen, the whole office got together to celebrate,” Stokes said.

Orrego said no one in the admissions office had ever seen a naturalization ceremony or even knew of anyone who had been naturalized.

This lack of diversity is difficult for Orrego, especially when trying to convey a message about diversity to those students who have never left the state. Orrego considers these individuals to be in a bubble and until they come to college or travel they don’t realize what diversity is.

“We have 19 percent of minority students on campus, but that’s really not a lot,” Orrego said. “For [students] what is a minority? Most of the time it’s just African American and if you’re not African American, but you’re still a minority you’re considered an international student and that’s kind of crazy.”

The effort the University’s students and faculties are putting into diversity awareness manifests itself in One Mississippi and Diversity Rocks.

One Mississippi is a club on campus that promotes tolerance among different ethnicities by discussing social issues involving race.

Diversity Rocks was a weeklong event that brought in speakers to discuss different types of minorities to lead to a better understanding and acceptance of others.

“I think there is some awareness being developed about diversity, but I think it will take a while for Ole Miss to really be diverse,” Orrego said. “But maybe with all the out of state students coming in, it will make a big difference.”

Video: http://youtu.be/_YmXPjDJ5oI

For more information on Diversity Rocks visit: http://zing.olemiss.edu/diversity-rocks-begins-april-25-at-ole-miss-j-school/

LGBT Community at Ole Miss

Matthew Bishop

JOUR 102 Sec 4

8 May 2011

LGBT Community at Ole Miss

There has been a spike in suicides the last year by many gay teenagers and young adults mainly caused by repetitive bullying and public humiliation.

The most widely publicized of this occurrence is the suicide of Rutgers freshman Tyler Clemente who reportedly jumped off a bridge after his roommate posted a video of him having a sexual encounter with another man.

But how are the LGBT (lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgendered) students being treated here at Ole Miss? You might just be surprised.

The LGBT community at Ole Miss is much larger than one would imagine at an estimated 10% of the student population. That is according to Vicki Mahan who is the employee assistance program coordinator at the Student Counseling Center on campus.

Mahan said that there are two contributing factors as to why many students and faculty don’t recognize that there is a significant LGBT community here at the university.

First is that many of the students and faculty are in denial that there is even an LGBT community and secondly is that there is vast numbers of LGBT students who are still “in the closet”.

The majority of issues that LGBT students come to Mahan to talk about is being accepted into their family or religion.

“Many of their religions say they are doomed, which is pretty hard when your trying to accept yourself.” Mahan said.

However there have been some instances of friction between a straight students and a LGBT student such as when a student came to Mahan to complain about some people in his dorm who graffitied derogatory remarks on his door.

Emily Perkins who is a lesbian student at Ole Miss says that she has not been harassed or humiliated at Ole Miss and said that most people here are very accepting. She does say however that there is a difference between the treatment of gay men versus gay women.

“I think the gay guys have it much worse because straight men don’t seem to be as open minded.” Perkins said.

Perkins did mention however that some of her other lesbian friends who are in sororities sometimes have a hard time fitting in with the other sorority girls especially at events where they have a mixer with a male fraternity.

Mahan is however trying to better integrate LGBT students into the community as well as educate straight faculty and students through her Allies program. The program informs faculty and students about issues involving LGBT students. It is also their so that a faculty member who is an ally can hang up a symbol on their door which signifies that an LGBT student can speak openly with them about any issues that they may be having.

If you are an LGBT student and are currently having any social issues you can stop by the counseling center located across the street from Bishop hall or you can visit websites such as www.thetrevorproject.org and www.itgetsbetter.org.

Difference Between African American and Caucasian Sororities

The University of Mississippi’s Greek life is alive and thriving, with African American and Caucasian students. Ole Miss is known for its Greek life, where while walking around campus one would see people proudly representing their affiliation.

Greek life between African Americans and Caucasians has similarities and differences.

With the Caucasian sororities on campus rush begins in mid October. Rush is a weeklong process where the women attend each house and get to know each sorority a little better each night that they are invited back. It also involves a ranking system, both the sorority and the woman who is rushing have to rank. With this rush there must be a mutual liking from both the sorority and the woman.

For the women going through rush it is a very nerve racking experience. But for the women on the other side of rush, who have already been through the process, they find it to be a fun but tiring experience.

Marie Elise Williams, a sophomore Chi Omega, said, “Rush is so much fun, getting to meet all of the women that you have heard so much about is awesome.”

For the women who are already affiliated with a sorority, rush consists of studying all of the rushees faces, learning their name, hometown, GPA, and also extracurricular activities. The reason for having to learn all of this is so that while in the rush process you will have something to talk about with them and hopefully will help the situation to be less awkward.

For the women going through rush there are certain requirements that they must have to go through the process. They must have at least a 2.5 GPA, the reason sororities have this requirement is because each chapter on campus tries to have the highest GPA.

“There is a huge competition to have the highest GPA on campus, we all try to beat each other,” said Williams. They must also have recommendations from former members of that certain sorority. This way the members of that chapter can learn more personal information about the rushee.

Each sorority is responsible for donating money to their philanthropy. Philanthropy is an organization or charity that the sorority has decided that they would like to help. Most sororities hold some type of gathering where food is served; whether it is a crawfish broil or a spaghetti dinner.

With the African American sororities on the Ole Miss campus things work a little differently. The women are not allowed to rush until their sophomore year of college. Along with when they are allowed to rush the rush process happens a little differently. Instead of it having to be a mutual liking between both the sorority and rushee, the rushee herself has to go after the sorority and let them know that she wants them. She not only has to let them know she wants them she has to prove it to them.

Once the sorority has decided which women they believe truly want to be a part of their sorority they will give the rushee a call and inform her that she must attend the meeting. During this meeting the girls are all interviewed and also hear from that chapters advisors. After this meeting the women must wait for another phone call if they receive this phone call then they are officially a pledge for that sorority.

The pledge process lasts up to a month at the least. Throughout this time period the women are expected to be studying all of the sororities history and information. Once they are called back in they will be tested on this information. They are also expected to prove why they want to be affiliated with this particular sorority. The sorority is looking for someone who genuinely wants to be in the sorority and who likes what they stand for; they want to make sure that they don’t want to join just for the party.

Teresa Jones, a freshman at the university and a residential assistant, said, “I am very nervous, I have a lot of studying to do.”

To raise money for their philanthropy, African American sororities often hold step shows. A step show is a dance that is synchronized by hand and foot movements, along with singing, dancing, and chanting. They practice these dances for months. When they finally perform their dances the money they receive from the show goes to their philanthropy.

Once in the sorority they are expected to be in for life, after college they are still expected to uphold their sorority’s ideals and standards. Where as in Caucasian sororities normally after college they still stand for their sorority but they aren’t as affiliated with it anymore. Generally they only donate money, unless they are an advisor or housemother.

No matter if the way they go about rush is different, or how they raise money for their philanthropy, all the women love being a part of their sorority. They love having that sense of family while they are off at school. No matter what skin tone, all of the women would agree that their sisters tend to be their best friends for the rest of their lives. One has their real biological family but then one has their sorority family. The women that know everything about their sisters, the things that make her angry and the things that make her cry. Sorority sisters are sisters for life.

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http://www.chiomega.com/

http://www.aka1908.com/

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pXVl5WY5aWI