Kansas State University - Royal Purple Yearbook (Manhattan, KS)

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■28 Student Life

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Communities who care and invest in all members are stronger and more resilient when challenges happen to arise. Strength of community depends upon the talents and gifts of each member — we need to continue to work together in facing the challenges and rewards that our futures hold. Candi Hlronaka, co-cha r of the School of Leadership Studie Peace and Harmony Walk A Peace and Harmony Walk, from Triangle I ' ark. down Anderson Avenue to St. Isidore Catholic Student Center and back to Triangle Park, kicked oft the week. A pertorniance by Roots cif Rhythm and presentations by representatives from the City, USD 3S3 and the university, as well as Barbara Baker, founder ot Racial Ethnic Harmony Week, preceded the walk. A cliscussion continued m the park following the walk. Immigration, Misperceptions and the American Dream: All Alive and Well in 2008 As part of the Dorothy L. Thompson Civil Rights Lecture Series, Ian Bautista, alumnus and president ot the United Neighborhood Centers of America in Milwaukee, gave his second ot two lectures. We invited Ian back to campus (one ot five trips this year to K-State) because he has become a nationally recognized expert on (among other things) the misperceptions of immigrants and immigration policies in the U. S., said Doug Benson, CCHW co-chair and protessor m modern languages. This is an important ccimponent m understanding the rich diversit ' t t life in our democracy and its contributions to our nation. Muslims in the Media In the Little Theater 111 the K-State Student Union, M.ihnaz Shabbir, president ot Shabbir Advisers, spoke to an audience of more than 50. She discussed some of the mistaken beliefs represented in the media, comparing Muslim to Christianity to further clarify and dispel some ot the misconceptions held about the Muslim religion. Promoting Harmony through Education At noon, tour student represent.itiws tVom different faiths — Christianity, Judaism, Islam and Hinduism — had a dialogue on the difterences and similarities among their reliirions in the Union C AHirtvard. Diversity Workshops Ne.xt to a poduini draped w ith a green, brown and gold cloth. Barbara |. Love spoke about the historical task of completing the ' isioii ot the hiunding people. Love, a protessor ot socialjustice education at the University ot Massachusetts-Ainherst, led a series of diwrsity wiM-kshops. About 20 people gathered for the 10:13 a.m. session in the Hemi.sphere Room m Hale Library, in cluding Courtney Beach, alumna and storekeeper specialist in Hale. 1 like how she reminded us all not only that it takes work to accomplish dnersitv inclusion, but that we can do It if we set our minds to it, she said. She brought up the awareness ot our language, and how it may seem like a small thing, but (changing) it can make quite a ditference. Love had the audience members turn to the person ne.xt to them and share their vision tor the future. As each person shared dreams. Love talked about all th.it comes with working toward diversity inclusion. We get to make something happen in this world that a lot ot people have dreamed about, she said. We have the resources and the will, as evidenced by all of you today, to make it happen. Body Politics for Women: Expressions of Self and Healing for the Soul 111 the early afternoon in NiclioK I lall. Baker led a dr.inia workshop tor a grotip of women and one male based on her doctoral work. Though the movements were physical, the focus of the workshop was mental. Hironaka said. The seminar workshop was to assist primarily women in recognizing how we can let society dictate notions of beauty to us, Hironaka said. Through some interpretive exercises, we were able to exaiinne these issues, and by using drama techniques, begin tlie liber.itioii process of freeing us from these assumptions — becoming more comfortable in our bodies and seeiiii: the beautv within e.ich ot us. Cailtural Ha Week 27

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Andrew Rickel was always sure what he wanted to do — whether it was wanting to become a pilot for United Airlines or running for the Kansas Senate. As sure as he was about what he wanted to do, he had no idea when he would do it and had no idea he would be ni the race for Kansas Senate before his 21st birthday. Having grown up m Garnett. Kan., population 3,280, the senate seat might have appeared out cit reach, but Rickel, sophomore in music education, began to submerge himself in a political environment at a young age. In junior high school, Rickel became a page for state Rep. Bill Feuerborn, D-Distnct 5. His duties included bringing files anci messages to all representatives and officers, greeting the representatives as they entered into meetings and assisting them in any way he could. Alter his six-month stint as a page, Rickel participated in G)ctagon — the student branch of the Optimist Club on the Optimist Youth Model Legislature — and became a ranking parliamentarian his senior year. To be eligible, he had to write his own bills that conformed to Kansas laws. During the week of May 20, Anthony Hensley, senate minority leader, called to inform Rickel of an open position in the Senate. Mcitivated by the lack ot consistency in the Kansas education system, he decided to toss his hat into the ring ot politics as a democratic candidate. I ' m going to serve tor the greater good ot Kansas, Rickel said. If they call my name in November, I ' m serving that way. Myself comes second. When he began this new chapter m his lite, he encciuntered pressures he had to deal with. I ' m worried about how to relate to older people, he said, about being ) ' oung and helping bridge the gap between the generations. In addition tci this, Rickel tound a struggle in the cost ot campaigning. As I ' ve found out, one of the dirty secrets of the modern election process is how much money it takes to run tor office. he said, and when you ' re getting started, vou don ' t have much ot it. However, the issue of money was not the only problem he tbund during the run for Senate. He said he had to face numerous candidate surwys and persistent e-mails trom vague-sounding groups. I ' m concerned about the impact of special interest groups and lobbyists on our democracy, Rickel said. As a state senator, I would have to learn to deal with them and my campaign has been an education. You ' re there to represent the people who elected you. not the special interest groups. Throughout iiis lite, and cspecial] - during his race tor Senate, Rickel said what he learned most about was risks. No matter what tiie odds, vou iiave to take a risk. he said, it none, you can ' t ful or succeecH — you end up settling tor mediocrity. You have to put yourselt out there. Andrew Rickel 29