Creating Towards Utopia: An Evening of Art, Poetry, and Conversation

On the evening of Friday, April 25th, friends, family, and faculty members gathered at Café Southside to support students in CHIC 4232 Chicano/a - Latino/a Gender & Sexuality Studies, a course in the Chicano & Latino Studies Department at the U of M taught by Jessica López Lyman. As part of their final projects, students elected to showcase their creativity through art and poetry.

The course explored the works of Cherríe Moraga, Gloria Anzaldúa, Emma Pérez, José Esteban Muñoz, and Brandon Lacy Campos. Students were asked to present their own idea(s) of Utopia, one that progresses toward a "forward-dawning futurity"--a space which celebrates people of diverse identities and experiences.

This Spring 2014, some MLK students took this class and their work is highlighted below. Yen Tran (Fluidity) and Khin Oo (Finding the Utopian in the Quotidian) both presented visual art pieces and Jessica Ngo read from a written piece entitled, "Be."

The MLK Jr. Program would like to congratulate these students on their hard work in this course.

L-R: Yen Tran (Fluidity), Jessica Ngo ("Be"), and Khin Oo (Finding the Utopian in the Quotidian)

MLK Spotlight - Warlance: A Celebration of Our Cultural Heritage

Warlance is a junior majoring in Communication Studies. This post is part of the MLK Spotlight, a regular feature on our blog. The goal is to highlight MLK student (or staff) stories, experiences, and perspectives. Have something you'd like to share? Send an email to mlkdesk@umn.edu, or ask your adviser!

Warlance and the mural he created on the second floor of Coffman Memorial Union

It can be said that the context of life is based upon the influential cultures that it embodies. Existent upon this is the collective instinct of human nature to expressively display culture in daily experience. Here, at the University of Minnesota, the Second Floor of Coffman is where the diversity of culture manifests and it is the place to be on campus. Art thrives, cultures mix, and the collective actions of peace, love, and happiness influence every attitudinal gesture that reflects the purposes of the Second Floor of Coffman. Whether to “bridge the gap," appreciate differences, or instill a level of comfort accessible to all, the Second Floor of Coffman has every intention to celebrate the diversity that exists here at the University of Minnesota. It was this objectivity that gave me the inspiration to construct a piece of artwork that would embody the purpose of every culture that lives and thrives from within the University. 

MLK Spotlight - Julia: Working to reduce suicide rates

This post is part of the MLK Spotlight, a regular feature on our blog. The goal is to highlight MLK student (or staff) stories, experiences, and perspectives. Have something you'd like to share? Send an email to mlkdesk@umn.edu, or ask your adviser! Julia shared with us the blurb below. To read more about her mission, click here. 

One year ago the University of Minnesota lost Matt Challou, an amazing student, to suicide. Julia Schliesing, a friend of Matt and an MLK senior and political science major, decided to run for Miss America in order to reduce the suicide rate in this country. Last fall she took home the title of Miss Minneapolis, and will compete for the title of Miss Minnesota in June. 

On Wednesday, February 19 from 11 am - 1 am at the Station 19 Buffalo Wild Wings off of University Ave, Julia will be hosting the Matt Challou Memorial Fundraiser. On the day of the fundraiser, 10% of all food purchases will go to Julia's favorite organization, Suicide Awareness Voices of Education (SAVE), which educates local communities about suicide prevention.  Stop in at anytime during the 19th to meet Miss Minneapolis and selflessly enjoy some delicious food. There will be acoustic live music in the evening, a silent auction, and a raffle; just print off and bring the ticket below. Bring your friends!

We're a Culture, Not a Costume

You may be wondering what our bulletin board outside our office is all about. Basically, this Halloween the MLK Jr. Program wants you to think about how your costume may affect others. Some students from Ohio University started a campaign a couple years ago to raise awareness about costumes depicting others' cultural backgrounds. For more information, go to http://www.ohio.edu/orgs/stars/Home.html

What do you think about this issue?

MLK Jr. Program on the Bridge

We love student artwork. For this year's Paint-the-Bridge event put on by the Student Unions and Activities, Warlance Miner put his artistic skills to giving the MLK Jr. Program a space among the other student groups and academic departments. If you want to help in the future, or if you want to showcase your artistic skills (e.g. painting, drawing, photography, etc.), contact us at mlkdesk@umn.edu with your interest.