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(01/21/92 10:00am)
The participants considered the questions, "What's going on between the races?" and "Why isn't Martin Luther King's dream of racial equality being fulfilled in America?" Gloria Gay, associate director of the Women's Center and Marcine Pickron--Davis, assistant director of the Program for Student--Community Involvement, led the discussion. Gay began by breaking students into smaller groups of five or six to determine problems that exist among different races at the University. A representative from each group commented on its conclusions. Lack of communication, apathy, and ignorance were cited as major sources of tension among the races. The ideas brought up by the small groups led to an open discussion, where participants shared their own ideas with other students. Those who spoke commented on the need to educate themselves about other ethnic groups, to recognize and respect differences and to eliminate stereotypes. Many students also expressed a desire for the University to recognize formally the day as a holiday. Gay concluded the discussion with her own remarks. She stated that Americans have inherited a racist society. "If you're having a conversation about race in America, it's not going to feel good," she said. But she indicated that holding these conversations is the only way to resolve racial tensions. "Martin Luther King didn't just do what he did for black people," she added. "He did it for all people." Students in attendance said they enjoyed the program and agreed that it was worthwhile. "I'm pleased to see a really diverse group here," College senior Lauren Hochberg said. "I think the discussion was honest and open . . . everyone here got something out of it," said Khalil Muhammad, a College junior. The discussion was sponsored by the Black Student League as part of yesterday's celebration of Martin Luther King, Jr. Day.
(12/05/91 10:00am)
Sumi Kobayashi wants every American to know. In an hour-long speech in Kings Court last night, Kobayashi, one of 120,000 Japanese-Americans who were imprisoned during World War II, spoke about her experiences in a Utah internment camp. Kobayashi called her experience "an injustice to American citizens whose ancestry happened to be Japanese." She emphasized that this part of American history must be made known and remembered so that it does not happen again. Kobayashi, who is a member of the Japanese-American Citizens League, began her lecture by sharing her personal background with students, and went on to discuss parts of recent American history. She and her family moved to San Diego in 1939, two years before Japan attacked Pearl Harbor. Following the bombing, President Franklin Roosevelt issued an executive order calling for the placement of Japanese-Americans into internment camps. Kobayashi said that her family was forced to move from California to Topaz, a camp in a Utah desert, taking only the possessions essential for survival. Internees were given cotton ticking and straw for a mattress, and families were assigned small, empty rooms. "This was to be our home . . . family life was gone," Kobayashi said. Topaz housed 8000 residents in one square mile that was "guarded around the clock by military police." After Kobayashi spent a year in the camp, she said the government encouraged internees to move to other parts of the U.S. for schooling or employment. Kobayashi not only discussed her own internment, but also touched on the treatment of other Japanese-Americans. She said many soldiers of Japanese origin were discharged or assigned menial tasks. "[At the end of the war] everyone wanted to forget about this chapter in their history," Kobayashi said. But she said in recent years, children of the internees have begun to question their parents. A special commission was set up by Congress to hear the stories of both former internees and former government officials. And in 1983, this commission published Personal Justice Denied, a booklet describing their conclusions and recommendations. Kobayashi said that she personally lobbied for a bill, signed into law in 1988, calling for a written apology and a $20,000 payment to each internee. Following her speech, Kobayashi answered questions from the audience about internment experiences, American views toward Japanese-Americans, as well as about her thoughts on the anniversary of the attack on Pearl Harbor. Then a brief documentary and the film "Come See the Paradise," both about Japanese internment camps, were shown. The 15 students who attended said they found the discussion interesting and informative. College sophomore Chi-Tai Tang described the speech as "really interesting," calling the internment a "drastic measure." "I think it's a terrible shame that so few people are here [at the lecture]," College freshman Amy Joseph-Mosely said. "[The internment] is something that should be remembered or else it will happen again." The discussion was organized by Kings Court staff members.
(11/22/91 10:00am)
Philip Strax, who studied 62,000 women and found early detection of breast cancer can greatly improve chances for remission, discussed characteristics that lead to breast cancer and methods of early detection Thursday night at Logan Hall. The radiologist told the crowd of over 100 that researchers originally felt that early detection had no effect on the women involved. But Strax believed otherwise, and spent 18 years tracking 62,000 women to prove his theory. Strax's study showed that early detection can greatly improve chances for a cure. He found that 30 percent fewer deaths occurred among those women who were examined consistently. Both X-rays and self-examinations can be effective methods for early detection, Strax said. "All we have is the knowledge that we can find [the cancer] in women who seem well . . . but there is one problem, how do we get the women to come [to be examined]?" Strax asked. "That's the value of self-examination." Strax said that smoking and heredity play a role in the development of breast cancer, but that most of the women who have had breast cancer do not fall under one of the "high-risk" categories. Strax began his speech by saying that early evidence of breast cancer is reflected in ancient Egyptian and Roman artifacts. However, in recent years, the number of cases has increased significantly -- today, one out of nine women develop breast cancer, Strax said. A film on self-examination followed Strax's speech. The film, produced by the American Cancer Society, emphasized the importance of self-examinations for early detection of breast cancer. It stated that "most changes do not mean cancer, but they do mean a visit to your doctor." During a question and answer period students asked about precautions for women with family histories of breast cancer, chances of recurrence in women who have been cured, and detection of the disease in young women. Speech organizer Jill Hammer presented Strax with a check for $1225 raised from raffle ticket sales by co-sponsors Panhellenic Council and Bicultural InterGreek Council sororities. The money will used for a non-profit breast cancer diagnostic clinic. College senior Meryl Degen said she felt this "should be the first of many" programs because it "raised awareness of a scary issue confronting women." Maureen Hernandez, president of the Panhellenic Council, said that it is "very important that we take care of this issue." Hammer, a College junior, felt that "people were definitely interested, and that was a definite plus."
(11/07/91 10:00am)
Eight months ago, Market West Athletic Club was just an idea for partners David Salkin and Biz Stark. But today, with the assistance of the Wharton Small Business Development Center, the Center City fitness club is busy preparing for its opening in late November. Salkin envisioned a club -- complete with fitness center, sports shop, and aerobic studio -- that was more responsive to members and better operated than what seemed to be the standard in Philadelphia. However, he found little support from friends and family members for his idea. On the recommendation of the Chamber of Commerce, Salkin approached the Wharton Small Business Development Center. "I was in need of some support for my ideas," Salkin said. The SBDC is a free business consulting service that caters to new and emerging small businesses in the Philadelphia area. The staff of the SBDC includes 21 part-time consultants -- three undergraduates and eighteen MBA students. These consultants are required to have previous experience working in a business environment. SBDC consultants provide their clients with both one-on-one attention and with collaborative ideas when needed, according to SBDC spokesperson Jackie Reses. However, a client generally works with one assigned consultant, she said. Salkin, with the assistance of an SBDC consultant, first developed financial projections relating to the opening of the health club, and then a marketing plan, which targets businesspeople as well as the residential market. At this point, Salkin and Stark applied and were accepted to the SBDC summer program, where they received attention on a more intensive level. Now, the partners are organizing a direct mail campaign as a means for reaching potential members. Marketing Director Salkin indicated that this campaign is an inexpensive and highly effective way to gain memberships. "It's almost the best thing [the SBDC has helped with] so far," he said. Lou Norsworthy is another local businessman who took advantage of the SBDC services. Norsworthy had plans to open a casual restaurant. Now he owns Cafe Cafe, a French bistro that caters to a theater-going crowd. He felt that SBDC consultants could help him create a financial package "that lenders might take more seriously." Norsworthy attended several initial meetings and was then assigned to one consultant who worked with him on a financial plan. President Bernard Elliot of Grapevine Software had attempted to open several businesses before his successful venture with his present firm. Grapevine Software develops and licenses products and also develops patents. The company needed assistance, not in becoming established, but in determining what to produce and what markets should be targeted. Elliot gives credit to the SBDC for contributing to his success. "Not only did [the SBDC] provide good and very useful help, but they included us in the process of figuring out problems," Elliot said. "[This gave us] more confidence in the conclusions they were reaching." In addition to its free consulting services, the Wharton SBDC offers classes on aspects of business management as well as seminars for those interested in starting new businesses. The SBDC also co-sponsors the annual Philadelphia Top 100, a project that highlights local firms with large increases in revenue in recent years. These companies will share their experiences with other entrepreneurs at a conference to be held today. The SBDC is accepting resumes from graduate and undergraduate students interested in working as consultants. The deadline is today.
(10/04/91 9:00am)
Encouraging students to learn all they can about their heritage, Angela Jorge, assistant professor of Hispanic Studies at the State University of New York at Old Westbury, discussed the impact of Christopher Columbus' discovery of America, noting that Columbus is not a hero to all people. Jorge began her speech, entitled "Is Columbus Really A Hero? - Reflections of a Hispanic Woman," by sharing her impressions on the upcoming 500th anniversary of Columbus' arrival in the New World. "What was the impact?" she asked rhetorically. "If Columbus had not come [to the New World], what might have happened?" Jorge then related Columbus' personal background and the results -- both positive and negative -- of the European presence in the Americas. Jorge said that one negative aspect of Columbus' discovery frequently overlooked is that it led to the enslavement and mistreatment of American Indians who were already living in the "New World." In her closing remarks, Jorge said that she hopes that all people make an effort to learn about their own background and heritage. "All people should really learn about what it means to be a New World person," she said. "I'm not questioning whether [Columbus should be a hero]. Everyone must come to terms with that on their own." Jorge said that there is an effort to create a curriculum in schools so that the contributions of people of all races and colors will be taught with equal consideration. "[There is a] great deal of conflict about implementing that kind of curriculum, but the effort is there," she said. A short question-and-answer period followed the speech, in which students asked Jorge to clarify some of the terminology she used in her speech. Most students at the speech said that it was very interesting and informative. Wharton senior Ileana Garcia said that Jorge brought up many "insightful" points and that she was pleased that students of all ethnic backgrounds attended the event. Jorge's speech was part of Latino Awareness Week.
