NEWS
NOVEMBER 15, 2013
Speaker encourages conversations about racism, promotes student activism
BY LEK SlU
STAffF Wmrm.
There's an elephant in the room, and its
name is racism.
"It is painful and difficult (to talk about)/'
said Visiting Instructor of Justice and Policy
Studies Daniel Rhodes. "People want to
ignore it and sweep it away. White people
don't want to talk about racism because they
are afraid that they are going to say something
wrong and be accused of being racist."
On Nov. 6, Luellen Curry, a faculty member
from Wake Forest University School of Law,
Luellen Curry spoke about issues of racism and the legal system, like the Trayvon Martin case.
came to Guilford College to speak on racism,
justice and the legal system.
The presentation was organized by Karen
Unsley, associate professor of psychology
and chair of both Interdisciplinary Studies
and African American Studies.
Curry wanted audience members
to feel comfortable talking about race.
She encouraged them to go out into the
community and discuss this sensitive and
complex issue.
"We need to do this because that is the only
way we will start to resolve this conflict,"
said Curry.
The main point of the event was to offer
the community a space to learn how to deal
with the serious issues of racism and the legal
system. Tinsley also wanted the community
to have the chance to continue discussing the
Trayvon Martin case in depth.
"I wanted people to be aware of the issues
of racism and the legal system, to not just
sweep the case of Trayvon Martin under
the rug," said Tinsley. "Having an open
positive forum about race, violence and its
legal implications from an interdisciplinary
perspective will lead to finding creative ways
of different disciplines (understanding) the
issues."
Curry addressed these issues with regard
to the recent Trayvon Martin case and how
George Zimmerman may have gotten away
with murder.
"Race has to be part of the content," said
Curry. "Zimmerman himself admitted that it
was race-related. The judge didn't consider
racial profiling as part of the trial. This
innocent young man did not do anything
wrong. He was walking home, and then he
ended up dead."
After the event, many walked away with
positive attitudes towards discussing racism
and how to make a change.
"I thought the event was interesting,"
said senior Mary Heisey. "It was nice to see
Guilford professors understand the need to
look at these issues with an interdisciplinary
approach."
Sophomore Kelli Uresti left feeling eager to
continue the conversation.
"(Curry) definitely made me think, 'What
am I doing to help this?"' said Uresti. "I hope
to be an agent of change to our community
... it inspired me to get active in pursing
equality."
Although the presentation is over the
conversation about race is not.
"Guilford is a great place that has its core
values and rich history of the Underground
Railroad," said senior Jonathan Yatsky.
"If we are truly going to change racism in
the world, we ... must be willing to change
our ways of thinking to embrace one another
for our differences and come from a place
of understanding. Then we can truly accept
other cultures."
Quaker Educational Leadership Symposium is a success
BY BRENT EISENBARTH
Snuv WHnm
What does leadership look like
in Quaker education?
From Nov. 8-10, representatives
from Quaker schools across the
country grappled with this question
during the Quaker Educational
Leadership Symposium.
Hosted by the Friends Center
at Guilford College, the Alumni
Relations Office and New Garden
Friends School, the symposium,
"Mission-Driven in a Data-Driven
World," consisted of different
events that all discussed leadership
in Quaker education.
Considering that New Garden
Friends School is getting a new
head for the first time in a quarter
century and Guilford's own search
for a new president is on the radar,
the symposium's timing was
especially relevant.
"It seemed like a propitious time
to evaluate ... leadership required
to maintain Quaker education,"
said Max Carter, director of the
Friends Center and campus
ministry coordinator.
The weekend events ranged
from presentations to panels,
from fellowships to pot lucks and
from breakfasts to suppers — all
focusing on the key question.
"My objective is to listen to
and consider ... what Quaker
leadership means in the context of
the world we live in," said Renee
Prillaman, assistant principal of
teaching and learning at Carolina
Friends School.
On Friday night, Margaret
Benefiel, Ph.D. and author of
"The Soul of a Leader," shared
the experiences of upholding two
seemingly contradictory identities:
being a leader and being a Quaker.
Specifically, she discussed this in
relation to analytical research data
and the introspective elements of
Quakerism.
The Saturday night panel of
current and former heads of
Quaker schools was another
highlight. Members deliberated
many tough questions, including
the role of consensus in decision
making, finances in times of crises
and how to implement equal
gender and racial recruitment.
But what does a Quaker
education mean exactly?
"A Quaker education is
transformational and ... holistic,"
said Carter. "It's not just the
transformation from a mind ... to
a critical thinker ... but it's also a
transformation spiritually and
emotionally ... (in)to persons who
can attempt anything, because
they know they have a community
that accepts them, mentors them
and supports them."
First-years Sadie Hunter and
Phoebe Hogue-Rodley shared their
own insights about Quakerism in
higher education.
"As a Quaker, for me, learning is
spiritual," said Hunter.
Hogue-Rodley added, "I was
drawn to Guilford by the idea of
an intentional community ... with
GUILFORD ALUMNI SPEAKERS:
Ari Betof ’02 (head of New Garden Friends School)
Stephen Dotson ’06 (former middle school youth director for Philadelphia Yearly Meeting
Gary Farlow ’77 (clerk of the Friends Association for Higher Education)
Evelyn Jadin ‘07 (Guilford College campus ministry associate)
Ben Lancaster ‘07 (Assistant Director of New Garden Friends School)
Alex Levering Kern ’95 (director of Northeastern University Center for Spirituality, Dialogue, and Service)
Rain Nev^comb ’98 (professor at Western Carolina University)
Christina Repoley ’02 (founding executive director of Quaker Voluntary Service)
OTHER FACILITATORS & SPBAKERS AT THE EVENTS
Dwight Wilson (former head of the Detroit Friends School)
Margaret Benefiel (CEO of Executive Soul)
Douglas Bennett (former president ofEarlham College)
Kent Chabotar (current president of Guilford College)
Margaret Fraser (clerk of the New Association of Friends)
Irene McHenry (retiring executive director of Friends Council on Education)
William R. Rogers (former president of Guilford College)
Deborah Saunders (former director of admission forPendle Hill)
Bruce Stewart (former Provost of Guilford College and retired head of Sidwell Friends School)
IS
shared values."
"Intentional community"
appropriate in describing the
event considering how it unified
Quaker educational communities
from around the country, brought
Guilford closer to the New Garden
Friend's School and drew in
graduates.
"We wanted to create the space
for alumni to come back and talk
about their experiences ... and
also remind the alumni that they
are stakeholders, and (we) value
their participation," said Assistant
Director of Alumni Relations
Miriam Biber '02, who was on the
event's planning committee.
Current President and Professor
of Political Science Kent Chabotar
discussed the importance of a
leader's interaction with the
surrounding community in an
interview with The Guilfordian.
"(The incoming president
should take) the first six months
to listen; don't try to issue a vision
before you know the place, and
involve people when you make
decisions," Chabotar told The
Guilfordian.
If it takes a village to raise a
child, then perhaps it takes a
whole school — faculty, alumni,
staff and students — to make a
college president.
L.