The University of Toledo

The University of Toledo yesterday provided tangible evidence of its commitment to diversity on campus with the creation of a new vice president for equity and diversity position.

Lawrence J. Burns, vice president for external affairs, will serve in the role on an interim basis, while continuing to oversee the University’s enrollment, academic and health-care marketing, and communications areas, as well as the Center for Creative Instruction.

“Larry has a long history of involvement with community outreach and has demonstrated significant positive impacts on the diversity of the University community,” said President Lloyd Jacobs. “As we sought to better formalize our equity and diversity initiatives, he seemed a natural person to provide leadership.”

Burns was recommended for the role by The University of Toledo Diversity Council based on several accomplishments over the course of his 18-year career in Toledo. Among those accomplishments:

• The UT Guarantee — A scholarship program for students in the Urban 21 school districts wherein The University of Toledo covers tuition and general fees for financially challenged students who have a 3.0 grade point average or above.

• The President’s Committee for African-American Recruitment, Retention and Scholarship Support on UT’s Health Science Campus — A group that includes UT senior administrators, faculty, staff, students and community members that originally was established by Burns through the former Medical College of Ohio Foundation. Charged by the president and led by individuals in the African-American community, the committee works to support UT’s ongoing efforts of increasing the amount of cultural diversity within health science majors and providing support to current students of color.

• The African-American Festival — A weekend event celebrating African-American culture that Burns brought to UT’s Scott Park Campus in summer 2008 following several years of local success.

“I’m honored and humbled to have been asked to serve in this capacity,” Burns said. “The University of Toledo is working to take a leadership role in diversity not only locally, but among institutions of higher education nationwide. I look forward to serving as an ambassador of those efforts.”

The University of Toledo will celebrate Black History Month with the theme “Our Story, Our People, Our Destiny.”

“The theme came about organically as the Black History Month Committee members sought a phrase that would pull together the enthusiasm, hope and collective joy over the election of Sen. Barack Obama as the 44th president of the United States and still pay homage to historic figures and events that have taken place in the past,” said James Jackson, director of the Office of African-American Student Enrichment Initiatives Office. “The theme was a product of collective imagination with a desire to express to the world that African-American people have a history that is important but at the same time are active participants in their future.”

Starting this week and during February, offices and student organizations have planned several events. In addition, there will be art exhibits on Main, Health Science and Toledo Museum of Art campuses.

Marc L. Neal, author of The Heart of a Champion: Winning the Battle Day by Day, will visit the University Tuesday, Feb. 10, at 6 p.m. in Student Union Room 2592 on Main Campus. He will talk about the keys to fighting and winning the spiritual battle and sign copies of his new book, Keys to Identifying Your Call: A Ministry of Opportunity Awaits You.

The First NAACP Distinction Awards will be held Thursday, Feb. 12, at 7:30 p.m. in Rocky’s Attic in the Student Union. UT faculty, staff and students will be honored, and there will be special performances throughout the evening.

Ritter Planetarium will pay tribute to Black History Month with two shows during February. “The Skywatchers of Africa” will take place Fridays at 7:30 p.m., and “Follow the Drinking Gourd” will take place Saturdays at 1 p.m. Cost: $5 for adults, $4 for seniors and children 12 and younger, and free for children 3 and younger.

Listed by date, other events will include:

Thursday, Jan. 29

• Discussion on the historic Obama election, 1:45 p.m., Student Union Rooms 2582-2584.

Saturday, Jan. 31

• 25th Annual Conference for Aspiring Minority Youth, 8:30 a.m. to 1 p.m., Student Union Auditorium. Keynote speaker Hill Harper, an actor best-known as Dr. Sheldon Hawkes on “CSI: NY,” will talk about the value of an education. Harper is a graduate of Brown University and Harvard Law School.

Feb. 2-27

• Work It Out, 5:15 to 6:30 p.m., Student Recreation Center. Join NAACP members for Core-15 and Turbo-Kick classes.

Feb. 2-28

• “Comics in Color: African-American Superheroes,” exhibit of black characters in comic books, Carlson Library Information Commons on Main Campus.

Wednesdays, Feb. 4, 11, 18 and 25

• R.A.A.P. Sessions, noon to 2:30 p.m., Student Union Rooms 2582-2584.
Information sessions for African-American students; topics cover personal development‚ financial aid‚ academic assistance and career planning.

Wednesday, Feb. 4

• Peer Networking and Juggling Your Time, 6 to 8 p.m., International House Lantern Lounge on Main Campus.

Friday, Feb. 6

• Movie‚ Food and Conversation: What’s Race Got to do With It? 7 to 10 p.m., Student Union Room 2582. Watch John Singleton’s “Higher Learning,” which explores racial politics on a college campus.

Feb. 8-14

• Soul Food Theme, 11 a.m. and 4:30 p.m., Skyview Food Court on Health Science Campus.

Monday, Feb. 9

• “Struggles and Triumphs of Our Past: Barriers That We Had to Overcome as African Americans,” 7 p.m., Student Union Room 2592.

Feb. 10-11

• Candy Sale, 11 a.m. to 2 p.m., Student Union near South Dining Hall. Proceeds go toward the NAACP’s third Annual Women’s Conference in April.

Tuesday, Feb. 10

• Introducing the Diversity Circle and the History of NAACP, 6 to 9 p.m.‚ Rocky’s Attic in the Student Union. Learn how the NAACP began and the differences between ethnicities.

Thursday, Feb. 12

• “Hoops and Ladders: Challenges and Opportunities for Domestic Violence Advocacy” with Gabrielle Davis, UT clinical professor of law, 12:30 p.m., Catharine S. Eberly Center for Women, Tucker Hall Room 0180 on Main Campus.

Friday, Feb. 13

• Movie‚ Food and Conversation: What’s Race Got to do With It? 7 p.m., Student Union Room 2582. Watch “Crash” and discuss racial experiences from diverse perspectives.

Feb. 15-March 15

• “Converging Aesthetics: Paintings and Drawings” by Imo Imeh, Center for the Visual Arts Gallery on Toledo Museum of Art Campus. Paintings and drawings by Imeh‚ a scholar of African art and aesthetics, with accompanying poems by David Ragland. Gallery hours: Monday through Saturday, 9 a.m. to 10 p.m.; Sundays, 10 a.m. to 10 p.m.

Sunday, Feb. 15

• Black History Month Jeopardy and Game Night, 9 to 11 p.m., Student Union Room 3018.

Tuesday, Feb. 17

• Black Man Wake-Up Call, 2 p.m., Student Union Room 3016. Forum to discuss changes needed on college campuses and in the black community.

Wednesday, Feb. 18

• “Whites in Black History: A Choice of Legacies” with Marshall Rose‚ director of the Bowling Green State University Office of Equity and Diversity, noon, Health Education Building Room 103 on Health Science Campus. RSVP: 419.383.3438.

• “You Are What You Eat/Appearance Is Everything,” 6 p.m., Student Recreation Center. Fitness class and discussion on how eating affects your body and health and the importance of appearances.

Thursday, Feb. 19

• ALMA Dance and Drum Performance, 11:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m., Skyview Food Court.

• Multicultural Jeopardy, noon to 1 p.m., Student Union South Lounge.

• “Health-Care Disparities: Who Loses Life or Limb?” with Dr. Monica Holiday-Goodman‚ UT associate professor of pharmacy practice, 12:30 p.m., Center for Women, Tucker Hall 0180.

• “Why Did I Get Married?” forum on black marriages and relationships, 2 p.m., Student Union Room 3016.

• “Hot Chocolate After Dark,” 6 to 9:30 p.m., Student Union Room 2591. Watch a movie and have some snacks with Miniya and Student African-American Brotherhood.

Friday, Feb. 20

• Soul Food Luncheon, noon to 2 p.m., Student Union South Lounge.

Feb. 20-22 and Feb. 25-March 1

“Crumbs From the Table of Joy,” Wednesday through Saturday at 7:30 p.m. and Sunday at 2 p.m., Center for Performing Arts Center Theatre on Main Campus. Lynn Nottage’s play set in 1950s Brooklyn follows a widower who pressures his daughters to follow strict spiritual teachings in a story that explores race, gender and society. Tickets: $13; $11 for faculty, staff and alumni; and $9 for students.

Monday Feb. 23

• The Martin Luther King Jr. Scholarship Benefit Dinner featuring keynote speaker Ohio State Sen. Ray Miller, 7 p.m., Student Union Auditorium. Silent auction from 6 to 8 p.m. Tickets: $60, $30 for students. RSVP: Office of Institutional Diversity, 419.383.3438.

Tuesday, Feb. 24

• “From Black Power to Black Studies: Jimmy Garrett Speaks on His Role,” 3 to 5 p.m., Student Union Room 2592.

Thursday, Feb. 26

• “Women’s Birth Stories” with Dr. Carolyn Lee‚ UT associate professor of nursing, 12:30 p.m., Health Education Building Room 103 on Health Science Campus.

• Diversi-Tea, 3 to 4 p.m., Student Union Room 2500. Take a break with Caribbean tea and crumb cakes.

• Dr. Lancelot C.A. Thompson Achievement Program, 7 p.m., Student Union Auditorium. African-American students who have cumulative grade-point averages of 3.0 and higher will be recognized.

Friday, Feb. 27

• Black Student Union Fashion Show and After-Party, 7 p.m. to 2 a.m., Student Union Auditorium.

Saturday, Feb. 28

• Saturday Nite Alive, 7 to 10 p.m.‚ Rocky’s Attic in Student Union. Celebrate Black History Month: Present poetry‚ slam poetry‚ spoken word‚ dramatic readings and other talents. Sign up: 419.530.4944.

For more information, contact the African-American Student Enrichment Initiatives Office at 419.530.7264 or the Office of Multicultural Student Services at 419.530.2261.

Panel speakers and participants will ponder an interesting question: “Was the presidential election of Barack Obama more about a phenom with a brilliant, innovative campaign, or was it a transformational shift in America?”

UT’s Africana Studies Program will host “Some Thoughts From UT on the Historic Obama Election” Thursday, Jan. 29, from 1:45 to 3:15 p.m. in Student Union Room 2584 on Main Campus.

Panel speakers will include:

• Dr. Jamie Barlowe, professor and interim chair of women’s and gender studies;

• Charlene Gilbert, director of the Catharine S. Eberly Center for Women and professor of women’s and gender studies and theatre and film;

• Dr. Morris Jenkins, associate professor of criminal justice;

• Dr. Rubin Patterson, professor of sociology and interim director of the Africana Studies Program;

• Angela Siner, instructor of anthropology;

• Dr. Carter Wilson, professor of political science; and

• David Young, interim director of the Office of Excellence.

For more information on the free program, call Africana Studies at 419.530.7252 or e-mail tammy.golkiewicz@utoledo.edu.

So I find myself sitting on the National Mall at 10:15 a.m. on Jan. 20, with a page from the Washington Post serving as a blanket, looking out at a sea of thousands of heavy boots that undoubtedly contained multiple pairs of socks and a few foot warmers. I had been standing since before 6 a.m. and needed to give my knees a break. I was cold, tired and feeling a little claustrophobic in a crowd that would eventually number two million. We were about a half mile from the Capitol, dependent on a Jumbotron to glimpse the day’s events. At that moment I asked myself, “What am I doing here?” There were still two hours before the new president would take the oath of office, and I was in no mood to wait.

But wait I did, and as tears welled up in my eyes when Barack Obama took the oath of office at 12:04 p.m., I realized why I was there — to witness history. And all of my doubts melted away and all the inconveniences became inconsequential.

There were so many images of that day and the two previous days that I will never forget. On Sunday, the “We Are One” concert produced many memorable moments, like a crowd of 500,000 singing “This Land Is Your Land,” led by folk legend Pete Seeger and Bruce Springsteen, and Garth Brooks leading a chorus of “American Pie.” People standing in line for up to an hour to have their pictures taken with the now-famous stylized portrait of Obama by Shepard Fairey hanging in the National Portrait Gallery. Whole families getting their photos taken in front of the Canadian Embassy’s banner that proclaimed “Canada Welcomes President Obama.” Seeing the not-yet-president’s motorcade speed down the street. People eagerly buying any souvenir with Obama’s image (or, even more desirous, his family’s image.) Crowds so large that it took 30 minutes to get out of the Metro station. Waiting 20 minutes to cross the street as tens of thousands tried to get to their destinations. Arriving on the mall at daybreak Tuesday morning as a beautiful pink sunrise served as a backdrop to the Capitol, which was adorned with flags and seemed to glow from within. The image seemed to symbolize a new day for America.

But what I will remember most is the joyousness of the people who gathered Tuesday. Despite the difficulties and indignities that come with packing two million people together in the cold and making them stand for seven or eight hours, no one complained. Everyone shared stories about why they were there, how long they had traveled to get there, and what it meant to them to be there. It was like a family reunion, but with people you did not know. Much has been reported about the diversity of the crowd, and I can attest that all those reports are true. There were people of every color, gender, sexual orientation, age, economic status and nationality.

And at 12:04, when the president placed his hand upon Lincoln’s bible, you could have heard a pin drop (if that were possible in a grassy lawn.) Two million people stood silent, with the exception of an occasional sniffle that signaled the emotion of the moment. As President Obama addressed the nation, there were many cheers that punctuated his speech, and the sounds of millions of gloved hands clapping. The crowd hung on every word.

The event made me think a lot about my late father. My interest in politics developed at the kitchen table when my father would almost nightly rant about the latest injustice he perceived against the “workin’ man.” There was never any question about which political party we belonged to — in our house, there was only one.

But despite his strong sense of equality and justice, there was one group of people he could never bring himself to see as his equal — African Americans. Growing up in several small Ohio towns, he never personally knew any such people, but he was sure they were different. And as someone who struggled to earn a living in heavy construction, he undoubtedly saw African Americans as competitors on the ladder of upward mobility. I stopped encouraging him to vote in 1968 when he cast his ballot for George Wallace. No one could ever convince him that his racist views were unfounded, and we learned the futility of challenging his racial epithets.

But this past June, as he lay gravely ill in the hospital, he told my husband in what would be his last conversation before he slipped into a coma that if Barack Obama got the nomination, he would vote for him.

As I watched President Obama take the oath of office, I was reminded that like my father, we are all shaped by our personal histories. But on a few rare occasions, our collective history as a nation can redefine that personal history. I believe my father would have been proud of his country on Tuesday.

Floyd is director of the Ward M. Canaday Center for Special Collections, university archivist and professor of library administration.

This past Tuesday at noon, my world stood still. Barack Obama was moments away from being sworn in as our nation’s 44th president. As I was standing with my dad amongst millions of other Americans, I thought back to one of my favorite biblical quotes. Psalm 30:5 tells us that “Weeping has endured for nights but now joy cometh in the morning.” That’s the feeling I had as I watched this symbolic transfer of power. America had wept for eight years under George Bush but at 12:04 p.m. on Jan. 20, joy came with Barack Hussein Obama.

I took special pride in this intelligent and charismatic black man taking that sacred constitutional oath. From the moment that he gave the keynote address at the Democratic Convention in Boston five years ago, he became one of my role models. I read both of Barack’s books, Dreams of My Father and The Audacity of Hope. I was not only inspired by his story and rise to power as a political science major, or as an American, but as a black man in America. I was motivated by the fact that a boy who had a mother from Kansas and a father from Kenya was able to attend Columbia and Harvard universities. I was inspired that he took on the Chicago establishment and won the hearts and minds of everyday, working folks. I was inspired that he rose from being a state senator in Springfield, Ill., some four years ago to being president of the United States. Only in America can a dream like that be achieved.

My trip to D.C. was all made possible by Sen. Debbie Stabenow of my home state of Michigan. She was gracious enough to give my dad and me two tickets to the inauguration. I don’t usually use hyperbole, but the past four or five days have been some of the best of my life so far. When we arrived in D.C. on Saturday, the city was buzzing with anticipation of the coming days. Everyone was friendly and smiling, as if Washington, D.C., was heaven. I spent Sunday touring our nation’s capital. I watched the Lincoln Memorial concert from the magnificent Newseum on Pennsylvania Avenue. I stood next to President Bill Clinton’s very modern and interesting portrait at the National Portrait Gallery. Monday was also a day to remember. I got to personally thank Sen. Stabenow for our tickets at the Michigan Congressional Delegation luncheon. I shared punch with Sen. Carl Levin and Gov. Jennifer Granholm. I knew that other than meeting the president himself, no moment would top the events that would take place on Tuesday.

My parents were born in the year 1959. This was four years before the Civil Rights Act of 1964 and five years before the Voting Rights Act of 1965. A black man in 1959 could never be elected president of the United States, and in most Southern states couldn’t even vote in a presidential election. On Nov. 4, 2008, Barack Obama shattered the glass ceiling of the American presidency for minorities with the force of a nuclear bomb. Not only was this extraordinary man elected, he won states like Florida, Indiana, North Carolina and the capital of the Confederacy, the state of Virginia. So here we were this past Tuesday witnessing history. Millions of Americans packed into the Metro station to be a part of change. I will be forever grateful that I was a part of history and a part of change. At 12:04 p.m. this past Tuesday, Barack Obama put the hopes, dreams and burdens of an entire free world on his back. I thank God that I was there for the first moments of this potentially remarkable point in history.

Carter is a sophomore majoring in political science.

The University of Toledo is offering an Undergraduate Research Proposal Writing Workshop Wednesday, Jan. 28, from 3:30 to 5:30 p.m. in Sullivan Hall Room 1020 on Main Campus and from 6:30 to 8 p.m. in the Classroom Center Room 2130 on Scott Park Campus.

The workshop is designed for students and faculty interested in participating in the following research programs: Academic Year Research Program, First-Year Summer Research Experience, Research Abroad Program, Toledo Internship Program, Undergraduate Summer Research & Creative Activity Program and the Work-Study Research Program.

Speakers and topics at the workshop will include:

• Dr. Thomas Kvale, director of undergraduate research and professor of physics, will give general hints on how to compose well-crafted proposals in science and other areas.

• Dr. Larry Connin, administrative coordinator for the Honors Program, will explain how to write proposals in political science areas and for the Toledo City Internship program.

• Dr. Tom Barden, professor of English and director of the Honors Program, and Dr. Glen Sheldon, associate professor of interdisciplinary studies, will explain how to put together proposals in the arts and humanities areas.

• Dr. Brian Randolph, associate dean of undergraduate studies in the College of Engineering, will explain how to apply for proposals in engineering areas.

Kvale said, “Research experience can be a very valuable part of a student’s academic journey.”

After the presentations, an informal discussion with faculty and students will take place.

For more information on this free workshop, call Kvale at 419.530.2983.

To set the stage for this occasion in my life, let me note that I was born in Chicago not far from Barack Obama’s house and grew up just a few miles west, but in a neighborhood that was not integrated or as trendy as Hyde Park. The housing “color line” was just a short walk east. So President Obama’s crossing of the ultimate “color line” by moving into the White House is historical, but I think that the decision of voters about the content of his character and the strength of his ideas was the more significant event.

My interest in politics began as a Young Republican in 1968 as I worked for Richard Nixon’s election, but I have had a distinct shift to the left. With this history and after watching some of the best and worst of politics during this campaign, I knew that I had to be on the mall to make this unprecedented denouement a part of my life.

My professional perspective for this election comes from an interest in governmental connections to science. During 1994-95, I was on sabbatical in D.C. and witnessed the victory of the Republicans and the Contract with America. My present sabbatical, at the National Council for Science and the Environment, is a partnership with my hosts and colleagues at other universities to produce educational materials on climate change. I have heard Steven Chu speak about the urgency of dealing with climate change; he is now the secretary of energy. John Holdren is also an expert on this topic; he is now science adviser to the president. These facts show that Obama “gets it” when it comes to issues of science. This is a true turning point in the relationship between the government and my profession compared to the past few years.

The other dimension of my interest in things political is on the public expression of religious beliefs. Last year brought numerous conflicts between faith and politics. I wanted to listen carefully to how religious considerations were included in the inauguration. Having read Rick Warren’s The Purpose Driven Life, I judged him to be sincere with many excellent ideas, but he does sit in a different pew than I do. I have admired his brave campaign to interject issues of stewardship of the Earth in his ministry, which aligns with my religious perspective.

With such thoughts on my mind, I attended the inaugural concert. The crowd got to hear Bishop Gene Robinson ask that we be blessed in many ways, including “with anger at discrimination,” and “the understanding that our new president is a human being, not a messiah.” The concert itself was an outstanding amalgam of what America has to offer in music. I should note that “seeing” was via Jumbotron since there were hundreds of thousands of people between me and the performers.

On Tuesday, seeing the rising of the sun behind the Capitol was an uplifting experience that set the stage for an unforgettable day. After several hours of camping out at a spot to again watch a Jumbotron, we viewed the arrival of dignitaries. The highly variable response of the crowd to each individual was interesting. One of the most joyous receptions was for Al Gore — we do seem ready to deal with climate change. Others receiving warm regards were Colin Powell, Ted Kennedy and Jimmy Carter. There were also a few unseemly jeers for those departing the political stage.

Rick Warren’s invocation did seem conciliatory toward those rightly offended for some of his previous comments. The prayer included this very welcome line: “When we fail to treat our fellow human beings and all the Earth with the respect that they deserve, forgive us.”

Obama’s speech had been set up with a level of expectation more appropriate for a messiah than a man. The overall impression of his words that struck me was his emphasis on the need to change because our recent past has been wrong in so many ways, but also his belief that we have the capability to make those changes, but not without sacrifice. He used the scriptural text that we must “set aside childish things” to characterize and reject the partisanship of the past. But recent reports of discord on issues have made clear that this will not be easy. He highlighted the sacrifices of our ancestors as evidence of what we can accomplish — and not just in the past, but also in the future if we realize that the world is not the same as it was. A key line was that “… we reject as false the choice between our safety and our ideals.” This was received very enthusiastically by the crowd. He did not let anyone off the hook in terms of how we got here — yes, greed by some, but “… also our collective failure to make hard choices and prepare the nation for a new age.” These words will be welcomed by many because it addresses personal responsibility. His text also was notable for the fact that non-believers were included as part of the diversity that gives us our strength. But he expressed his personal view that “… God calls on us to shape an uncertain destiny.” Professionally, it was very gratifying to hear that “[We] will restore science to its rightful place, and … harness the sun and the winds …” Obviously, these tools and technologies will be critical in achieving the goals he has set for the country.

The benediction by Joseph Lowery lyrically raised up these aspirations in thanksgiving and with an updating of scripture to look to the time “when tanks will be beaten into tractors.”

The day was physically challenging, including the two-hour walk home to my apartment, but this helped make the significance of the event even more memorable.

Jorgensen, associate professor and director of general chemistry, is on sabbatical, serving as Senior Fellow at the National Council for Science and the Environment in Washington, D.C.

Getting there

We traveled to D.C. from Toledo on Friday. The security woman at the Toledo airport was kind and excited about the inauguration. She was planning to take the day off and watch it from home.

On the plane from Detroit to D.C., there were lots of kids traveling with adult teachers, parents, friends, etc. It was nice to see. I sat in the aisle across from a man and his two sons. As I sat on the other side of the aisle with my two girls, I thought for a brief moment how all of this will impact our children. I loved seeing the joy on the faces of his sons. I felt a great deal of hope for all of our children. Then Simone’s ears began popping and I cradled her crying body until we landed.

Preparing

We are making plans for the next few days, but I actually am not that interested in “events.” I want to do more talking to my oldest daughter about why this is such an important day. She overheard some critics of Obama who inadvertently robbed her of a little of her joy about this weekend (which came as a complete surprise to me when I arrived here). We talked about differences, justice, war and peace last night. Big topics for a little girl. But part of me is beginning to feel like I may have sheltered her too much by talking about tough issues in broad, kid-friendly, general terms. Perhaps I need to tell her all that unspoken stuff that has been floating just under the “inaugural” national chatter.

I keep thinking she is too young for that talk. But if I don’t tell her, will she think this weekend is just about a big party, souvenirs and long lines? Will it make any difference in how she experiences the day? She is only 9.

Opening ceremony

The opening ceremony was wonderful. HBO color-corrected the day but, the day didn’t need to be enhanced; it was perfect as it was. The sky was gray, the reflecting pond was covered in patches of ice, the people surrounding us were all joyful. My daughters were perched on a rail overlooking the water. They could see the Lincoln Memorial and they could see the huge TV screens; the only thing they couldn’t see or possibly know was the journey we had traveled as a nation to arrive at this moment.

I searched for words, but it was so hard to find the right words, the appropriate words for children, the specific words that would have explained the tears streaming from faces or the still calm that flowed through the crowd when the first official voice came over the microphone.

So at some point I gave up the search for words. I just stood there and as I stood still, I realized how very, very quiet it was. Some 500,000 people were standing in near silence, waiting to begin. I looked around and concentrated on what this moment really meant. People of all ages, races and ethnicities were standing together, in joy, awe and humility. I looked at my daughters and all I could do was hug them and kiss their faces and try to squeeze the memory into their spirit. Then I looked up into the faces of a few of the older people in the crowd and I could feel this sense that we were there not so much to witness history but to bear witness — for all those we carried with us to this day — for all those who not only didn’t live to see it, but could not have imagined that we would see this day. I traveled to Washington, D.C., to stand in a crowd, two days later, some two million people and witness the swearing-in of our 44th president. I traveled to D.C. to bear witness.

Inauguration day

The actual day of the inauguration was colder than the day before, more people than I had ever seen in one place, and more daunting to navigate than I had expected, even with diminished expectations. Our family friends, with whom we were sharing the entire inaugural experience, subtly suggested that perhaps my youngest daughter would not last the day out in the elements and doing the long walk. Traveling en masse is a challenge, traveling en masse with children is a bigger challenge, traveling en masse with one 5-year-old in a crowd of millions is, well, let’s just say nearly impossible. Nonetheless, I politely declined to leave Simone behind, but did accept the extra key (code for “If you fall behind, at least you can get back”).

In preparation for this day, I had read all the children in the house the Obama kid biography, asked lots of questions to make sure they were getting the big facts, and provided editorial comments in the places where the story had been smoothed over (i.e. I had to explain divorce, the Rosa Parks story and why Obama was called “Barry” as a child).

I explained a lot of history to Ashara, my 9-year-old, and how this day was only possible because people of all colors, religions, ages, nationalities and backgrounds had come together and believed in a powerful dream. At some point, the civil rights movement came up and she told me I wasn’t born when that had happened and I told her that I was born during that decade and two years after I was born, a black man was shot for simply going into a bathroom marked “whites only.” I had to explain it twice before she got it, but she got it.

And then, at some point, I realized, beginning with this day, we get to do more showing and less telling. I realized I had been worried too much about words. As we walked into the river of people flowing toward the Capitol, I realized we were surrounded by images of Obama and the Obama family. I realized that I didn’t need words for this day. All I needed to do was to tell my daughters to look. Look at Obama. Look at Michelle. Look at Sasha and Malia. Look at all these people standing in the cold, listening with every ounce of their being to President Barack Hussein Obama. Look at what is possible when good people come together. See what Martin saw. Now, make new dreams, work for justice, do good in this world, be thankful.

The Journey Home

We spent the day traveling from D.C. back to Toledo via Detroit.

We drew a lot of attention. Simone was wearing the hat she got on inauguration day, not an Obama hat per se, but instead a wide-brimmed, red hat with red, white and blue feathers. I am not really sure it was actually for sale. It was just the hat she wanted from the vendor and I think in his mind, for $10 she could have anything on the cart she wanted, including a random red hat. The hat was just a small symbol of the absolute joy that infused our trip.
The morning we left D.C., we could not get a cab, the streets were jammed with cars, and the buses were packed. As we walked to the closest train station in the midst of a huge traffic jam, Simone got tired, said she couldn’t pull her suitcase anymore, and we couldn’t make it to the train. Without missing a beat, Ashara grabbed her sister’s suitcase, pulled it with her free hand, and shouted, “Yes, we can!”

Gilbert is the director of the Catharine S. Eberly Center for Women and professor in the departments of Women’s and Gender Studies and Theatre and Film.

Author Cathy Bao Bean will present a lecture titled “Living and Laughing by The Chopsticks-Fork Principle,” Tuesday, Jan. 27, from noon to 1:30 p.m. in Heath Education Building Room 105 on UT’s Health Science Campus.

She will discuss and sign her book, The Chopsticks-Fork Principle: A Memoir and Manual, as a part of the Cross-Cultural Showcase Dialogue Series.

The Chopsticks-Fork Principe: A Memoir and Manual explores cultural diversity through personal experiences.

“With delight and good humor I encourage people to realize and understand (and laugh about) how we are all at least bi-cultural (by ethnicity, gender, etc.) in a way that shatters stereotypes but explains the generalizations,” Bao Bean wrote on her Web site, www.cathybaobean.com.

A free lunch will be served to start the event at noon.

Following her first lecture, Bao Bean will co-present a lecture titled “Creating a Climate of Inclusion and Excellence in the Academic and Work Environment” from 4:15 to 5:25 p.m. in the Dana Conference Center Williams/Defiance Rooms on Health Science Campus.

The lecture panel also will include Dr. Carter Wilson, UT professor of political science, and David Tulin, principal of Global Lead Management Consulting and former founder/CEO of the Tulin Diversity Team.

Both events are part of UT’s Diversity Initiative with the goal of becoming more culturally competent through a variety of cultural perspectives and thought-provoking topics.

“Great achievements are not born from a single vision, but from a combination of many distinctive viewpoints,” said Dr. Samuel Hancock, assistant to the president for diversity.

“We feel that bringing these individuals together who have different world views and have taken different paths to reach where they currently are at in their lives will result in a rich, interactive and engaging dialogue about how all of us can work more effectively together in the context of cultural differences as we strive toward excellence and becoming more inclusive in our thinking and our behavior,” he said.

To RSVP or for more information on the free, public events, contact the Office of Institutional Diversity at 419.383.3438.

Experience world cultures at the17th annual International Village/Food Festival Tuesday and Wednesday, Jan. 27-28, from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. in The University of Toledo Student Union Auditorium on Main Campus.

Members of the International Student Association will decorate areas of the auditorium as an expression of their country. The theme this year is “UT Guinness World Records.”

UT student organizations will come together to share cultural displays, music and food. Entertainment will include a fashion show to open the event at 11 a.m. each day.

Admission is free with a nominal charge for the purchase of food.

For more information, contact the Office of International Student Services at 419.530.4229.