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About The daily Nebraskan. ([Lincoln, Neb.) 1901-current | View Entire Issue (Jan. 20, 1998)
“This is exactly the thing Dr. King would have want ed: youth carrying on the torch of freedom for the future.” Moira Ferguson, chair woman of the Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Celebration at the Lied Center for Performing Arts. ■ “On April 4,1968, a man was killed and a new idea was born.” Ken Tucker, recruitment retention specialist for multi cultural students, Southeast Community College. “As an ethnic student, I think it would be great to go to a university that has eth nically sensitive students, faculty and administration.” University of Nebraska Lincoln senior Tagi Adams m America and palled it kick ing and screaming into the 20th century.” Lela Shanks, a keynote speaker at the University Convocation and speaker for the Nebraska Humanities Council. m “He walked with kings, but he died for garbage men. He died for what you can be, not what you are.” The Rev. Don Coleman . ^ ■ Speakers and minority student groups promote ' UNL campus involvement. By Josh Funk Senior Reporter The usual lunch-time crowd of students assembled their value meals, class notes and textbooks around the impromptu stage and podium constructed in the Nebraska Union’s main TV lounge. Instead of the daily dose of Rosie and Oprah, students gathered to hear messages promoting under standing and involvement. Campus and community groups assembled throughout the day in the union to honor the dream of Martin Luther King Jr. and encourage stu dents to participate in that dream. The Rev. Don Coleman, a local civil rights advocate, compared King’s dream to a bank account America could collect on. “We are here today with Dr. King’s check saying: America, show me the money,” he said. “We have made the deposit,” Coleman said, “but we must learn more of others to understand our heritage and diversity.” Coleman urged students to become involved with their com munity to get a better understand ing of others. Minority student groups used the forum to make the student body more aware of their groups’ roles and their goals to create better understanding at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln. A combination of videos and speakers was used to show exam ples of the discrimination these minorities still face today. Each organization had 30 min utes to reach students with its mes ^•Jj’tie University of Nebraska Inter-Tribal Exchange President Vernon Miller explained how dis crimination such as the use of Indian sports mascots hurts American Indians and how igno rance and insensitivity has hurt American Indians throughout histo ry Donny White, president of the Afrikan Peoples Union, asked the audience to use its imagination to help him paint a picture of life as a minority student. Then the APU promised to help minorities with the transition to UNL. Students from the Mexican American Student Association tried to show that anyone, not just LaneHickenbottom/DN AMBER PRICE off Lincoln dancos to a Mexican tune Monday afternoon In the Hehraska Union. Price ie part of Sahor Mexicano, a children’s Hispanic dance group that was performing in honor of King. ii We are here with Dr. Kings check saying: America, show me the money.” The Rev. Don Coleman speaker African Americans, can participate in the civil rights movement. The group showed a video about Cesar Chavez, a Mexican American labor leader. The Women’s Studies Association chose to show a video about the role of women in the civil rights movement. In the Gay, Lesbian, Bisexual, Transgender Student Association presentation, Alison Knudsen, pres ident of the group, used a video to show the,hatred that often sur rounds the gay community. “We challenge you not to judge someone by the color of their skin or the gender of the person they love, but by the content of their character,” Knudsen said. The day’s events ended with a performance by Sabor Mexicano. Five girls in long, flowing, colorful dresses danced traditional Mexican dances. The rhythmic thunk of their heels hitting the hard wooden stage resounded with the strength of a proud culture. As the dancers kicked heels, tt Speaker: Use work of King today, too By Jessica Fabgen Assignment Reporter Ken Tucker was a 10-year old boy living in the Bahamas when Martin Luther King Jr. was assassinated in 1968. But even in the Bahamas, Tucker said King’s nonviolent protests and hope for equality had inspired him. Tucker, a recruitment reten tion specialist for multicultural students at Southeast Community College, encour aged an audience at the Sheldon Memorial Art Gallery auditorium to take King’s ideas from the civil rights movement and translate them for use in todays world. w‘ “On ApriL4, 1968, a man was killed, and a new idea was bom,” Tucker said. And that ups*. was one of equality, Tucker said. ;7uk But the “white-only” soci ety of King’s time uo longer exists, Tucker said. People need a “shifting of methods” as the 21st century approaches. “Ideas from an old age must be ideas that evaluate pre sent day progress,” he said. “We need to ask ourselves, ‘How far we have come? What was our original goal?”’ Tucker said instead of protest marches and sit-ins, civil activists can push for sol idarity in the workplace through academic agendas and cials.' Chancellor Junes Moeser, who spoke after Tucker, said he hoped the activities UNL had to offer on Martin Luther King Jr. Day would help in achieving King’s dream of that beloved community. “A lot of people have come together to represent various constituencies to make this a meaningful event,” Moeser said. “There are opportunities for you and I to experience a new reality " tucker said. “I beHeve Ma^^uj^King’s por.;' jncftTA gsnq -MM XlflfiffHSntrsrb*;/* Ttro* *' M Students, community By Ieva Augstums Assignment Reporter Students and community mem bers became one with diversity and united in pride Monday by march ing through downtown Lincoln to celebrate Martin Luther King Jr. The third-annual Martin Luther King Jr. Youth Rally not only brought students and the communi ty together, but it showed students’ concern for the need to continue diversity education, Audrey Bates, rally coordinator, said. “The Youth Rally was something that had to be done,” Bates said. “The march gives students the chance to show their support of Dr. King and his beliefs to the Lincoln ~ community.” . About 200 people gathered at the Nebraska Union and marched down 16th Street to O Street, then to 12th Street, and to the Lied Center for Performing Arts, where a University of Nebraska-Lincoln convocation began. Bates said die rally and convo cation are the only community pro jects put on solely by Lincoln youth that completely focus on King. More than 40 students from four Lincoln high schools helped orga nize the rally, she said. Moira Ferguson, chairwoman of the Martin Luther King Jr. Celebration said youth have always voiced their opinions on equality and civil rights. “This is exactly the thing Dr. King would have wanted,” Ferguson said. “Youth carrying on the torch of freedom for the future.” Bates said the annual march gives the youth of Lincoln the chance to speak and act from their hearts. “The students believe in what they are doing,” Bates said. “They whole-heartedly believe in equal rights and equality for everyone.” Kent LOrenzen, a Lincoln East High School senior, welcomed par ticipants to the Youth Rally and encouraged everyone to open their hearts in celebration. “Martin Luther King Jr. was a nonviolent man, and he believed in 5 classes. High senior said. “I hope that everyone under- “This celebration is a day to stands today is not just to get out of ebrate our freedom of diversity school,” Fayola Christie, a Lincoln for everyone to be unified in spirit”