Issue date: 4/21/09 Section: News

Omar Solomon, a senior communication studies major, pleads with the "sheriff" after getting arrested during Archie Bunker's Neighborhood, a Social Justice and Diversity Week event, Monday evening in Taylor Hall's basement. The event is meant to teach students how to build a community and the struggles that come with accomplishing such a goal. (Karolina Strack/The Daily Eastern News)

The Social Justice and Diversity Committee brought together both men and women - black and white - to show stereotypes still exist and how they impact daily lives, with the Archie Bunker's Neighborhood program, held Monday in Taylor Hall.

Each person was put into a group of two or three, and given a colored piece of paper representing a demographic in society.

The groups were deemed gay, white, black, Hispanic or female. The goal was to get a building permit and supplies to create a community for the group. However, in order to get a permit or supplies, groups needed the cooperation of the "police," as it was required to be escorted to the supply table.

Cooperation was the easiest for the white group to achieve.

They were given everything they asked for, including candy. By the end of the activity, the group had four times more supplies than any other group.

When the black group asked for any assistance, they were denied because the police assumed they stole money, sold drugs and had weapons. They were called "gang bangers," and got sent to the jail for standing in line.

Stereotypical remarks were made at each of the groups with the gay group being accused of having AIDS, while the women were told to sit at home because their husbands should be building the community for them.

Quiana Stone, complex director of Carman Hall who ran the event, stressed the importance of diversification and open-mindedness.

"There's a lot of different people who could teach you a lot of different things," Stone said.


Kelsey Bartels can be reached at 581-7942 or at DENnewsdesk@gmail.com.

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