A Racial Relations Workshop Wednesday night informed students how minority groups can find acceptance in America and on Ball State's campus.
As part of the Hispanic Heritage Week, the Latino Student Union brought Rodney Goins, executive director of Inter-Cultural Services in Hamilton County along with Assistant Director Kirk Ito to speak at Ball State.
"A multicultural movement is sweeping across the country," Goins said. "Individuals should be sensitive to understand that someone who doesn't look like you isn't bad."
Goins, who has lived in numerous countries including India, Haiti, Mexico and several African countries did not focus on issues that just dealt with Hispanic students. He and Ito covered issues facing numerous minority groups.
Throughout the workshop, the students and speakers discussed various ways of overcoming stereotypes and finding acceptance.
"It's not going to happen by any laws or affirmative action," Goins said. "People have to have a heart transformation before we can get anywhere."
Jesus Antonio Mendez, a member of the Latino Student Union, said he believes education is the way to go.
"It's more simple than you think," Ito said. "Information and education are very critical, but it has to be a relationship."
Ito said large steps can be made by people having a meal with someone of a different ethnicity to learn about their family and culture.
"We've got to think outside the box and a college campus is the best place for that," Ito said.
Ito named numerous books to help find a better understanding of the struggles minority students face. Among these were "The Content of Our Character" by Shelby Steele, which provides information on affirmative action.
Ito said the book includes doubts minorities have due to affirmative action. Minorities who are hired don't know if it was because of their qualifications or their race, Ito said. There can be a lot of self doubt in the person trying to be helped.
Goins said a lot of employers just hire minorities because they fear getting in trouble by the government.
"A lot of the problems with affirmative action is that not everyone understands it," graduate student Angela Manginelli said.
Cat Zakrajsek, LSU secretary asked Goins and Ito to speak during Hispanic Heritage Week after she had worked with them in the past.
"I love the passion with which these guys talk," Zakrajsek said. "Rodney's experiences have allowed him to speak with so much emotion."
Goins and Ito helped LSU and other minorities realize what they need to do in the future to help others find an understanding of their culture, Zakrajsek said.
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