Seventy-four projects received funding this month from the Harvard Foundation for Intercultural and Race Relations.

For the spring term, the Foundation's Faculty and Student Advisory Committee approved $13,000 in grants supporting activities designed to promote greater racial and cultural understanding in the Harvard community. The committee considered 87 proposals in all, submitted by 41 organizations.

Foundation members were "pleased by the broad constituency we were able to serve," says Sarita M. James '98, cochair of the Student Advisory Committee. Funded projects range from providing traditional costumes for cultural performances to presenting conferences, film screenings, and food festivals.

"We are especially proud to be joining Native Americans at Harvard-Radcliffe in making a lasting contribution to the Yard. By the spring's end, there will be a plaque to commemorate the first Native American Harvard graduate [Caleb Cheeshahteaumauk, Class of 1665]."

The Foundation will review grant proposals again in October. The funded projects are listed below, along with their organizations and tentative dates.

Academic Affairs Committee (Harvard Foundation)--[1] Panel: "Encounter Between Ethnic Studies and American Studies," March 7; [2] Panel: "What Does It Mean To Be an American?," March 8; [3] Panel transcripts; [4] Ethnic Studies Postering Campaign, spring.

African Students Assn.--Lecture by Prof. Ali Mazrui (SUNY, Binghamton), March 1, with two films from his nine-hour BBC series (The Africans: A Triple Heritage) to be shown beforehand.

Asian American Assn.--[1] Cultural Workshops, Feb. 14-16; [2] Panel: "Affirmative Action," Feb. 15; [3] "At the Grassroots: New Minorities and Political Participation," address by (Ms.) Ho Tran, pres., Vietnamese Political Action Committee, Feb. 15; [4] "Building a Movement for Social Justice: The Role of Asian American Workers and Communities," address by Prof. Kent Wong (UCLA), Feb. 16; [5] (with RAZA) Panel: "Immigration," March 13; [6] (with the Japan Soc.) Reading by Los Angeles poet Sesshu Foster, March 20; [7] Production of the musical Chess, April 3-5; [8] Appearance by Hmong-American performance artist Tou Ger Xiong, April 10; [9] Interethnic Forum, April 15; [10] Asian American Film Festival, April 30-May 2; [11] Lecture Series, spring term; [12] Study Group, spring term; [13] Educational Poster Series and Monthly Newsletter, spring term.

Asian American Dance Troupe--"Flying Devata [Buddhist angels]," performance for ARTS FIRST weekend, May 1-4.

Assn. of Black Radcliffe Women--[1] Spring Agenda (for revitalizing ABRW); [2] Production of Songs We Can't Sing, a musical by Derrick Ashong '97, May 1-3.

Black Men's Forum--Conference: "A Celebration of Black Women," March 14.

Black Students' Assn.--Conference: "The Future of Affirmative Action," Feb. 7-8.

Brazilian Org.--Workshop: First Annual Capoeira [African-Brazilian dance ritual] Encounter, Feb. 23.

Caribbean Club--Annual Carnival, April 23.

Chinese Students Assn.--[1] Chinese New Year's Banquet, Feb. 8; [2] Professional Forum, March 9; [3] Chinese Crafts Workshop, April 27.

H-R Christian Fellowship--Conference: "More Than Equals: Racial Healing for the Sake of the Gospel," Feb. 14-15.

CAUSA (Cuban-American Undergraduate Students' Assn.)--Cuban-American Dinner II, March 10.

Diversity & Distinction--[1] Third issue, Feb. 25; [2] Fourth issue, April 30.

Irish Cultural Soc.--Irish Ceili (a celebration of Irish food, music, and dancing), week of St. Patrick's Day (March 17).

Islamic Soc.--[1] "The Hajj [Islamic pilgrimage] and Malcolm X," address by Imam Siraj Wahaj, of New York, March 10; [2] "The Spiritual Context of 'Political' Islam," lecture by Islamic scholar Jamal Badawi, of Canada, April 30.

Kendo Club--Harvard-Keio Kendo [Japanese fencing] Seminar, April 15-19.

Korean Americans for Culture and Community--[1] Weekly Study Groups, Feb.-May; [2] Master Classes in Talchum (Korean masked-dance theater), Feb.-May; [3] Showing of the film Sa-I-Gu to stimulate discussion on the interracial issues raised by the 1992 Los Angeles riots, Feb. 6; [4] Showing of the film Another America, April 3; [5] "Borderlines," multimedia, multidisciplinary performance inspired by the L.A. riots.

Kuumba Singers--Midwinter Concert, April 12.

Latinas Unidas--[1] "Gender Differences and the Rhetoric of Public Space," lecture by Prof. Maria Herrera-Sobeck (UCal., Santa Barbara), Feb. 26; [2] Performance Night at Cafe Gato Rojo, March 11.

Minority Students' Alliance--[1] Workshop: "Diversity in Dance," March 15; [2] Campus Awareness and Vigil on Racism and Human-Rights Violations, April 18.

Native Americans at H-R--Harvard University Powwow, May 3.

Philippine Dance Troupe--"Cultural Rhythms" and other performances, starting Feb. 22.

Harvard Philippine Forum--Kapatiran [Community]: Perspectives on Filipino American Issues, spring issue.

RAZA--[1] Coffeehouse Talent Show/Cultural Awareness Night, April 23; [2] Cinco de Mayo Cultural Festival, May 3.

Singapore & Malaysia Assn.--Annual Spring Food Festival, April 12.

Soc. of Arab Students--[1] Eid Dinner, commemorating the end of fasting for the holy month of Ramadan, Feb. 9; [2] Four Arabic Cultural Evenings, Feb.-May; [3] First Arab Awareness Week, March 3-9; [4] Two Arabic Cooking Workshops, March-April; [5] (with M.I.T. Arab Students' Org.) Second Intercollegiate Arab Students' Conference, April 11-12; [6] Senior Farewell Gathering, May.

South Asian Assn.--[1] "Ghungroo," annual cultural night featuring music, dance, skits, and other original performances, Feb. 28-March 1; [2] South Asia Journal, spring issue; [3] Faculty Tea, March 18; [4] Spring Academic Forum: "Ethical and Social Effects of Development in South Asia," April; [5] Poetry Reading, April; [6] Spring-term lessons in South Asian classical dance (kathak).

Taiwanese Cultural Soc.--Workshop commemorating the massacre in Taiwan on 2/28/47, Feb. 28.

Unite!, Education for Action, Minority Student Alliance, Asian American Assn., Black Students Assn., Concilio Latino, RAZA, South Asian Assn.--ACT '97 Conference (regional) for student activism on issues affecting people of color, Feb. 28-March 2.

Harvard Urban and Social Review--Start-up funds for debut issue, April or May.

Vietnamese Assn.--"Tet: A Vietnamese New Year," Feb. 15; [2] Panel: "The Vietnam War Rewritten," March 13.

Woodbridge Soc.--Speaker Series (international affairs), Feb. 10, March 18, April 26; [2] "Baraza [Open House]," Feb. 13, April 10, May 8; [3] Senior Reception, April 17; [4] Mentor Program (for matching incoming international students with upperclass students of the same country), ongoing.

Yisei Magazine: Voices of Koreans at Harvard--Summer issue, May.

 

---

Copyright 1998 President and Fellows of Harvard College