Otelia Cromwell Day Celebrates Diversity
Susie Chang
Issue date: 11/3/05 Section: News
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The Class of 2009 holds the record for the most diverse student body in the history of Smith College, but Otelia Cromwell was the first black student who ambitiously opened the door to race relations in 1900.
Otelia Cromwell Day was created in 1989 to provide to the college community an opportunity for further education and reflection about issues of diversity and racism.
Under the theme of "Race, Class and Social Justice," Otelia Cromwell Day events challenge students to think about various forms of discrimination that create inequality in society, especially for women of color.
Naomi Miller, Director of Institutional Diversity, chose this year's theme of "Race, Class and Social Justice" for Otelia Cromwell Day.
"We want to celebrate her identity and recognize the community, because we still haven't figured out all the solutions to these problems," Miller said. "Here we are in 2005, and yet, we know all too well, we are not necessarily making progress, but sometimes going back and regaining the grounds," she said.
"Being the first African-American to graduate from Smith, it may look like she opened the door to higher education, but access to higher education, health care and housing is limited by religious affiliation and disabilities in America."
Miller especially encouraged first-year students to participate in the scheduled events. "We have enormous economic diversity, but sometimes it causes discomfort and lack of understanding in making social class and diversity part of the discussion," she said. "We really wanted an opportunity for [students] to talk to one another."
The events will be in different types of presentations. "We tried to bring together all sorts of different ways, whether workshop opportunities for conversations, or panels, or lectures. It is a clear theme but it looks at many points of intersection in that theme. We hope to get students engaged," she said.
As part of Otelia Cromwell Day events, a series of lectures started with Yvonne Freeman, who spoke on the topic of "Weapons of Mass Distraction" Oct. 28. Freeman discussed educational inequality in an effort to increase the amount of minority students in engineering.
Otelia Cromwell Day was created in 1989 to provide to the college community an opportunity for further education and reflection about issues of diversity and racism.
Under the theme of "Race, Class and Social Justice," Otelia Cromwell Day events challenge students to think about various forms of discrimination that create inequality in society, especially for women of color.
Naomi Miller, Director of Institutional Diversity, chose this year's theme of "Race, Class and Social Justice" for Otelia Cromwell Day.
"We want to celebrate her identity and recognize the community, because we still haven't figured out all the solutions to these problems," Miller said. "Here we are in 2005, and yet, we know all too well, we are not necessarily making progress, but sometimes going back and regaining the grounds," she said.
"Being the first African-American to graduate from Smith, it may look like she opened the door to higher education, but access to higher education, health care and housing is limited by religious affiliation and disabilities in America."
Miller especially encouraged first-year students to participate in the scheduled events. "We have enormous economic diversity, but sometimes it causes discomfort and lack of understanding in making social class and diversity part of the discussion," she said. "We really wanted an opportunity for [students] to talk to one another."
The events will be in different types of presentations. "We tried to bring together all sorts of different ways, whether workshop opportunities for conversations, or panels, or lectures. It is a clear theme but it looks at many points of intersection in that theme. We hope to get students engaged," she said.
As part of Otelia Cromwell Day events, a series of lectures started with Yvonne Freeman, who spoke on the topic of "Weapons of Mass Distraction" Oct. 28. Freeman discussed educational inequality in an effort to increase the amount of minority students in engineering.