STAR teaches compassion toward culture

By Jina Tedmori
Daily Forty-Niner

Conscious effort is necessary to understand, accept and be compassionate towards other cultures. In effort to aid this process the Students Talk About Race project was created.

STAR began in the spring of†'92†when†the Multicultural†Center opened.  "Students Talk About Race is a prime example of a program that nourishes genuine cross-culture communication," said Morris Dees, the founder of Southern Poverty Law Center.

The program begins with one day intensive training, where students receive training in cross-cultural communication to talk about controversial topics as race and prejudice without bias. The training encourages the use of humor through commonly used stereotypes to break the uncomfortable silence when these topics are discussed.

After the training, students are paired up and placed in middle and high schools. Each pair will visit their school once a week for eight weeks, in an attempt to open cultural communication lines and reduce prejudice.

"This year we are going to try to work with more middle schools," said Dr. James Sauceda, director of the Multicultural Center. "I have also been talking with Long Beach Poly High School about establishing a program though it is still in the planning stages," he said.

Many well-known national organizations have recognized the STAR program.†President†Bill Clinton's initiative on race cited STAR as one of the most promising practices for improving race relations in the nation.

The results of an evaluation completed by The Charles Stewart Matt Foundation showed STAR met all five criteria that scholars have identified as constituting a successful prejudice reduction intervention.

Many CSULB professors will reward extra credit for participation in the STAR program.  A new training session will be held from 12 p.m. to 6 p.m. Sept. 30 in LH-150.