Tolerance program to celebrate deeds 

By Jina Tedmori
Daily Forty-Niner

The Voices of Discovery program, a forum for Cal State Long Beach students to openly discuss race, will have its closing ceremony Friday in the University Student Union.

"The students that have completed the program will have a certificate that says they have completed a human awareness program," said Rosa Moreno-Alcaraz, program coordinator for Voices of Discovery.

The two-semester-old program, offered through the Counseling and Psychological Center, puts students into groups based on their ethnicity or gender and allows them to discuss their similarities and differences with another group of students formed on the same basis. For each group there are two facilitators that direct the conversation.

"It was a little scary at first talking about racial topics," Liz Hernandez facilitator for Voices of Discovery said. "And by talking in the groups I remember that others are just like me."

The program began on the CSULB campus spring 2000. Now there are 23 students actively participating in the program.

"We have adopted the program from Arizona State and have adjusted it to fit our campus," Moreno-Alcaraz said.

The program originated in 1988 at University of Michigan under a different name, Intergroup Relations Conflict and Community. The program then expanded to Arizona State University and the success with these locations led to the expansion of the program to other campuses.

"I have had some discussions with the students that I know are participating in the program," said Susan Nummedal, psychology facility member said. "I think that this is a real powerful and positive experience."

The program has two trained facilitators, one staff member and one student, who have been through the program.

"Many students have said that it offers a wonderful of opportunity to learn about diversity, racism and stereotypes," Moreno-Alcaraz said.

Students have to apply for the program and are selected if they are able to meet the requirements. The students meet once a week for two hours over a six-week period.

"In the weekly discussions, it is important to first set up a safe and comfortable atmosphere, so the students can ask whatever they want about cultural differences and experiences of the other group," Moreno-Alcaraz said.

The goal of the program is to have people better understand their own culture and gain exposure to people from other cultures, to recognize, respect and understand cultural differences.

"As a participant last semester I think overall the interpersonal skills I learned by dialoguing with other people would not have been possible to learn from a book," Hernandez said. what they learned within each of their groups, it unites the groups together to share what they learned through the process."

"The program was awesome,' Hernandez said. " I believe everyone has stereotypes I think it is an opportunity to make a difference."

The ceremony, with refreshments, will be held at 2 p.m.