Women make their voices heard

By Suzanne Johnson, Online Forty-Niner

Tuesday, November 17, 1998

From 1995-96, during the middle of an acute anti-immigration sentiment, Cal State Long Beach Associate Librarian Susan Luevano-Molina conducted research on library services for Mexican immigrants in Santa Ana.

Her research, focusing on how the perception of immigrants at libraries affects their library usage, was one of three presentations at Wednesday's Women's Research Colloquium, held at the Center for Faculty Development.

According to Luevano-Molina, strong indicators of library usage are children in the household who may need assistance with homework and lack of income because the library is an alternative and inexpensive form of entertainment.

In contrast to popular assumptions, the immigrant population holds the library in high esteem. Immigrants view it as having the power to level the playing field and facilitate social and economic mobility, she said.

In addition, they feel entitled to the services offered at such institutions, Luevano-Molina said.

"The politics of inclusion can and will work if libraries take appropriate measures to attract target groups," she said.

The research of dance professor Susan McLain focused on the merits of a body conditioning program using the Pilates technique.

"It is gaining mass appeal for those interested in body beautification and optimum health," McLain said.

German born Joseph Pilates introduced his technique of control, concentration, centering, breathing and flow of movement 70 years ago. Many outpatient physical therapy programs now use Pilates.

Although CSULB dance majors and minors did show improvement after training with this technique, no significant difference in improvement of jump height was found.

In addition, pelvic alignment in performing a standing jump was not shown to imrove with training. A high degree of variability among judges determining alignment proved problematic for this study however, McLain said.

According to McLain, her research focused on the weak elements of Pilates.

"Every conditioning method has weak elements," she said.

"This study is not an overall indicator of the merits of this conditioning program. There are an abundance of positive results," she said.

Angela Bowen, a professor in both the English and women's studies department, presented Four Black Writers and Activists of New York and their Special Connection.

Audre Lorde, Angelina Weld Grimke, Langston Hughes and James Baldwin were all united through their sexual orientations and the isolation associated with it.

According to Bowen, remaining in the closet is detrimental to sexual freedom because until one challenges it, one is not active in fighting for it.

"The life of Grimke is a testimony to the oppressive burden of the closet," Bowen said. "People will not fight for your freedom unless you are prepared to fight for it."

According to Bowen, what one learns from these writers' life stories is to say never again.

The Women's Research Colloquium provides women faculty and staff members at CSULB with a forum to present their research to the entire university community.

By highlighting the work of women from various departments, the colloquium accents the diversity of talent and knowledge on the campus.

"We try to achieve a balance through diversity," said Elahe Amani, chairwoman of the President's Commission on the Status of Women.

The colloquium, held every fall and spring semester, was established in 1986 through the joint efforts of the CSULB branch of California Women in Higher Education, the Women's Resource Center and the Office of University Research.

"Their influence and good work has gone far beyond the women of this campus community," said CSULB President Robert Maxson. "They are a very proactive group."