Angelou highlights diversity

Maya Angelou spoke to a packed audience in Alexander Memorial Coliseum Wednesday. The rain did not deter the over 3,000 people who flocked to the stadium to hear the poet and civil rights activist talk about her life experiences.

The Finding Common Ground (FCG) keynote address opened with Alison Graab, the undergraduate student body president, welcoming those in attendance, who filled over a third of Alexander Memorial Coliseum. She briefly outlined the purpose of the initiative, to promote dialogue between students with different backgrounds and viewpoints. Graab stressed that students should not have to sacrifice their ideas for their educations.

Institute President Wayne Clough spoke after Graab, reminding listeners that universities originated as forums to discuss issues of the day, and FCG follows this long tradition of public discourse. According to Clough, as an institute of higher education, we need to accept that listening to others will encourage them to listen to us as well. Clough then introduced Maya Angelou, who entered to a standing ovation. Angelou welcomed her audience in several languages, which seemed to give the sign language interpreter some trouble.

The theme of Angelou's keynote address was composition. She said she wanted to compose music with humanity, including faces of all colors and types. Her address was full of stories about people who helped her "compose" her life, people of all races, nationalities and economic backgrounds.

Angelou spoke of America as a place "to hold all the people, all the faces." All Americans have "composers" in their backgrounds, who came to the country looking for better opportunities; their lives were their songs.

Angelou's stories ranged from the humorous to the tragic. She told of her rapist, who was released from jail after one night and later found beaten to death when she was seven years old. Angelou stopped speaking until she was 13, convinced she had killed him with her voice by accusing him of his crime.

However her grandmother, who she called "Mama," told her she would speak when she was ready and become a teacher. Though young Angelou did not believe her then, she did become a teacher; she has taught in English, Spanish, French and Italian around the world.

"You young men and women, this is your world," Angelou said. She is embarrassed and sorry that her generation has left this one with a world full of anger, hatred, lust and bitterness, but it is ours nonetheless.

She expressed her belief that one of us will find the "cures" the world needs, whether for cancer or racism. Though Angelou hinted at human differences, she focused on the things every person has in common. "I belong wherever I find myself," she said. "I am a human being. Nothing human can be alien to me."

Students were impressed by Angelou's address. "Amazing was not even the word. She was funny and wise and so eloquent," said Cameron Butler, a third-year Industrial Engineering major.

Angelou's speech was only one part of a two-day event that also consisted of smaller group events Monday and Wednesday.

"The smaller groups turned out amazing. Students came away saying that they left being able to communicate in an affective manner," said Bobby Beaulieu, undergraduate vice president of campus affairs.

An average of 70 students attended each of the three smaller events that were held.

"The small groups, in two hours, allowed people's eyes to open and gave people effective dialogue skills," Beaulieu said.

Funding for the Common Ground Event met resistance in the Student Government Association (SGA). The program was expecting to receive $40,000 from SGA, but because the Graduate Student Senate struck a large portion of the bill last week, only received $29,000.

"To be able to have students fund [the event] is very important. The event gives students a skill set outside of the classroom," Beaulieu said.

The remainder of the funding could potentially come from a number of different sources.

"The office of Students Affairs and the Office of the President have both expressed interest in covering that cost," Beaulieu said. Other organizations to donate money to the Common Ground event were the Parents Fund, which is a part of the Alumni Association, who gave $30,000; the Student Foundation, who contributed $6,400; and Buzz funds, which also made a contribution to the event.