Published: April 25, 2008 09:35 am         

Students work to change perceptions of race

TRAVERSE CITY, Mich. — Before he moved to Traverse City, Dominick Ndambuki never had to attend classes on Martin Luther King Jr. Day.



Dominick, 16, previously lived in Detroit, where schools always closed that day to honor the pioneering civil rights leader. So he was discouraged to find that not only did Central High School remain open, public recognition of the event also was minimal.



"If it was Martin Luther King Day, there was automatically nothing (else) going on," Dominick, a sophomore, said of his former school.



Now he and other Central students are working to bring more attention to King's holiday, Black History Month in February, and cultural awareness.



Those topics were among the first that members of new student organization Minority Group tackled when it launched this semester.



The group has about 20 students of various ethnicities and experiences who meet once a week to explore issues, share concerns and brainstorm ways to increase respect on campus.



"I think it empowers them," said school social worker Bill Myers, who advises the group. "It's about treating people respectfully."



So far, group members have discussed the definition of ignorance - according to Merriam-Webster, a lack of knowledge, education or awareness - and how it differs from the negative connotation society has given the word, as well as how to be effective communicators.



In addition, they planned a Cultural Awareness Day featuring a Mexican-American speaker who works for the state's Department of Civil Rights.



The students say participating helps them meet other people who can relate to their experiences and get their voices heard in a community where most of the residents don't look like them.



Statistically, Grand Traverse County is racially homogenous. In 2006, 95 percent of the population was estimated to be white, with none of the other racial groups reaching 2 percent, according to U.S. Census community survey data. The largest minority population was Latino, at 1.8 percent.



But the figures are changing. The 2006 data estimated a roughly 1.6 percent decline in the number of people who identify as white in the county than was reported in the 2000 census, as well as growing numbers of people identifying as black, Asian and Latino.



The minority students say they have white friends, but they battle stereotypes and a false belief among some of their peers that the group is self-segregating. In fact, the group contains a broad mix of cultures - black, white, Asian, Latino, Native American - and its members aim to be inclusive.



"It kind of changed my perspective on things," sophomore Daisie Paniagua, 15, said. "Not everybody is racist."



And, many will admit, it has helped them lower their guard.



In the past, Kion Byrd said he reacted defensively when someone made an insensitive comment, often leading to fights. But he sensed a change once he broached the idea for the group to Myers and others.



"If somebody said something to me, I used to snap," said Kion, 16, a sophomore. "Now I'm getting better at controlling my anger."



The group's mission seems to be working: Myers said other students on campus have begun to pay attention to what they say and how they interact.



And it's only the beginning.



"I feel more confident now," said Jessie Gomez, 17, a senior. "You've got to keep teaching."



Lindsay VanHulle writes for Traverse City (Mich.) Record-Eagle.