Shannon McEnerney | Oct. 23, 2009
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| Photo by James Brosher |
| Graduate student Shameka Neely organized a symposium, "Race in the Age of Obama," to continue looking at a topic she launched with her documentary earlier this year. |
Instead, she saw the people of the nation, the state and the country were all witnesses to history, and she knew she had to do something about it.
Neely’s mission to report on the diversity and race relations affecting the country began last November with her documentary, Witnesses to History, which chronicled Obama’s election and inauguration, and it continued Wednesday at a symposium, "Race in the Age of Obama," at the Indiana Memorial Union’s Whittenberger Auditorium.
The symposium, sponsored by WTIU, the Office of Diversity Education and Union Board, drew about 30 people to hear IU and Bloomington panelists discuss how Obama’s election is affecting the country nearly a year later.
Neely said she wanted to host the symposium to expand on the concerns the documentary presented. She hoped the symposium would begin a conversation on how race relations have — or haven’t — changed since Obama’s election.
“Is color seen as much anymore?” Neely said. “Does race still matter? Or do we see people as individuals?”
Neely chose the symposium’s panel: Bloomington Safe and Civil City Director Beverly Calendar-Anderson, associate professor of history and Latino studies John Nieto-Philips, IU Director for Student Programs and Services Bill Shipton, assistant professor of history Khalil Muhammad, and sociology Ph.D. student Rashawn Ray.
Neely said each brought a different perspective to the issue of race and diversity. Muhammad appeared in the documentary, and Shipton, who said he represented the “white guy” on the panel, works with diversity programs on the IU campus.
“I wanted to make sure not to seclude the program to IU,” Neely said. “I wanted to invite the whole community.”
The symposium began with a viewing of Witnesses to History, and afterward, panelists fielded questions ranging from what a black president means for society to whether affirmative action should remain at higher education institutions.
Shipton said that he rejoiced when Obama was elected, but said what is important is what happens from here on.
“Do we re-energize the issues of racism or do we hit the snooze button?” he asked.
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| Photo by James Brosher |
| Panelists fielded questions as well as posed them to the audience at Wednesday night’s discussion. |
Nieto-Philips agreed, adding that Obama’s election was the beginning of a conversation rather than the end of a conversation about race.
The panelists turned the tables by asking the audience questions, with audience members holding up green cards for “yes” or red cards for “no.” The panelists asked if racism still exists in the country and if people still see race. The participants answered “yes.”
Neely said she hopes attendees left with a recognition that diversity is important, but she also wants people to realize the importance of discussing issues of race and diversity, even if they don’t want to talk about it.
“It’s important to see people as individuals and not color,” she said. “I hope there is a true effectiveness of this event.”
Sophomore Rayhona Abdullaeva said while she watched the Witnesses to History documentary, she wanted to cry. She saw all the people in the documentary who were rejoicing in Obama’s election, and even though she is not black, Abdullaeva said she felt the emotion and importance of such a historic election.
Abdullaeva said she left the symposium with the understanding that race still exists, and even though everybody knows it, it is important to move forward in making a change to eliminate these issues of race.
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| Photo by James Brosher |
| Panelist Khalil Muhammad, an assistant professor of history at IU, responded to several questions during the symposium. Organizer Shameka Neely said her goal was to have panelists from campus and the area join the discussion. |
Neely’s mission continues. Her job as a WTIU producer keeps her busy, along with her graduate work. She is working on a piece about Vigo County’s first female African American prison warden by tracing the woman’s steps.
“I’m very excited,” Neely said. “It’s been an eye-opening experience.”
If Neely is certain of one thing, it is that she will continue to be a journalist and report on the issues that matter to her, such as diversity and race.
“I want to impact the lives of others,” she said. “People turn on the TV to watch the news, so it’s important to make sure what goes on in the community is told.”
Neely said she loves journalism because it allows her to tell other people’s stories. And she knows this isn’t the end of her mission to unveil important ongoing issues.
“I don’t think this is the last you will see or hear of what I’m doing,” Neely said with a smile.
