1991_03 The Daily Collegian March 1991

              ers
Women's HJitory Month
Uhuru Na Umoja
"Freedom and Unity"
The voice of African-Americans  at CSU, Fresno since 1970
Women's Herstory Month
March 1, 1991
"Eyes on the Prize" author keynote speaker
Juan Williams traces history of the Movement
By M.A. Drummond
Coirespodance Editor,
UHURU
L>on't swallow the sleeping pill
lhat they are trying to force down your
throat", said Juan Williams in his lec¬
ture on Monday February 25th at the
Satellite Student Union. Refering to
the deluge of misinformation that is
continually diseminated to the Ameri¬
can public on a daily basis, the author
of the award winning series "Eyes On
The Prize" and Washington Post col¬
umnist, warned against believing
everything that is viewed or printed
about life in American society. He
emphasized that people need to wake
up and see what is really happening
around them instead of being lulled
into a false sense of conformity. Mr.
Williams conveyed his belief that
CSUF is on "thc cutting edge" of soci¬
ety" due to the diversity of the stu¬
dents, and that we here have the op¬
portunity to set an example for all in
the way we handle our racial relation¬
ships.
He pointed out that all the great
leaders of civil rights movements,
whether in this country or abroad,
were just regular people until they
were vaulted into their positions as
leaders. In speaking with Nelson
Mandela shortly after his release from
27 years of imprisonment, Williams
was impressed with the fact that he
did not view himself asa world leader
"You're all great leaders, you just don't know it yet" was emphasized by award
winning author Juan Williams in his lecture at Fresno State on February 25th.
when,asasrudent,hebecame involved
in the movement against apartheid in
his country. Mandela told Williams
that he learned that through educa¬
tion he became more powerful and
that his knowledge helped direct his
r
Students lobby against fee hikes
peoplein theirstruggles. Williams also
told of how Martin Luther King, Jr.
was "fresh out of college" as a young
minister when he was called upon to
join theCivil Rights movement, and at
first had doubts about his ability to
I
By J. Scott Walker
Managing Editor,
UHURU
A group of concerned students joined
tudents from all the other Cal State Uni¬
versities to try to keep our legislators from
raising our registration fees 20% next
rmester.
The action proposed by Covernor Pete
Wilson if put into effect wou.ld have a
tremendous impact on students of lower
to middle income status. Due to a state
deficit of approximately lObillion dollars,
Lll CSU campuses have had to cut back
On much needed classes and programs.
One problem as expressed by Martin Ro¬
driguez was thathe could not get anevalu-
ation because of the cutbacks in staff. "If
there would have been another class 1
needed to graduate, I never would have
known. 1 would have tostayothcr semes¬
ter." Rodriguezcommentedthathecould
get an appointed due to the work load
placed on remaining staff.
The students weren't without base to
help fight their cause. Recently legislation
has been passed to regulate the amount
thatfeescanberasiedperyear. Governor
Wilson is trying to side step that law.
Students argue that the Governor cannot
set   the precedant of over-riding laws
when he sees fit.
Stacey Green, the CSSA representstiv
from our campus is responsible for thu
rallying of our studentsand working or|
behalf of students on campus at periodic]
meetings throughout the year. Ms. Green
expressed that we should all be nervous
about the fee raise because many students
will not be able tocome back toschool onccj
it is raised. "FresnoState will be hit signing
cantly hard because of the number of low
and middle income students that attend.''
She adds that, "We know that times ard
hard in the State, but students appear tobd]
getting hit extra hard."
make a difference. He had no idea that
he would become such a dynamic
leader and be able to do so much to
promote thc causes of his people.
"Everv oneof vou has the potential of
becoming a great leader", Williams
said.
He pointed out that thc events of the
Civil Rights movement were not so
long ago, within the last 20 to 25 years,
and that it actually started back dur¬
ing the times of slavery and continue
on into today. The issues of povertv,
Crime, drugs and poor education, as
well as civil rights, arc much more
pressing than theeventsin the Persian
Gulf according to Williams. He
stressed thc need to focus our atten¬
tions on these issues before we go half
the way around the world to address
another country's problems. The is¬
sues that were being addressed over
200 yearsagoare still being addressed
today and they will always present a
problem until they are settled.
He said he was amazed at the reac¬
tions he got from people as he was
putting together his documentary,
about the little known facts that led to
many of the major events of the move¬
ment during thc '50's and 60's. "... and
these were folks tha t were there! Don't
let yourself say in 30 or 40 years that
you were not aware of the things that
were going on around you at this time in
See WILLIAMS
Page 6
•Page 2
UsUn Up!. ASU Takes Action
* Pages 3,6
Recap of African People's History
Month
* Pages 4,5
UHURU Sisters
•Page 7
Women's Herstory
•Page 8
What's Coin'On, Improving Self
Esteem