Tuesday is another highlight. Well, I did laundry, and if you know how much clothes I got, then you'll see what I have to go through each time. Sheesh, I took up five laundry machines! Good thing nobody was using it 'cause it's generally class time.

By 11:15, I was late for my appointment with Res Life. Wedni showed me my new room at B-10, which seems pretty cool, and I am willing to move there. I was planning on moving that same day, but I decided Thursday. I went to the SAAC lounge, and found out about the APSA meeting.

I saw plenty of familiar faces. Hmm...for a while, at the KP office, I think Mark Chong and a guy named Reggie (Mark was in 220 and Reggie still is and 220 won first place in APSA's talent show) and some other guy. I saw Char and Mel and I thanked Char for the TV she lent me! I got my own TV! And it has a VCR, too! It's a mini one! hehe yay!!!!! So wow!! Thank you soooooo much!!

Reggie and Kim was at the APSA office. I saw Sonnier come in, and we talked a little bit. I haven't seen him in a long time! But he's been really cool to me and all. Well, he told me about the APSA meeting tonight about the workshop APSA asked him to do, along with the theme to it. I got really gitty about it because this was one of the major concerns I had e-mailed to Dave. To see something positive like this was a really big something! I mean, I haven't seen it before!

I looked over the stuff that was being planned out by Tricia and Kim and sorts. Also Sonnier's stuff was cool and he'd be leading the workshop. He lead a workshop two years ago for HSC. I went home for a little bit, but I was off back to the SAAC lounge to see who was there and talk. I was on the phone with Sonnier and talked about the meeting and all sorts of things in regards to. People were really thoughtful when I was on the phone actually..didn't stay long or come in to interrupt sorts.

Rene came in, and I talked to him a whole bunch. We got to talk about the things that were on my mind, and I learned a whole bunch. I learned insights of my concerns and I was able to learn a whole lot about people and the orgs I'm into and sorts. I got a new perspective, and that's great.

I was off to the Cross Cultural Center for the APSA meeting. I was early, and had gone about for a bit. I got back and there was Tricia and Kim working on the agenda, and it was really interesting to see them work it and plan it. Sonnier was there and the three colaborated about the agenda and the icebreaker and the workshop.

Announcements were made and sorts, but the workshop is the biggest highlight of the evening. Oh yeah, everybody has a name tag so we get to know each other! That's a good exercise.

The icebreaker was interesting. I helped make the stickers with a word on it. The idea was to have a sticker on your forehead and you don't know what it is, but as you introduce yourself to other people, they're suppose to have some sort of reaction. For example, some people had "bad breath" and people would be like "eww" or "breathmings" or something. Some people had "femanine," and people reacted to that in a girlish way, you know? The stronger and bolder words were "homosexual." The people who had that word didn't always know what it was, nor what reactions they were getting at until something was blatent and obvious. It was sad to see some of the reactions perpetuated stereotypes and also a sign of being unfavored. But that was expected, and the object of the exercise. The point of having the words was to see how people would judge and react to you with that word on you.

The ice breaker was a nice introduction to the workshop. The workshop was on language on the words we use and how they have a different connotation. Sonnier designed the workshop so there was a skit and we identify the word in question from the dialogue, and then we analyize and discuss the word. We examine how the word is used, and then we think of why it becomes derogatory and offensive. Words were "oriental," "hispanic," "ethnic," "ghetto," and "gay."

Oriental is correct to be used when describing things, not people, like an oriental rug or dish. You can't use it with people because it has a connotation of say a "foreign" and "exotic" "Eastern" to perpetuate "the other" of Asia that whites associate with something bad. In addition, "Oriental" generalized and lumps all of Asia with the connotation of something bad.

"Hispanic" implies Spanish influence and sorts. There's a dictionary definition somewhere, but this was my take on it. When you say Hispanic, you mean that the area had Spanish influence, and that's due to colonization. Chicano/Latino is a better term to use as oppose to the term that meant of what certain people were historically conquered by. Like "Oriental," "Hispanic" generalized and lumps people together. By the definition of the word, you could actually consider Filipinos Hispanic just because Spain had conquered us a long time ago, which a Filipina was a character in the skit and I found that interesting.

We looked at "ghetto" and thought of the concentration camps back in WWII and sorts. We could use it under the context that "ghetto" is old and run down or something. I don't think we actually knew much of the history or the word, or at least I didn't.

"Ethnic" usually pertains to non-white persons. You could notice white has its own category in forms and sorts while ethnic groups are specific. Could go into the "Possessive Investment of Whitenss" by George Lipsitz (a professor here with cool ethnic studies books that i'm reading parts of in my classes) and explore from there.

"Gay" is used in the place of "that's stupid" or "that's wrong" or anything to describe something unfavourable. Like, you might get a C on a test and say "that's gay." What this does is that "gay" is associated with something negative and this perpetuates the negative perceptions of gays in general. I mean, when the word is used in a bad way like that, gay people are already looked at in a bad way and the language of the word offends as well as carry the perception over.

I wanted to point out the word "straight" was also derogatory. When you say "I'm straight," you mean that you're okay or fine or something. I ask, "do you want some water" and you say "no, i'm straight." The "fine" and "okay" meanings associated with straight hold as opposed to what? Gay? I established that "gay" has bad connotations, and "straight," being the opposite, holds them as well in that "straight" is good and "gay" is bad. When you say "striaght," you refer to the majority of people that are heterosexual as opposed to "gay" as being the unfavourable.

We had major discussions on this, and a lot of people took a lot out of it. It was commented by a few people that I talked to, my class, that it was one of the best APSA workshops. People were actually curious about this and engaged in discussion or otherwise listend and really thought about the words they and people used. I think the workshop was very effective in bringing this sort of awareness to those that saw this workshop.

Sonnier did a really really good job with this workshop and so many people took a lot out of it.

This was actually the best workshop I've seen from APSA and it had a lot of postives to it. People actually cared and related to this. I actually hope that with this, I can open up other things I want to see in APSA. I don't think the entire agenda was presented due to the lack of time, but of what was happened so far, wow, people were really mature and thought about this. I talked to a few people, too, and found that it's agreed that it was a really really good workshop.

I, for one, got a lot out of this workshop. I was actually really active in the discussions and had a lot to say. Yes, I've really learned a whole bunch from being here from the people I know and the courses I've taken. I actually engaged in an active dialogue and people commented on the things I've said and see me differently. I went with Teressa to Geisel to study a bit. We had some more talks, too. I'm really excited because I'm actually getting more confidence in the things that I say and I'm actually finding what I think valid. Sonnier also reassured me about the things that I think and felt and on issues. I really really took a lot out of that.

So that's what I was getting at from that KP Officer meeting the other night. I spoke! I struggled because I'm not an eloquent speaker or could articulate what I think and feel so well. But Rene, for one, really reassured me about it and I really took a lot out of our talks. So many people. Wow. Word.

I'm a little tired tonight, so I'll finish up my thoughts later, and update my Wednesday. hehe. Wow.