News

People, not laws, bring change

By Jeff Kurowski
Compass Assistant Editor

Laws do not bring people together. People bring people together. The mindset that changes to improve cultural relationships need to be facilitated through legislation is wrong, said Dr. Alem Asres, director of college diversity and affirmative action at Northeast Wisconsin Technical College (NWTC) in Green Bay.

Diocese gathers What: The Gathering of the Church of Green Bay featuring more than 130 sectional presenters. When: Oct. 6-7 Where: St. Norbert College, De Pere Why: To come together with Catholics from around the diocese for intellectual, spiritual and fellowship enrichment. Registration: For more information, call (920)437-7531 or 1-877-500-3580, ext. 3., or go to www.gbdioc.org/pg/educationGathering.tpl

"Every one of us is a key to change," he said. "How I interact with you and how you interact with me, that's where the change is going to come. It's not going to come through law. The law may prevent you from violating my personal space. It cannot entice you to embrace me as a friend, to respect me as a human being. That will only come when you open yourself up. There is a fear of opening up for some people. It's a fear based on ignorance and a history of discrimination."

Dr. Asres is one of eight featured speakers scheduled for The Gathering of the Church of Green Bay, Oct. 6-7 at St. Norbert College in De Pere. He will present "Life's So Good If We Just Respect Each Other and Respect Life" on Friday, and "The Danger of Assumption in Cross-Cultural Communication" on Saturday. Dr. Asres, a graduate of both the University of Maryland and Howard University, lectures and conducts workshops on multiculturalism and cultural differences for government, industry, and private and public institutions of higher education. Prior to joining the staff at NWTC in 2001, he served as assistant dean in the College of Engineering at the University of Wisconsin. He has also served on the staffs at the University of Maryland and Bucknell University in Pennsylvania.

Diversity in Northeast Wisconsin is forever changing, said Dr. Asres, who was born and raised in Ethiopia.

"In my five years here, I've seen a slow, but steady change, a positive change," he said. "It makes me feel good to be a part of the change. We do have occasional rough spots, but we are making progress."

Changes in the demographics at higher learning institutions are especially slow compared to the community, he added. That has led to under-representation of people of color in the fields of medical science and engineering. Developing stronger skills in math and science at the high school level for students of color is needed, said Dr. Asres. In response, he began the Vision of Success Program at NWTC. The program, offered at Green Bay West, East, and Preble high schools and Franklin Middle School, helps students from various cultural backgrounds through tutorial assistance, mentoring, touring and shadowing opportunities, motivational workshops and summer pre-college classes.

"The program has been in existence for two years and has been very productive," said Dr. Asres. "Not only has it helped students in the areas of math and science, but it's made a difference in self-image issues. Teachers share with me that it's given some students the courage to ask questions and challenge things."

At the Gathering, Dr. Asres hopes to provide awareness of the need for justice and equality, and discuss changes in the world where social, economic and cultural borders are fading.

"In the United States, we are very fortunate and very unfortunate," he said. "We are fortunate that we are the wealthiest nation in the world. We are fortunate to have all the resources to solve problems. We are unfortunate because we are individuals. We have to take care of number one. There is enough to go around. If we are afraid of sharing, we will create hostility. Stop thinking 'what is good for me?' Start thinking, 'what is good for us?'"

"In this country, we are good at responding and reacting to disasters and horrific events," he added. "That's where our humanity comes to show. At the World Trade Center, there weren't Whites, Blacks or Hispanics. We are one people. We pray to the same one God. What happens when we don't have horrific events in our life? We need to unite during those times as well."