Diane Ariza, Ph.D., celebrated Martin Luther King Jr.’s birthday through the eyes of America’s young activists.
“We’re living the dream through the multicultural equal rights activism of our youth,” she told more than 200 people Monday during the UNMC/NHS commemoration of the slain civil rights leader.
Unfortunately, the majority of schools take a “one model fits all” approach to civil rights education, said Dr. Ariza, assistant dean of multicultural affairs at Albion College in Michigan and former director of multicultural affairs at the University of Nebraska at Omaha.
Where, she asked, are the images and symbols of the Latino, Native American and Asian American civil rights leaders? “They have all been silenced,” she said.
For many children, the nation’s civil rights struggles are as remote as the Civil War, Dr. Ariza said. As a result, adults must create models that children are familiar with so they can create their own dreams, she said.
“How do we make connections to something that wasn’t part of their lives? We need to engage our youth into thinking they have activists of their own,” she said, citing children across the country who are taking a stand on issues ranging from the environment to gay rights.
There are student activists in the Omaha community, Dr. Ariza said, citing the UNO Association of American Latino Students (ALAS). ALAS, founded in 1971, works to promote academic achievement and cultural exchange among Latino students, the university and the community.
ALAS member Glenn Lewis said the student organization carries the “spirit of Martin Luther King” by sponsoring an annual toy drive for children in South Omaha, as well as through mentoring and leadership opportunities to youngsters.
In Albion, Mich., teen-agers – including seven who traveled to Omaha with Dr. Ariza — are reaching out to their community to help revitalize an economically devastated and divided community.
“As elders we have a huge responsibility to work together cross culturally and be role models and symbols for our youths,” she said.