Beverly Daniel Tatum – this year’s Campus Community Book Project featured author – asked why all the black kids are sitting together in the cafeteria.

In a book project event scheduled for next week, University Writing Program lecturer Karma Waltonen asks why the all green kids sit together, too — as she draws parallels between race and identity in Tatum’s book and Gregory MacGuire’s novel Wicked, the untold story of the (green) wicked witch of the west.

More about upcoming book project programs:

LECTURES-PANEL DISCUSSIONS

• What Underrepresented Students Need to Succeed in Sciences, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM) — Why do some students pursue a career in the science fields, while others do not? For students who do, what can be done to ensure they are successful? Interactive session with animal science professor Annie King, focusing on what nontraditional students can do to succeed in STEM. Topics include mentoring and finding support networks. 4:10-5:30 p.m. Tuesday, Oct. 26, Mee Room, Memorial Union.

• Why Are All the Green Kids Sitting Together in the Cafeteria: the Wicked Connections Between Race and Identity in Gregory Maguire's Novel — This lecture by Karma Waltonen, University Writing Program, will illustrate how Gregory Maguire's work, Wicked, illuminates the theories of identity in Tatum's book, including issues of education, childhood and activism. 12:10-1 p.m. Thursday, Oct. 28, Mee Room.

EXHIBITIONS

• The "I Am ..." Project — Deadline for submissions is Nov. 1. People are invited to share their identities, by giving life to the statement: "I am ... ." Everyone in the campus community is invited to participate. Submissions can consist of words alone, perhaps in poetic form, or drawings — or whatever represents who you are.

You will find collection boxes at the Women's Resources and Research Center; the Cross Cultural Center; the Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender Resource Center; and the Student Recruitment and Retention Center.

Project organizers said they plan to prepare an exhibition of the submissions, as a way to celebrate our unity in diversity. Exhibition information is due to be posted online.

• Conversations About Race — Prepared by the General Library Committee on Diversity, this exhibition includes selections from the book project author's list of additional resources for further reading and books that reference her scholarship in the area of racial identity development. Through spring quarter, lobby, Shields Library. More information.

DISCUSSIONS

• Inter-Professional Brown Bag Lunch Book Club, based in the Betty Irene Moore School of Nursing and the School of Medicine — The club plans to continue its discussion of Tatum’s book (Why Are All the Black Kids Sitting Together in the Cafeteria? And Other Conversations About Race) at two more meetings, noon to 1 p.m. Nov. 5 and Dec. 5, in 1222 Education Building on the Sacramento campus.

• Davis Faith and Social Justice Group — Second and fourth Thursdays through fall. Potluck dinner at 6 p.m., followed by book discussion at 6:30. For more information, including the location, contact Jill Van Zanten, jillvz@sbcglobal.net.

• Sac Cultural Hub — Community Book Discussion with the Sacramento Community Speakers Panel, comprising educators and activists. 5:30-7:30 p.m. Oct. 26, Underground Books, 2814 35th St., Sacramento. For more information, call (916) 470-2337 or send an e-mail to Pleshette Robertson, pleshette@sacculturalhub.com.

• Anti-Racism Task Team and Adult Religious Exploration Committee, Unitarian Universalist Church of Davis — 1-3 p.m. Dec. 5, 27074 Patwin Road. For more information, contact Leanne Friedman, ljfriedman@ucdavis.edu.

•••

The author is scheduled to visit the campus on Dec. 10, to participate in a free forum and to deliver a nighttime talk.

• Forum@MC — Identity Politics: Deconstructing Arizona's Immigration and Etnic Studies Laws, a panel discussion with Tatum; Kevin Johnson, dean of the law school; Miroslava Chavez-Garcia, associate professor, Chicana/o studies; and Kevin Williams, Davis High School. 4 to 5 p.m., Jackson Hall, Mondavi Center for the Performing Arts.

• Author's address — Why Are All the Black Kids Sitting Together in the Cafeteria? And Other Conversations About Race. 8 p.m., Jackson Hall.

•••

All events are open to the public, and all are free except for the author's nighttime talk. Tickets: (530) 754-2787 or (866) 754-2787, or mondaviarts.org.

More information, including the complete schedule.

Earlier coverage: “2010-11 theme examines racial identity, access to higher education” (Feb. 26, 2010)

Office of Campus Community Relations