Beverly Daniel Tatum's Why Are All the Black Kids Sitting Together in the Cafeteria? And Other Conversations About Race — this year's Campus Community Book Project — is a great starting point for discussion, not only about race, but gender, diversity, sexuality and identity as well.

For example, next week's book project activities raise tough questions about safe spaces on campus and why women are underrepresented in the sciences.

In other news, the book project announced the "I Am ..." project, in which people are invited to share their identities, by giving life to the statement: "I am ...." Everyone in the campus community is invited to participate. Submission 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. The deadline for submissions is Nov. 1.

LECTURES-PANEL DISCUSSIONS

• Examining Dominance and Marginalization: Why We Still Need Safe Spaces on Campus — An interactive session with Laurie Lippin, a lecturer in Human and Community Development, examining the realities of dominance and marginalization on the UC Davis campus and in the community generally. 4:10-6 p.m. Tuesday, Oct. 19, Mee Room, Memorial Union.

• A Conversation with Moises Kaufman: The State of Hate Crimes and Identity — Kaufman will discuss how he uses theater to address and create dialogue around, social, political and human issues. He is a co-author of The Laramie Project, about the reaction to the murder of Matthew Shepard, a gay man killed in 1998 outside Laramie, Wyo. Noon-2 p.m. Oct. 20, Jackson Hall, Mondavi Center for the Performing Arts. Bring your lunch, drinks provided. No tickets necessary.

A second Kaufman event, Theatre as Dialogue, is scheduled for 7 p.m. Oct. 20 in Jackson Hall. This program also is free, but tickets are required. More information.

• Be Careful What You Ask For: White Racial Identity Development in Institutional Context — With Jann Murray-Garcia of the Betty Irene Moore School of Nursing. 12:10- 1 p.m. Oct. 20, 2205 Education Building, Sacramento campus.

• Where Are All the Women in the STEM Class — Female undergraduate and graduate students address representation and support for women in sciences, technology, engineering and mathematics. 5:10-6:30 p.m. Oct. 20, Mee Room, MU.

WORKSHOP

• Finding My Ground: Journey Through Racial and Identity Development — Presented by the Multicultural Immersion Program, and Counseling and Psychological Services. This workshop will provide tools that can facilitate a more grounded sense of identity. 12:10-1 p.m. Oct. 21, Hamilton Room, Heitman Staff Learning Center.

EXHIBITION

• 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. More information.

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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.

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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