Roanoke Times
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: SATURDAY, March 27, 1993 TAG: 9303270033
SECTION: CURRENT PAGE: NRV-6 EDITION: NEW RIVER VALLEY
SOURCE: MADELYN ROSENBERG STAFF WRITER
DATELINE: RADFORD LENGTH: Medium
The Appalkids promote Appalachian awareness by singing and telling stories from the region.
White missed it. So when he went to school at Radford University, he started a group of his own.
"A couple of friends and I just got together and started telling stories," he said.
The group, called Quilted Memories-Mountain Echoes, includes students from Radford and Virginia Tech. A performance will be held Thursday as a part of Unity Week at Radford.
The week is something new, too, a result of work from a new group on campus that promotes diversity.
Headed by Ed Harmsen, the group strives to educate the campus and surrounding community about prejudice, racism, and the need to think globally.
"Prejudice is still a major problem on campus," White said. "Students need to know how to deal with it intelligently and how to counter it."
Harmsen has said that even the educators need to be educated - to understand that their students are diverse. To a white person, he said, George Washington may be a hero. But he was also a slave-owner, and black students may view him differently.
Unity week kicks off on Monday with a parade at 5 p.m. that starts near Heth Student Center and travels through the campus. Marchers include members of student organizations, a bagpipe player, the gospel choir and a new kazoo band.
"We were going to have a high school band, but we lost them," White said. "A couple of people played kazoos, so . . ." About 50 kazoo players are expected to march.
Tuesday is art day, featuring work with a unity theme by Radford students and elementary school children.
There will be a sidewalk art competition from 2 to 4 p.m.
Wednesday night will feature a panel discussion on racism on campus. The event is co-sponsored by the Black Programming Awareness Board and will be held in Heth.
Thursday, from noon to 3 p.m., students will do dramatic skits in Heth and at 2 p.m., White's story-telling group will spin traditional tales.
Friday will feature a whole range of music, something students are calling the Unity Cabaret.
Starting at noon in Heth's Highland Room, Radford's gospel choir will play, followed by the Jazz ensemble at 1 p.m. and acoustic guitar music at 2 p.m.
At 4 p.m., the Flip Shoemaker Jazz Trio will play, followed by more acoustic music at 6 p.m., a folk and harmony group at 8 p.m., and a coffee house at 9 p.m.
The event is free and open to the public.
Coffee and tea will be served all day.
by CNB