Editor: Keith Davis Writers: Dave Maley, Mike Warwick Publisher: Office of Public Information Volume 22, No.11   February 14, 2000

Changing Demographics Are Focus of OMA Conference The demographic changes facing the United States will be the focus of the annual Office of Multicultural Affairs Leadership Conference, scheduled for Thursday and Saturday, February 24 and 26. Using the theme "Reversing the Spectrum: Minorities Becoming the Majority in the New Millennium," the conference will feature a keynote address by actor, writer, and pop-culture commentator Kevin Powell along with workshop sessions on the workplace, education, media, and politics. While the conference is free and open to the public, advance registration is required. "In the new millennium, changes in racial and gender demographics in the United States will affect everyone in one way or another," says Kyle Johnson ’00, student trustee and adviser to the OMA Leadership Conference Committee. "This conference is intended to raise awareness of the facts relating to those groups now in the minority becoming the majority." The Thursday kickoff event for the conference will be an Express Yourself forum at 7:00 p.m. in Clark Lounge, Egbert Hall. Titled "What If…?" the forum is designed to get participants thinking about demographic issues by presenting scenarios on what the face of America might look like in the year 2020. Powell’s keynote will be held at 5:00 p.m. on Saturday in the Emerson Suites. A former cast member on MTV’s The Real World, Powell is the author of the book Keepin’ It Real: Post-MTV Reflections on Race, Sex, and Politics and has been a cultural critic for Vibe magazine. Saturday’s workshops will cover the topics • From Blue Collars to Blue Suits — An exploration of changes in the workplace • Looking to the Future: Taking the Lid off the Melting Pot — Examining the various changes in education • When There Were "Good Times" and Everyone Was "Movin’ on Up" — A discussion on the past contributions of people of color in the media • The New Face of the Presidential Race — A workshop exploring future opportunities for minorities in government positions • Viewing Media through a Color Lens — An exploration of future roles and opportunities for minorities in the media To obtain more information or to register for the conference, contact the Office of Multi- cultural Affairs at 274-1692.

ITHACA | Back Issues | Table of Contents | NEWS Home | Publication Schedule | Letter to the Editor Created by Andrejs Ozolins. Updated 11.Feb.2000