Sincerely, Frustrated in San Francisco

By Gregory Desierto, Summer 2011

Two years ago when I was a first year student, I was intrigued and insulted by SGA's Multicultural Week. I thought this week was ridiculous. How

can this week possibly cover the vagaries and complexities of every culture? Why is there only ONE week dedicated to culture in a school that claims to be culturally sensitive? In fact, Multicultural Week is comprised of only three days – Monday, Tuesday, and Wednesday. THREE DAYS does not suffice. Despite my complaints, I admit I participated in Multicultural Week by simply indulging in the free food and incessantly disparaging how the SGA and SF Alliant were unfit to meet my multicultural expectations.

Now as a third year student, the tables were turned. I decided to take my anger and frustration, and joined the SGA to restructure Multicultural Week. I had the opportunity to work with an amazing committee (Michelle Moran, Anais Wong Yuen, and Fukiko Shibahara) who had the passion to educate and inform the SF Alliant community about multicultural issues. Some of the committee members, particularly Anais and Fukiko, even raised the issues of internationalism and globalism that Multicultural Week often neglected. We spent hours planning and organizing. We tried to take advantage of our personal negative experiences with oppression and marginalization, and utilize them to produce something positive and meaningful. We thought that we were going to organize the most amazing Multicultural, International, and Global (MIG) Week SF Alliant had ever experienced. However, I did not anticipate the range of reactions, behaviors, and emotions that were elicited among others, as well as myself. I had the task of informing the SF Alliant community about multicultural issues. Instead, MIG Week taught me about the frustrations that come with multiculturalism.

I was enraged when students and staff took samples of the food without attending the featured lectures. I cringed when I saw that the lecturers, for whom we fought hard, were only presenting to an audience of three to four people. I was also frustrated by some of the comments people made about the lack of ethnic and cultural diversity of the food we served. Finally, I felt embarrassed when a student commented that her culture and nation were not represented in one of the multicultural posters. It was during these moments that I wanted to abandon MIG Week and relieve myself of the responsibilities. The committee and I began to question whether this was worth our time and effort. But how could I blame them when I was in their shoes two years ago? Karma came back to me to teach me a lesson. I was humbled by the experience.

I often wonder if this cycle of frustration is a common experience amongst organizers and professors who attempt with their best efforts to implement multiculturalism in their agendas and curricula. I began to recollect what my Intercultural Awareness Development professors had said – This is not an easy class to teach. Some of this information will make you angry. Maybe this is all part of the cycle. First, the anger and frustration develops. Then that anger and frustration reach a threshold that converts people into activists. Thereafter, people begin to react with their own anger, frustration, and even ambivalence towards the activists. Ultimately, the activists are left burned-out and defeated. Perhaps, for those who plan to join this cycle – be sure to practice self-care and be prepared to embrace the frustrations that come with advocating Multiculturalism.