UPCOMING EXPOSURE PROGRAMS:

“Questions Out of a Hat” - Mid-September, RPCC
A chance to ask a daring question, respectfully, without judgment, and to hear an answer from a fellow Cornell student. This program won the Perkins Prize in April 2008. Sponsored by the Exposure staff.

“Exposure: Throwing the Light On” is a thread to all kinds of diversity programs happening on campus - programs that press us to expose ourselves to new ideas and ask some questions.

Who are you? Who am I? This time there aren’t any boxes to check off, because this isn’t just about being black or white, male or female, gay or straight. This is about who we all are and what our identity means to each of us. This is about why our identities dictate a set of unwritten rules we all follow.

You can call them cliques, fraternities, hall mates, or just friends, but why do they often seem to have, for example, the same skin color or sexual orientation? From the weekend parties to dinner at RPCC, we see it everywhere we go. The Cornell community is diverse, but often separated.

For many of us, going to Cornell will be the best opportunity we ever get to learn about identities other than our own. It’s time to stop accepting the status quo and start breaking into some new territory. We have the chance to make diversity be the difference that actually makes a difference. It’s always been there, now we just have to turn on the light.

Who are you? Who am I? It’s time to find out.

Here’s what you can do:

• Organize an event (or have one of your clubs do so) that offers the chance for anyone to push their comfort zone, and apply to make it an Exposure program. Simply fill out the Exposure application and email it to Tia Hicks (tmh76@cornell.edu) & Zach Crane (zjc2@cornell.edu) for review – we’ll let you know if you can use the Exposure theme and logo.
• Make a personal commitment. Jump out of your comfort zone and into… what? It may be Irish, Indian, or Islamic culture. Disability rights or racial wrongs. How about feminism, colonialism, or ageism? Or the L, G, B, or the T in LGBT issues? Whatever lies outside your comfort zone, Cornell offers the chance to seek exposure to new ideas.
• Look for Exposure programs all semester - a common thread to programs that encourage students to stretch their comfort zone around social justice. Attend them and bring a friend! We’ll list them here on this site.