Biracial in America
  Safara Fisher

This essay looks at how biracial identity and child development have been explored through research. In an effort to address the need to broaden the scope through which we educate about race and identity, the author shares her own experiences growing up bicultural and biracial overseas and then builds on her transition to America where she was confronted with her racial identity. This essay reinforces the efforts of multicultural and multiracial education.  full text

Editors' Note:
Phil Brocato

Fukuda's Chalkboard

The Work-Family Dilemma: Imagine that...
  Katie Brengle

This essay was written in response to Shared Purpose: Working Together to Build Strong Families and High-Performance Companies, ed. Maria G. Mackavey & Richard J. Levin and specifically targets the chapter by Mary Ann Glendon, "The Work-Family Dilemma: How We Got There; Paths Out of the Maze".

American values... freedom, self-sufficiency, independence, emotional strength...

It may be that we, as Americans, do not depend on each other enough, but within the confines of marriage, I do not doubt that years upon years upon years of dependency on a man would be degrading. I do think it's degrading to depend on someone else to take care of me, to pay my bills, to give me money if I want to go to the grocery store or buy a new book.

This chapter said a lot of different things. However, the underlying current, as I read it, was that the problems of balancing work and family are a female problem.    full text

Student Essay:
Michelle Robinson

Student Essay:
Jessica Glenn

Student Essay:
Byron Delgado

Make it a good day!
  Louis Schmier

I want to talk this morning (April 2) about miracles, miracles of life, large miracles, great miracles, profound miracles, mysterious miracles. It was a miraculous week last week: Two great religions last week each celebrated holidays of great miracles of life that are at their cornerstone: the Passover and Easter. Last week, my angelic Susan and I celebrated a third miracle of life... For an entire week, we cradled in our arms our first grandchild: one week old Natalie Virginia.

I didn't want to tear myself away from her and return to campus. When I did return and poured though a heap of piled up e-messages, I noticed something strange. Scattered through the three hundred or so messages, and for reasons unknown to me, as if there was a secret conspiracy, a bunch of people independently asked me virtually the same question: "When do we hear about the polish on your pinky nail?" I haven't mentioned my pinky nail in quite a while. I don't know what prompted these people to ask. Maybe it's time.    full text

Final Word:
  Lew Kamm