UW-Madison’s Diversity Forum hosted several follow-up panels and discussions Wednesday following John Quinones’ keynote speech at Union South.
John Quinones highlighted his experience growing up in a Latinx community in San Antonio and finding success through education and hard work while being an advocate for social justice.
In follow-up sessions on Wednesday, students, faculty and guests discussed topics like these in depth: public discourse, ethics, bias, First Nations, race, wellness and mental health.
The panel “Reclaiming First Nations’ Truth” featured experts Jessie Conaway, Professor Brian McIness, Omar Poler, Danielle Yancey and UW-Madison student and co-president of Wunk Sheek Michael Williams, who each contributed a unique perspective.
As a member of the Oneida Tribe, Williams notably emphasized the importance of keeping the word “colonized” out of history books.
Colonization is a white construct and using it to describe First Nations insinuates that they have lost their culture, Williams said.
“A common misconception is that our cultures are gone,” he said. “We are still here, our culture is still here, we are still celebrating our traditions and ceremonies,”
