{"id":137060,"date":"2023-11-09T00:00:51","date_gmt":"2023-11-09T05:00:51","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.thecollegefix.com\/?p=137060"},"modified":"2023-11-09T13:51:19","modified_gmt":"2023-11-09T18:51:19","slug":"bridging-the-divide-two-day-dei-summit-at-uw-madison-omits-antisemitism","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.thecollegefix.com\/bridging-the-divide-two-day-dei-summit-at-uw-madison-omits-antisemitism\/","title":{"rendered":"\u2018Bridging The Divide\u2019 two-day DEI summit at UW-Madison omits antisemitism"},"content":{"rendered":"

Gathering will also feature anti-Israel artist<\/strong><\/em><\/p>\n

The University of Wisconsin-Madison\u2019s Diversity, Equity and Educational Achievement office is set to host a two-day diversity forum next week called \u201cBridging the Divide: Realizing Belonging While Engaging Difference.\u201d<\/p>\n

The topic of antisemitism is not on the agenda<\/a>, even as tensions at UW-Madison and college campuses nationwide persist in the wake of the deadly Hamas attacks against Israel and the subsequent war it prompted against Palestinian-populated regions harboring terrorists.<\/p>\n

At UW-Madison in late October, a heated protest took place in front of UW-Hillel.<\/p>\n

\u201cMadison Police responded to a call from Hillel for assistance. In addition, UWPD was present to ensure safety. Out of an abundance of caution, and at the request of some concerned students, UWPD did escort several students into Hillel during last week\u2019s protest,\u201d the university stated<\/a>.<\/p>\n

The Wisconsin-based Spectrum 1 News reported<\/a> that Jewish students say they feel under duress at UW-Madison currently as \u201cpro-Palestinian protest groups have been gathering outside of UW-Hillel, making the Jewish community on campus feel very uncomfortable.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cListen, protests are protected speech, there are plenty of places to protest, they could be protesting in the public square, but coming here feels like it\u2019s intimidating,\u201d said Greg Steinberger, the director of UW-Hillel, told Spectrum, adding \u201cJewish residents with white boards are getting Swastikas written on them or \u2018free Palestine.\u2019\u201d<\/p>\n

But the dedicated topics to be discussed at the DEI summit include a Black, Indigenous, People of Color student panel, mastering difficult conversations, a LGBTQAI+ affinity group, understanding linguistic bias and discrimination, ableist issues, the power of inclusion, \u201ccode-switching,\u201d \u201cbecoming better allies,\u201d and \u201cHow to be a confident pluralist.\u201d<\/p>\n

Next week\u2019s DEI summit will also feature as a keynote speaker Jos\u00e8 Olivarez, a poet and artist, who will share his works on the topic \u201cCitizen Illegal<\/a>.\u201d<\/p>\n

He is the son of formerly undocumented Mexican immigrants and \u201cwrites poems that use the lenses of immigration, in-betweeness, gender, class and family to examine and praise the world,\u201d according to the university\u2019s website.<\/p>\n

Olivarez has signed<\/a> a Statement of Solidarity against Israel, accusing the country of an \u201celiminationist assault on the Palestinian people.\u201d<\/p>\n

UW-Madison\u2019s events team for their DEEA office and their media contact, Krystal Tucker, were contacted by The College Fix<\/em> about the exclusion of antisemitism as a topic and Olivarez as a speaker. They have not responded to requests for comment.<\/p>\n

Olivarez, following the Hamas attack on Israelis, which killed over 1,200 civilians, also reposted<\/a> tweets echoing antisemitic verbiage.<\/p>\n

\u201cAn end to all occupying forces in our lifetime,\u201d he reposted on Oct. 7, which also included a call for an end to America and Israel, using the countries\u2019 flags as symbols.<\/p>\n

MORE:\u00a0Ben Shapiro praises Western values, denounces Hamas at UW-Madison<\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n

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