On Tuesday, February 10, 2015, Skyline College students, staff and faculty welcomed internationally renowned Chinese American documentary filmmaker, author, poet, Asian folkteller, educator, community therapist and master diversity trainer, Lee Mun Wah to our campus to screen his documentary, If These Halls Could Talk, and facilitate diversity and conflict resolution training specifically for Skyline College students. If These Halls Could Talk is a documentary that focuses on college students and their dialogue about race and racism as well as other diversity issues in higher education.
Skyline College professors, including Communication Studies Professors Jennifer Mair and Danielle Powell and English Professor and Professional Development Coordinator, Nina Floro, joined the day’s event and brought their classes to participate in training.
Skyline College student Boris Shkurko said, “I felt enlightened by Mr. Lee’s willingness to dig deeper into biases that society is often unwilling to address.”
By using a combination of film, personal stories, experiential exercises, discussion and lecture, the program offered:
- a deeper understanding of how gender and race can enhance and stimulate a stronger sense of community and cooperation
- a deeper understanding of divergent communication styles, perspectives, and expectations
- ways to mediate gender and race issues cross-culturally
- strategies for beginning conversations about gender and race.
Lee Mun Wah believes that when we value others for their uniqueness and differences, then we enhance the possibilities for our children and ourselves. He is the Executive Director of Stirfry Seminars & Consulting, an agency that provides educational tools and workshops on issues pertaining to cross-cultural communication and awareness, mindful facilitation, and conflict mediation techniques. Lee Mun Wah’s films include award-winning The Color of Fear, Stolen Ground, and Walking Each Other Home. Other films include Last Chance for Eden and, most recently, If These Halls Could Talk.
To read about Lee Mun Wah and Stirfry Seminars and Consulting go to http://www.stirfryseminars.com.
Special thanks to the Associated Students of Skyline College for organizing this event and to Professional Development Coordinator Nina Floro and the Center for Transformative Teaching and Learning for co-sponsoring this event and connecting the students to Stirfry Seminars and Consulting.
Article by John Saenz
