In observance of Hispanic Heritage Month, UNC Asheville will host a talk by activist-scholar and spoken word artist Michael Benitez Jr. He will discuss “Repoliticizing Multiculturalism: Cultivating Conditions for Sustained Intercultural Relations and Authentic Dialogue” at 7 p.m. Thursday, Sept. 24, at UNC Asheville’s Highsmith University Union Grotto. This event is free and open to the public.

Benitez, a doctoral student at Iowa State University, integrates hip-hop pedagogy, academic inquiry and personal experience into his lectures. Benitez considers college campuses to be the safety nets for transformation and change, and challenges complacency among students. He exposes the unpleasant truths of national and global diversity issues dealing with race, gender, class, immigration, disunity and other topics tied to the injustices of the human condition. Benitez is also co-editor of the anthology, “Crash Course: Reflections on the Film ‘Crash’ for Critical Dialogues About Race, Power and Privilege,” a collection of essays by anti-racism writers, scholars and activists.

For more information, call Rory James, UNC Asheville Intercultural Center Director, at 828/251-6585.


H1N1 Influenza Information for Those Attending Upcoming Public Events at UNC Asheville

While the H1N1 influenza appears to be mild in otherwise healthy people, it can spread easily from person to person. Social distancing is one of the best ways to help curb the spread of the flu. Therefore, UNC Asheville health officials strongly discourage members of the public with influenza-like symptoms from attending campus events until they are free of fever for at least 24 hours. If you have questions about whether you are well enough to attend campus events, call UNC Asheville's Health Services at 828/251-6520.