NCORE and San Diego: Wednesday

So to clarify, yes I am doing notes from day to day. Dont like it? dont read it. also all ISCORE students were divided into different group where they would have to go to a certain amount of sessions based on the "race" they were assigned with. For reference, my group was assigned Asian American and Pacific Islander.
Group Members: Sheena (team leader), Jose, Sandra, and I

Morning:
So my group goes out to breakfast at this coffee restaurant in the Gaslight District near our hotel. It was freakin' expensive and it wasnt even that good. $20 on BREAKFAST! So after vowing never to step foot in that place again, Jose left for his first seminar and Sandra (who wasnt feeling well), sheena and I went to this Walgreens-like store and then back to the hotel.

Afternoon:
So the European Cup came on around 11am or something and Jose and I and some of the others wanted to watch it in our hotel room instead of going out to lunch. (GO MESSI! GO BARCA) Sheena fortunately brought us subway about about 15 minutes into the second half we left for the Conference Opening address.

The Arrested Development of Democracy: Cornel West
Above all a FANTASTIC session. besides the fact that Corel West is a GENIUS, his speech was seriously inspiring (as cliche as it sounds) and really was full of quotes and advice that I even wrote down to put on my facebook page. (see facebook profile for details) Basically the session was on how racism and institutionalized racism halts any kind of progress that can be made in democracy. Also just the history of civil rights actions and the actions being made today including by Obama.

So after that speech, I attempted to go to the session Perception Through Images: A Photoethnography of Women Students of Color at a Predominantly White Institution (which I REALLY am mad that I missed) but I and other people were kicked at because the session was full. -_-
So I opted for The Longest Hatred and the College Campus: Anti Semitism and Anti-Israelism in American Higher Ed. Definitely learned alot in that session. Especailly how people cover up Anti-Semitism by claimed to just be against Zionism (but their language and words usage tells the real story). A little dry sometimes but overall, good stuff.

So after the sessions was a Welcoming ceremony, Native Californian Welcome where music and dancing groups of Native northern and southern Cali performed dances and sang songs from their own ceremonial houses and events. The dancers and singers from the Bird Singers of San Diego did a music assortment that I am totally unfamiliar with where it was like pausing a song for times and performing each section separately. really just cool. and I spotted Victor Lewis from Color of Fear in the corner watching which is UBER cool.

Evening:
After the performances was the NCORE Reception and dinner. Hands down the best cooked lamb I have EVER had. also lots of networking was done with people you didnt know and introductions were made. also I finally tracked down Mike who I had been hunting for and who encouraged me to talk to Victor but I gotta say I was incredibly intimidated. Eventually Mike introduced me to him and I was totally hyped. so yeah, after that, went to bed.