The Office of Residential Life is promoting cultural awareness, diversity and tolerance with the return of the television program known as the “30 Days Series.”
Showings begin Tuesday, Oct. 23, at 7 p.m. with the film “Binge Drinking Mom” in the Richmond basement lounge. It features a strait-laced mother who takes up binge-drinking in a desperate last-ditch attempt to show her teenage daughter how ridiculously dangerous her excessive behavior can be.
“Straight Man in a Gay World” will air Tuesday, Oct. 30 at 7 p.m. in West Dining Hall. It is about a 24-year old straight man who moves to San Francisco to live in what is known to have the largest gay community in the country.
Discussions about both films, facilitated by Residence Hall Advisors (RAs) and faculty, follow at 8 p.m.
The shows also will be aired ahead of time on TVUC to enable more students to participate in the Tuesday discussions. Students from each first-year residence hall will attend each showing.
Created by Academy Award nominee Morgan Spurlock, who directed “Super Size Me,” “30 Days” explores what transformations someone can undergo within 30 days. Last year, more than 100 students and faculty came together in the first-year dormitories to watch and discuss six episodes covering such topics as homophobia, religion and college binge drinking.
Joe Martel ’08, a Mechanical Engineering major and West College head resident advisor, was instrumental in bringing the program to campus last year and has continued his charge.
“Diversity and multi-cultural awareness are paramount concerns in college,” said Martel. “By using faculty and administrators to facilitate discussion, it will be more like an extension of the classroom and, hopefully, easier for students to join in.”
Other participating students include Beth Solomon ’09, Head RA, Richmond House and Kristen Hotvet ’09, Head RA, Davidson House. The “30 Days Series” will continue during winter term. For more information, contact Martel at martelj@union.edu.