As my time here at Penn State wanes and I finish my last of classes this semester, I can now reflect on two related specific issues that I have been involved in my entire three years here, diversity and racism.

When I started here in 1999, I was unaware that there had been a diversity mandate to be implemented by all the colleges at Penn State. Moreover, I was unaware of the subtle and blatant racism around campus and the surrounding communities.

Well, I can safely say, that Penn State has made little progress in these arenas. From personal experience, I have been, not only shunned by some in the local and Penn State communities for having an Hispanic/Latino name such as Gonzalez, but been insulted to my face directly by a Bellefonte resident stating how his town was not a "barrio" without him knowing that I had grown up in a "barrio" and that there was nothing wrong with it

You see, I have the privilege and burden of being half non-Hispanic White and half Hispanic. Being non-Hispanic, I blend in well in majority communities and nobody realizes I'm Hispanic until they read part of my last name. In many of these situations, whether it's within the different communities here or within my own college, people continue to make disparaging remarks towards minorities and racism is alive and well.

Nevertheless, even when directly confronted with issues of diversity and racism, and people knowing that I'm part Hispanic, they are blatantly racists. In one meeting here on campus I had with majority members, one after another, they were insulting me, my point of view on diversity and racism, and in several instances, questioned the right of African-Americans here in establishing an Africana Research Center.

This year, Penn State again is implementing its diversity programming and the colleges are following suit. However, I'm not convinced that these will have any effect at all. While there have been some gains for minorities, Penn State and the surrounding communities are inhospitable for many. It is unfortunate that Penn State as a community is more illusion than it is reality.

Fortunately, I have made the most of my time here with the support of my wonderful wife. Maybe some day, if I decide to come back and visit Penn State I will not have to be aware of my own ethnicity.