Actor-filmmaker Edward James Olmos gestures during a workshop in Hollister Hall on April 27. Olmos' workshop and evening lecture in Bailey Hall were part of the weekend conference "A Celebration of Chicana/o Cultural Productions: Utilizing Art as a Tool for Empowerment." Charles Harrington/University Photography
By Akil Salim Roper '97
Actor-filmmaker Edward James Olmos performed to a small but appreciative audience April 27 in the McManus Lounge of Hollister Hall.
But he wasn't acting; he was speaking from the heart to students taking part in the weekend's conference on Mexican-American art and culture. Titled "A Celebration of Chicana/o Cultural Productions: Utilizing Art as a Tool for Empowerment," the three-day conference was sponsored by the Cornell chapter of Movimiento Estudiantil Chicano de Aztlán.
The man known for starring in the movie Stand and Deliver and the TV show Miami Vice and for directing American Me, presented an intimate afternoon workshop in Hollister Hall before giving his evening lecture in Statler Hall Auditorium.
During the workshop, Olmos urged listeners to conceptualize the balance between integrity and compromise. About 50 students, faculty and staff members attended his hour-and-a-half-long interactive talk, which challenged participants to think critically about their dreams, goals, aspirations and about the true value of art in society.
"We [as a society] have relegated art the fourth toe of the foot on the left side," Olmos said. "I need it badly, but I need my backbone even more. But art is the backbone," he argued, speaking of art's historical value. "We would have nothing without art. That's why they call them artifacts -- without them we would not have known anything."
In addition to stressing the value of all art forms, Olmos also advised listeners to put money lower on their lists of personal values. Because of his own priorities and personal convictions, he said he had turned down, already, more money than he would ever make in his lifetime.
"Once you make money the top of the list, and you go for that dollar, you see that you need 10. Then after you get that, you need 100. And then you need 1,000. And then a million, and a billion. You always need more, and it never ends," said Olmos. "Sense may add up to dollars, but dollars will never add up to sense."
"We have, right here at Cornell, the strongest minds in America," Olmos said. "It's important to dive in and don't stop until understanding is doctored. Not bachelor's, not master's, but doctorate. Get the information. Get the most out of your education. Get a million dollars worth of debt on your brain."
"I really appreciated the workshop, because he stressed the fact that money isn't everything. It was very motivational," said junior Allison Fernandez following Olmos' talk. "There are a lot of other important personal factors that need to be considered as to how you live your life," she said, "and money shouldn't be your greatest commitment."
The conference's weekend activities also included a number of other workshops, one featuring award-winning writers Benjamin Alire Saenz and Jose Antonio Burciaga, and dance performances by Ballet Folklorico Mexicano. About 180 people attended the conference, according to organizers.
"The conference was a success, and I've heard a lot of great comments from people who attended," said Jennifer Estep '96, conference chair for the Movimiento Estudiantil Chicano de Aztlán chapter.
"I was really surprised by all of the support from the organizations on campus," she said. "There were about 15 organizations, and without their help we would not have been able to bring the speakers here."