There was hardly an empty seat to be found during Tuesday’s Campus Conversation event on racial dynamics and inequality.
There was hardly an empty seat to be found during Tuesday’s Campus Conversation event on racial dynamics and inequality.
About 15 minutes into the program, designed to allow attendees to speak candidly about race, a healthy din filled the Baker University Center Ballroom. Staff facilitators led conversations about recent protests at Ohio University and elsewhere, the challenges faced by minorities and police officers across the nation, and, yes, the media’s portrayal of race.
The full room and robust discussion was a welcome sign for us, as a group that has repeatedly urged students to stay informed about national news and engaged with fellow students and OU officials about issues that affect our university and the people who live, work and study here.
It was also encouraging to recognize so many familiar faces, city officials, campus administrators and student activists discussing what can be regarded as touchy material.
We tend to shy away from talking about race because we don’t want to seem ignorant, uneducated or get uncomfortable. But race shouldn’t be a taboo subject. It’s just another component of what makes someone who they are. Making it a part of our conversations encourages us to get to know each other, explore our cultures and understand who we are.
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