A small group of students and faculty hosted a Black lives matter demonstration on campus.
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A professor who requested anonymity said he had the idea to put together a demonstration while reading about the National Basketball Association postponing games in order to boycott injustice and support the Black Lives Matter movement, particularly after national news that a man named Jacob Blake was killed by police.
“I just wanted to show the people on campus that are people of color, that are Black and indigenous people of color, that we support them and we love that they’re here,” he said. “So I sent a text to some friends and said I was going to take my lawn chair out during lunch time and hold a sign that said ‘Black Lives Matter,’ and then I sent a message to a few students that I thought might want to participate. Another professor and 6 or 7 students came out. I don’t want to call it a protest; I want to call it a support circle for people in our community.”
Shelby Parker, theatre and performance/film junior, was at the demonstration, and said the group plans to continue meeting weekly on Fridays from 11:30 a.m.- 12:30 p.m. on the quad.
“We’re thinking of making it a weekly demonstration, free for anybody to show up, whether or not you have a sign or anything like that, and just join in,” she said. “Friday is a day people have some free time, and we wanted to put that free time to good use.
Parker said the group wanted to show their love and support for Black students and faculty.
“It’s almost like, because everything can feel so dark right now, I think it’s easy to get caught up in the other things that might be making your life hard, because I would venture to say everyone’s lives are pretty hard right now. It’s important to stop and consider what other people are experiencing on top of what you, too, are experiencing. When you are reminded of it, you can reexamine the way that you thought before and generally just be a better person and a better listener,” she said.
Patricia Ashford, political science/philosophy senior and Black Student Association president, said she saw the demonstration on the quad.
“I saw it passing by, and it was nice to see people standing for support of Black Lives Matter,” she said. “I think it’s important to show support because it’s something that, when you look around, especially on our campus, you don’t see a lot of Black students. So just to know that people do support us and value us and know that our lives matter is very comforting, to come to a PWI (predominantly white institution) and know that you do have support on campus, whether it’s small or large. It shows an awareness people have of what’s going on in today’s world.”
Ashford also said BSA’s goal for the semester is to create a stronger sense of community.
“I think one of our bigger goals for the semester is to become connected with other Black students, and for OCU, make it feel more so like a home for students of color, specifically Black students, and also try to get more involved in the community at large and be more of a presence on campus,” she said.
Ashford said BSA meetings are at 7 p.m. on Wednesdays and are open to anyone.
“They’re open to any Black students or any person that wants to come and learn about what it’s like to be a Black student at a PWI or stand in support with us,” she said. “Especially our events, they’re actually super open, anyone can come. We will have a virtual option as well as a socially distant in-person option. You can follow us on social media at @OCU_BSA to stay updated”
Rodney Thompson, dance sophomore, also said he saw the demonstration on the quad.
“It made me feel welcome because not only were they so happy and welcoming to people who look like me, but they were also more than willing and so gung-ho about the feeling and the vibe of Black Lives Matter that they went out on a limb and stood on the quad,” he said. “They were bold enough to stand there and send a message to those who don’t think that other people are welcome. As a Black person, I want you to be an ally, and I want you to be an upstander as opposed to a bystander, but sometimes people need upstanders to upstand for them.”
Thompson also said he thinks the university can do better in implementing tangible change.
“I think OCU Care has been the first thing that has really given a platform to performers who are the minority in their school,” he said. “Besides that, I don’t think there has been enough information or attention to the subject of diversity and inclusion. We have tried to hire a new diversity and inclusion president and things like that, and a lot of things have been vocally said, but there haven’t been that many changes I’ve seen implemented in our school. There have been so many emails about their opinions on the topics, but I care less about their opinions on the topic; I just want something to be changed for the better, and quite literally nothing has changed. They’ll say ‘we created a board, that we’ve done this and that,’ but I haven’t seen any tangible changes that have affected me or my fellow classmates directly, so I’m not a huge fan of that.”
Thomspon said change would involve intentionally seeking out people of color in the admissions process.
“Change, for me, is finding opportunities and ways the university can get their name out to minorities and advocate for them in the college search. I had to save up and pay for my own audition, and it was the only school I auditioned for, but a lot of people in performance audition for 12 or 13 schools. I know we have a Clara Luper scholarship, but maybe something in the admission process for people who aren’t as well off as others.”
Thompson also said he would like the university to hire more professors of color.
“I’ve never had a black teacher at OCU,” he said. “I had a Hispanic teacher, and it was so cool to get to know her and have culture in the room. She’d also speak in Spanish to her Latino students, and they felt more at home and more connected. It’s a pleasure and a gift, and it puts a smile on your face to see somebody who looks like you helping you and teaching you. I know one thing that would be so special to me is to finally have a Black voice teacher, because nobody will know your voice like somebody who has your voice. It would be my dream to have a Black male teacher, and I’ve never in my life had that option.”
The anonymous professor said he thinks it’s important to voice his support for black students and faculty for two reasons.
“First, I’m a middle aged white guy, and I haven’t always treated people the right way,” he said. “I owe an apology and my support to the people who I haven’t always consciously supported. I want to make sure I do that. Second, I didn’t know how it was going to go. I didn’t know if anyone would show up, I didn’t really care. It’s not a big deal to go sit on the quad. I was encouraged by the fact that other people joined, and to see people walk by and notice us, and their faces light up, particularly the people we were there to support, it meant a lot. My hope is that it meant a lot to them, but it’s really just a small step.”
The professor also said he had an experience that changed his perspective on equality in which he helped two students mediate after one had made a racist comment towards the other.
You can’t treat a victim and someone who has caused pain to that person the same way. It’s not about equality, it’s about justice, because there’s been so much inequality in our country. I want to make sure there’s justice and I think the goal is equality, but right now, some of that justice involves holding people up a little bit higher, or even a lot higher,” he said.
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