38 minute read
Let’s talk about racism
LET’S TALK ABOUT
Iowa State alumni and faculty raise their voices in conversations about the Black Lives Matter movement
During a summer that saw peaceful protesters of all colors march for racial justice, and less-than-peaceful demonstrations in many cities in the U.S., it is abundantly clear that there is much work to be done. The place to start? Understanding. Followed by education and conversation. And then, at long last, change.
A message of ‘Hi’
In light of the senseless killings For others, it can be a question that of George Floyd, Breonna Taylor, conjures up a set of painful memories of Ahmaud Arbery, and many others, feeling invisible, unheard, and disrespected painful reminders of the bigotry because of one’s race, politics, religion, or and injustices we wrestle with in sexual orientation. our nation are upon us…again. But many Cyclones may simply respond, These incidents have led to an “You don’t really want to know or truly incredible amount of public unrest. care how I’m doing.” Some may say, The public killing of Mr. Floyd, “Since you asked, please know that I am in broad daylight, by a Minneapolis policetired, angry, exhausted, hurt, and in pain.” man while his colleagues observed it, And others say, “While I am proud to have has left many of us frozen, shocked, and earned my degree from Iowa State, I have downright angry. All of this is happening not yet resolved the experiences I had to simultaneously with the COVID-19 panendure as a student of color on campus.” demic. The coupling of these two realities Many of these Cyclones have told me has led to peaceful and not-so-peaceful that they are still trying to find their way protests, additional loss of jobs, greater food back to Iowa State. Their pain is real, and so insecurity issues, and further acknowledgwere their experiences. It’s time to lay it all ment of known and unknown inequalities. out on the table and learn what it is really It also has made it hard to ask a very like to be Black in America and to have been common – and I feel at times – very narrow an African American student at Iowa State. and hollow question: How are YOU doing? Have any of us really thought about Really? Yes. How ARE you doing? This this? Or are we just asking, blindly, is now a BIG question. “How are you doing?” For me, as a 21-year For many Cyclones, it can be taken Cyclone, I remain hopeful, optimistic, and personally, and can be answered simply. prayerful. The ISU Alumni Association For some, it can be a very emotional Board of Directors and staff have been on question that might conjure up thoughts an internal journey trying to find our way of stress related to COVID-19, loss of a through these very tough and unpleasant loved one, jobs, finances, and protests. questions. It’s been painful at times, but it’s
RACISM
also brought us closer and given us greater empathy for each other. Our journey to date has been extremely rewarding and insightful, but we still have work to do. As we move forward, may we do so together, recognizing that love and understanding cannot be legislated. For me, I acknowledge daily when I am in the presence of another human being, whether they look like me or we share anything in common, I’ve dropped the “How are you doing” phrase. I simply say, “Hi,” with a smile. We need to start seeing each other and stop walking past each other. We’re not ships. We are human beings, coexisting in a very beautiful yet painful moment. Let’s seize this moment to better ourselves and be better to each other.
Hi, Jeff Johnson Jeffery W. Johnson (L)(PhD ’14) is the Lora and Russ Talbot Endowed President and CEO of the ISU Alumni Association
To read the full message sent to ISU alumni and friends, go to isualum.org/message-of-hi-from-Jeff
Creating a welcoming environment
Iowa State University is committed to creating a welcoming and inclusive environment for all students, faculty, staff, and visitors. Here are a few of the programs and initiatives that advance racial equity: • Office of Multicultural Student Affairs programs, including the George
Washington Carver program (100 full-tuition scholarships annually), the Multicultural Vision Program (100 full-tuition scholarships), and the Academic Program for EXcellence (APEX), an eight-week academic summer program designed for incoming • multicultural first-year students Multicultural liaison officers in each college, supporting and serving as • • advocates for multicultural students Learning communities for students of diverse backgrounds Cultural centers, including the George A. Jackson Black Cultural Center and the
Memorial Union Multicultural Center • 20 years of ISCORE, the Thomas L. Hill Iowa State Conference on Race and
Ethnicity “Campus Conversation” events, bringing together students, faculty, and staff to discuss timely • issues Partnering with the Ames community to create a more welcoming and inclusive living and working environment for • citizens of color Partnering with the group Students Against Racism to address racism • • and improve the campus climate Bias training for Iowa State University Police Inclusive classroom training for faculty, through the Center for Excellence in • Learning and Teaching A Campus Climate Reporting System that collects and assesses bias incidents and provides resources and support for those impacted
Understanding the dynamics Sharron Evans is passionate about student engagement, and she brings a fresh perspective to the Iowa State campus. Evans, a former private practice attorney and higher education consultant, began in May as associate vice president in the ISU Student Affairs Division and dean of students. She has more than 20 years of experience in higher education student affairs, most recently at Roosevelt University, Chicago. VISIONS caught up with her during the busy fi rst weeks of students’ arrival on campus to discuss some of the issues most important to her: diversity, inclusion, and equity.
THE CONVERSATION HAS BEEN EDITED FOR LENGTH.
“There are numerous programs and initiatives across the university that specifically target our students of color. I think one of the more innovative steps that the university took was that they developed directors of multicultural student success that reside in each college. These particular directors are responsible for advancing our inclusion initiatives, which include supporting students of color. [There are] opportunities and collaboration between them and our chief diversity officer, as well as student affairs. There’s plenty of opportunity there. Part of being a student of color on a predominantly white campus is ensuring that there is space and that there’s opportunity for students to gather and engage socially and in discussions. We have those spaces across campus.
“[Iowa State has scholarship programs for students of color that] go beyond just the financial support. You’re talking about providing students with interpersonal support, engagement, learning their own development, and a sense of community. There are also a number of learning communities in our residence halls that focus on these things. When it comes down to it, as the dean of students, part of my responsibility is to go out there to reach out to students and engage. I’m responsible for understanding the dynamics of our students.
“One of biggest things that we address as a university is looking at opportunity gaps that exist for our students of color, and how we close those gaps. And that is a collaboration between enrollment management, academic affairs, and student affairs. We’re starting down that path to look at what more can we do. I think when we look at how we train our staff in reference to inclusion and campus climate, we have to train them in a manner that they understand how to engage with our students and how we support them. And when that individual engagement is successful, it helps our students be successful. Our chief diversity officer and his team put out a training on managing bias. I can’t express how important that training is, because we all as humans come to the table with bias, and we need to understand that it is there and how we overcome it. And so, that’s our commitment… so that we can serve the university as a whole, including our students of color.
ESSAYS
Liberty and justice for all BY DARRYL V. SAMUELS
“America is woven of many strands. I would recognize them and let it so remain. Our fate is to become one, and yet many. This is not prophecy, but description.” Author Ralph Ellison was talking about our country’s diversity. His profound, poignant words are indicative of my sentiments about the new retro American Revolution 2020 as we as a nation battle systematic racism. It took a pandemic to bring America’s original sin toward African Americans to the forefront for resolution, so let’s talk about it. Recently, Ellison’s strands stretched when Breonna Taylor was killed senselessly in her own home by overzealous police officers; unraveled when Ahmaud Arbery was brutally attacked and killed by white vigilantes while on a morning run; and torn when callous Minneapolis police officers unmercifully snuffed out George Floyd’s life while he was in custody. Amy’s reaction in the park did not help when she attempted to weaponized her white privilege to frame an innocent man of color because she thought she could. This is wrong. Racism is wrong, and capitulating to racism is problematic. BLACK LIVES MATTER. Racism is a tool that frail, greedy, and selfish people use to denigrate Black people that must be disarmed and dismantled, which is not easy. Bad habits die hard. However, like the search for a vaccine for COVID-19, these are steps needed to eradicate this disease: First, systematic racism is not a problem for Black people to solve. Harlem Renaissance author Zora Neale Hurston said, “We must learn to be honest with ourselves and know our shortcomings, but we will pay dearly for being a slow pupil.” For some reason, meritocracy is not working in our democracy. Anglos need to take a hard look and recognize the world is becoming more colorful and ask themselves how to adapt in this new world order. Make sincere amends for the past by removing the barriers, obstacles, and reminders of our nation’s racist past, and move forward with a new directive by befriending and helping a Black person achieve the American Dream alongside you. Second, create a sense of hope by protecting everyone’s rights. We live in the greatest country in the world, and I agree with Hurston when she wrote, “I will fight for my country, but I will not lie for her.” Although my ancestors built this country with no pay and did not have a part in writing the U.S. Constitution, we adopted it and believe in maintaining our unalienable rights to life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness without it being derailed or snuffed out by callous, greedy, frail, selfish people. Finally, you must turn empathy into action. Do what you need to do to make it happen. Read Black literature, make a friend who happens to be Black, and have tough conversations about race with that friend; educate yourself and white friends about the inappropriateness of racial jokes, their micro-aggressions, or full aggression toward people of color; lead the charge. Make that change. Hope springs eternal. I really want to see this happen in my lifetime. My dream is to stand next to my white counterparts to pledge allegiance to the American flag with my hand over my heart and feel comfortable and confident saying, “One nation, under God, with LIBERTY AND JUSTICE FOR ALL” with conviction.
Darryl Samuels (L)(’88 political science, ’90 master of community planning) is the managing partner of D. Samuels & Associates, LLC, of Pearland, Texas. He is a former member of the ISU Alumni Association Board of Directors.
I grew up on a farm in rural northern Iowa. The concept of racial justice was unknown to me. There wasn’t a person of color in the entire county. I didn’t meet anyone who was Black until I went away to college. I considered myself open-minded and certainly not a racist. In the 1990s I was working for a federal agency, and my boss asked me to be a diversity consultant, the same role he was taking on. He was Black and grew up in Detroit. I learned what I didn’t know very quickly. I’m still learning. We are a product of our experiences. Those experiences we have not yet had give us room to grow. I have learned that my whiteness has given me opportunities that I took for granted. And that people of color don’t have those same opportunities as easily as I have. We need to start the conversation, as uncomfortable as it might be. And we need to continue to do that. We need to seek to understand, and acknowledge what we don’t know. We need to ask questions, seek new experiences, and educate ourselves. Until we do this, we will never end the systemic racism we have in our country. How can we personally have an impact? We need to understand our own explicit and implicit biases. Yes, we all have them. And we can work to influence all the activities and institutions and organizations we are involved in: schools, churches, workplaces, friends, and family. We cannot be afraid to speak up. Different people will be in different places in this journey. That’s OK. We are on that journey, too. But we cannot become complacent! We need to educate ourselves about our federal and state and local governments. We need to know about policy and candidates. We need to participate. And most of all, we need to vote – an informed vote! Voting is the most important thing we do as citizens. It impacts our communities, our schools, our jobs, our environment, and our society. It determines who will lead us now and into the future. And it holds those leaders accountable. The ISU Alumni Association has a diversity statement as part of its culture statement. In part, it says that everyone should feel safe, welcomed, supported, included, and valued. That pretty much sums up what our country and our world need to become.
Becky Stadlman (L)(’74 journ & mass comm) is a retired global human resources manager for Danfoss. A former member of the ISU Alumni Association Board of Directors, Stadlman lives in Ankeny, Iowa.
We cannot afford to wait another 50 years BY MARVIN DEJEAR
This latest push for African Americans seeking equality in America has been re-energizing, and at the same time a stern reminder of the centuries of pain for African Americans. It has been re-energizing to see so many young people united across all races and ethnicities throughout the world protesting that Black Lives Matter and standing in unity! It has been hopeful to see so many adults have their eyes opened, even if for the first time, to the racial injustices that African Americans have endured for centuries. As the months begin to pass and the news stories change to the next major story, I want to make sure we all keep this in the forefront of priorities and action items, even when it is no longer the main story on TV! I want to make sure we all stay committed to this being the final chapter of this story. Black People cannot afford to wait another 50 years for this to be an important issue. I ask that everyone who still may not think this is a big issue or something real, to please do the research. Read more than what was in your high school history class and what your everyday environment has taught you along the way. Read the 1619 Project, watch the movie “13th,” look at all the lists of suggestions on social media. Allow the new information to help you to make an informed decision of what side of history you want to be remembered for during this historical moment in time.
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When they look back at this historical moment and analyze America’s response to the COVID-19 pandemic, historians will say that even in the midst of a global pandemic America took the steps to create the final chapter in a 400-year-old story of pain and hurt for Black People? Alternatively, will they say America continued to treat the Black People of America as their commodity? I am optimistic enough to think there are enough people who have seen the true narrative of this century-old story. That there is a real catalyst for change, and even though history suggests violence is next, that we can and will come together to end this story. I will end with a quote from Representative John Lewis’s last opinion piece in the New York Times: “When historians pick up their pens to write the story of the 21st century, let them say it was your generation who laid down the heavy burdens of hate at last and that peace finally triumphed over violence, aggression, and war. So I say to you, walk with the wind, brothers and sisters, and let the spirit of peace and the power of everlasting love be your guide.”
Marvin DeJear (A)(’00 business management, MBA ’03, PhD ’16 ed leadership) is the director of the Evelyn K. Davis Center for Working Families at Des Moines Area Community College. He is a current elected member of the ISU Alumni Association Board of Directors.
A conversation with Taylor Davis Taylor Davis is a 2017 ISU graduate of the Ivy College of Business with a degree in supply chain management. Davis is the business development representative for D. Samuels & Associates and is the former assistant manager of strategic sourcing for MGM Resorts International in Las Vegas. As a student at Iowa State, she was involved with Black Campus Ministry, Multicultural Business Network, and other organizations. She is a current member of the ISU Alumni Association Board of Directors and is planning to begin law school this fall.
THE CONVERSATION HAS BEEN EDITED FOR LENGTH.
What do white Americans need to do to educate themselves on the issues of race and racism? For a simple answer, I would really say listen. Everybody should really be listening right now. It is not that you have to feel the pain or understand, because unless you are Black in America you could never, but be educated once and for all. Once you are fully aware of the true injustices, that is when you can take a stand.
Why do you think this moment has become so powerful? Question everyone is asking! First, this is nothing new – Google “Rodney King;” the only difference is the iPhone and social media. The pandemic has been some kind of poetic justice. When millions of people are not working, and you’re now on your cellphone or watching the news 80 to 90 percent of the time, all generations of people, of course, are like, “OH MY GOSH! Has this really been going on? I’ve been clocking in to work every day and I didn’t even know this was happening to this degree in 2020.” These are statements I’ve heard my colleagues say over the last few weeks. While, I, a Black woman, have endured racial injustice from birth, and experienced it right there in the Ames community.
So, at this point people are angry. “Oh, wait a minute, you took our jobs, and now you are killing someone on the street?” We don’t care what color he is; now is not the time. We’re already pretty stressed! It was like you kicked America when it was down. COVID was already taking lives, so you’re already in mourning, and then this happens? It’s just too much. It’s too much.
You’re a recent graduate of Iowa State. What must the university do to improve the lives of its students of color? Storytime: I was at the game Trump attended [in 2016], and I saw my Latino students of color and my fellow Black students who were standing in solidarity with them, when Trump supporters and ISU fans attacked their race and culture. I witnessed a 40- to 50-yearold Caucasian woman throw a full, unopened beer can at a student simply because of the color of her skin. It wrecks my heart to even know some of the stories that I do know and some things that have been swept under the rug. I believe Iowa State, just like America, needs to no longer tolerate [racism] when it is reported. It needs to be taken just as seriously as the next student [infraction]. That’s just the bottom line.
Iowa State is a very huge passion of mine. Being an alumna with a rapidly growing career that I attribute almost 100 percent
A dialogue with two Black activists in central Iowa Julian Neely and Justyn Lewis are two ISU alumni working for change in central Iowa
to my Iowa State education and experience, I wonder sometimes: Where are the students who fit the same demographic as me? The students who didn’t have grandparents* who were pillars of the community, who didn’t have a father, Tommy Davis (L), who played football for Iowa State? Where are those students? How are they managing? Who are their allies? What resources do they have? And why are there so few NON-ATHLETIC African American students? These are major concerns. To the students, faculty, and staff who agree these are concerns: VOTE! VOTE! VOTE! And use your current platform within the community to foster change.
*Davis’s grandparents are Wayne Clinton (L), a former Ames High School coach and member of the Story County board of supervisors for 16 years, and Edna Young Clinton (L)(’87 distributed studies, MS ’90 industrial relations).
T H E S E I N T E R V I E W S W E R E C O N D U C T E D A N D E D I T E D BY CAROLE GIESEKE, VISIONS EDITOR
Justyn Lewis (’12 political science) founded Des Moines’ Selma, an organization that advocates for civil rights, equality, equity, justice, and government accountability. Lewis works as an office professional, is married and has two children, and runs his own landscaping business. Julian Neely (’19 journalism & mass comm) is an organizer with the Des Moines Black Lives Matter group. Following graduation from ISU, where he served as Student Government president in 2018-19, Neely attended Syracuse University. He returned to Iowa State in the fall to pursue a master’s degree, and he holds an internship with Flynn Wright advertising agency.
VISIONS: The response to the killing of George Floyd in Minneapolis was swift and broad, encompassing all 50 states and people of all races. This current push for eliminating systemic racism seems different to me than most of the movements from the recent past. But that’s my perspective as a white person. What’s your perspective on this? Are you optimistic that there will be meaningful change? Julian Neely: I think movements are going to be different in general. Social media is a big tool for a lot of these movements, and we’re also attracting younger folks. I think we can see some drastic changes. For us, as younger folks, we’re tired. We’ve spoken with our families, our parents, our grandparents, who have said, “Why is it still going on?” It’s been going on for 200 years, and we’re still in the same predicament. We are just tired. Enough is enough. It’s time to create change. We can no longer work within these systems. Justyn Lewis: It’s hard not to step into the fight and push for such an effort when we saw George Floyd beg for his life and cry for his mother. George Floyd is the peak of the mountain that led to the outcry, but there have been countless other stories. The issues of systematic, systemic, and institutional racism have been going on in our community for hundreds of years. We’re all normally distracted by other things in life, but COVID has put a pause on the whole world. We were all on our phones and watched him being murdered. That event woke something up spiritually and spoke to the souls of every human that’s alive here. People are doing the research on police brutality and over-policing and finally waking up to the problem.
Talk about the work you’re doing organizing marches and events in Des Moines. Lewis: Des Moines’ Selma is an organization named to mirror what MLK and other civil rights activists did: nonviolent protest, sit-ins, speaking truth to power, and working with leadership. We are willing to work within the system to get the change that is needed, but we want our message to be heard and acted upon. If not, we will call forth the next generation to take those leadership seats. We will run for those positions, and we will be the leaders that America needs. Neely: I work directly with Des Moines BLM [Black Lives Matter] with 10 other Des Moines residents, young folks age 19-24. We’ve been organizing different protest rallies and demonstrations around town to be able to bring to life an awareness to a lot of different issues and problems within the city, the state, and the county. We’re pushing for policies, holding our public officials and law enforcement and other leaders accountable for things that they should be doing, to make sure they’re serving all people. Specifically, Black and brown people have been left out of a lot of things. We are not considered when a lot of these policies are made. We need to create policies that also include us.
What are some of the key issues? Lewis: We’ve always known our public schools were underfunded, and the current curriculum does us a disservice when it comes to Black history. A lot of my white friends are like, “I just didn’t
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know.” We’re educating people, doing implicit bias training. We’re organizing and mobilizing to amplify Black voices to create needed change. I’ve also been bridging the gap between organizations and individuals wanting to support the Black community. I want to make this clear: This is a movement about government accountability. I think we can all support this movement. Neely: We need to make sure we are supporting and uplifting the Black community within the city of Des Moines. Our organization has brought attention to the need to review current policies that are in place that are inadequate or outdated and to hold our leaders accountable. When it comes to police misconduct, we endure a lot of those experiences where police use excessive force or they brutalize us. We’ve made people recognize that they have a lot of things to unlearn. Folks in power can no longer just sit on these issues. Awareness is where it starts, but it cannot end there. Actions will solidify whether people are for the cause or if it’s there as a marketing piece.
Julian, you’ve been vocal in promoting Iowa State’s renaming of Catt Hall. Walk me through the issues and the demands. Neely: Catt Hall has been an issue since the September 29 Movement [in 1995]. The leaders showed proof from letters and literature that Catt contributed to the women’s suffrage movement for white women, and that was it. She supported white supremacy. The language was troubling. We need to recognize this is a woman who was racist. By ISU maintaining her name on a building that thousands of students go through, students that are folks of color, that is disrespectful. If we are pushing principles of community, and diversity and inclusion, we should name the building for a powerful woman; that would be a correct approach for Iowa State. In dodging the conversation [about renaming the building], it shows that ISU is not invested in diversity, inclusion, and equity.
What do white Americans need to do to educate themselves and truly create systems of justice for all? Lewis: It’s not good enough to not be racist; we need white people to be anti-racist, actively doing the work every day to break down systems that have been put in place by your ancestors. You didn’t make the decisions, but now you have the power to dismantle [the system]. Get hold of resources; watch videos that are outside of your sphere of influence. We are all stuck in spheres that make us comfortable. Start having real conversations with your friends and colleagues that are Black. Allow them to be vulnerable. Allow yourself to be open to experiences different than your own. For years, people have refuted our experiences, saying we are playing the race and victim card. Ask those same friends and colleagues, “How can I help you specifically? How can I help this movement? How can I help within our organization?” When you see a wrong, you can no longer be silent. Silence implies your consent. Silence is agreeing with the structure of racism that has been a part of this country from the very beginning. What I really want people to do is listen to Black voices that are speaking about our history in context. Listening to Black voices and learning about those experiences will teach you how to respond in moments where you should no longer be silent. We need white people to join this movement to help amplify our voices and concerns. Neely: Teach your children not to be racist! That’s the biggest thing! Teach your children the actual history of the United States and how this nation was stolen from indigenous people, and how white people literally took Africans from their homeland to build the nation we see today. Look at the educational system, how flawed it is, how whitewashed it is, and how it does not teach adequate or truthful history about this nation. Look at who is running these institutions: Who are your leaders of school boards and city councils who are making decisions? What are policies that need to be revised? Look at defunding the
JUSTYN LEWIS
police and reallocating those resources to Black and brown communities, to [support] educational opportunities and mental health and leadership and professional development opportunities. Erase inconsistencies in property values. It’s about having folks that truly represent us sitting at the table, holding seats in the State Senate, the House of Representatives, and the Governor’s suite. You’re fairly recent graduates of Iowa State; what must the university do to
JULIAN NEELY, IN 2018
improve the lives of its students of color? Neely: There’s a lot. Really assess the names of certain buildings, and then rename them. Representation not only within the administration but within the faculty and staff is extremely important. Also, within our current faculty and staff and advisers, do bias training to assess cultural bias working with folks of color. We’ve heard stories of Black women, Latinx women, whose advisers don’t think they’re adequate to take a specific course or major, and professors who use the N word. There needs to be a level of consequences for folks who engage in hate speech. Lewis: It was a dream of mine as a little boy to go to Iowa State. I was a recipient of the MVP [multicultural vision program] scholarship. I’m very thankful and blessed to be an alum of Iowa State, and I’m proud to be part of the Cyclone alumni. Iowa State has completely changed my life. The faculty is strong, conscious, and socially aware. I had faculty members who picked me up when I was falling and nearly failed out of Iowa State. I owe them so much. But I still experienced racism on the campus as a student, and there is still work to be done. It’s important for faculty to continue to listen to Black voices. If students bring up issues, you need to listen and take action. We are very aware when people are dragging their feet. We know when something’s racist; we know when something’s wrong. We need people to know why it’s happening and make the change so that it doesn’t happen again.
What else would you like to talk about? Neely: We have to challenge each other. Conversations are great, but things cannot end at the conversation level. Things need to elevate to actionable steps, and then actions need to be completed, so we can see actual change. There’s so much as a Black community that we’re recovering from, from these oppressive systems that have been in place for so long. Bring the conversation to your workspace, and look at your own leadership and say, “What can change here?” When we’re hiring, do we look at Black and brown people? LGBT people? These are folks who are qualified people to effectively do the job. Are we uncomfortable hiring them because we have a bias? Lewis: I always wanted to get into the political arena and bridge the gap between the things that divide us as a nation. Iowa State opened my mind to politics and to understanding the needs of the people. I have spent the last several years working with organizations such as NAACP and Iowa CCI [Citizens for Community Improvement] on issues in my community at a local level. And then the murder of George Floyd took place and those issues were magnified on a national level. I went to my first march. I saw police show up in riot gear. I was trying to be a voice of reason and give direction. From that, I received a lot of support. I want the betterment of my people, but I also want to be a leader for everyone. I think people know my heart. I’ve been mindfully watching leadership and learning. I’ve always had a desire to run for an elected seat and I’m eyeing a run in 2022.
‘It’s up to us to fix the systems’ A campus conversation on white action and accountability to combat systems-based racism
During an online campus conversation presented in June by the Office of the Vice President for Diversity and Inclusion and open to the university community, panelists discussed the topic “What should I do? White action and accountability to combat anti-Blackness and systems-based racism.” The following is an excerpt of that conversation, featuring Brad Dell, director of ISU Theatre, and Katy Swalwell, associate professor, School of Education.
What is the difference between “not racist” and “anti-racist”? Katy Swalwell: Racism is not the same thing as prejudice. Racism is when prejudice is institutionalized. It’s not always intentional, but letting systems of white supremacy or anti-Blackness work through us is how racism endures. And we’re either anti-racist or participating in racism. People think they should be in the middle, but that’s not really an option. Being anti-racist is possible, but people can’t be non-racist.
Brad Dell: White people created the systems, and it’s up to us to fix the systems. We are complicit to the system; the systems protect the power white people hold. We must confess our past injustice. We must work to undo unjust policies. I’m no expert in these areas, but I know I have contributed to racist systems, and I recognize a critical part of this work is to listen and acknowledge our wrong and to be better. Shame and guilt are not helpful, but action is. Swalwell: People within the category of “white” get to set rules and distribute resources. Even if you are generous and welcoming, you still have the control. You are the determiner of who gets in and who stays out or what is seen as “normal” or “professional.”
How do people perpetuate racism on this campus? Swalwell: I’ve seen these “pearl-clutching moments” where people [on campus] are shocked when something happens. [They say] “That doesn’t happen here! Ames is so friendly.” No, it happens here. Racism and whiteness are in the air all the time.
What are you doing to address racism and inequity in areas you hold power and what pushback have you received? Dell: As a member of the LGBTQ community and a theatre artist, equity, diversity, inclusion, and representation is an important part of my work. Lately I’ve recognized it’s not enough; I must be actively anti-racist. I have to personally educate myself; I’m reading, watching, listening, reflecting, and reckoning how I’ve been complicit in white systems. I’m using my position of privilege to donate, educate, write to local representatives, and confront institutional systems to advocate for anti-racism.
We are drafting an anti-racism accountability document for the ISU Theatre. We will strive to lead with empathy and justice. The well-being of faculty, staff, and students is the number-one priority. You have to recognize that budgets are moral documents and interrogate the allocation of resources. I feel called to use my position of privilege to agitate administrators and those in power; this is not comfortable for me, but I’m trying to use this time to confront systemic and institutional racism.
Swalwell: There’s a quote [from a recent essay by Tre Johnson], “When black people are in pain, white people join book clubs.” We can’t just keep learning. We have to take action and respond to
BRAD DELL
– Katy Swalwell
requests to take action. As white people, our fear of what might happen if we try to build something new or rabble-rouse is that we will face some horrible retribution. [As a white person,] I have so far to go to actually risk anything. We think we’re out here on this tiny branch of risk, but it’s really 13 feet wide.
How can we prepare our students in the fall? Dell: It’s important to acknowledge this is in no way a normal time. Our overall goal as an institution should in no way be a return to normal. The previous normal wasn’t working. It was unjust and unequitable. We need to make new systems that are just for all. We need to lead with empathy and justice always. We need to provide space for discussion, rage, conversation, and growth. Equity is the concept of ensuring that everyone has what they need to succeed. We have to identify what those needs are for each individual in our campus community and make sure they are addressed. Swalwell: I agree that we don’t go back to normal. Education scholar Bettina Love recently wrote an article called “We cannot go back to the way things were.” The way things have been for BIPOC* students has not been good.
One thing we can do is to check in with students of color we have relationships with. White people worry that if they inquire about how people are doing, we’ll somehow remind them of racism, but that’s their existence. [Checking in] validates what they’re going through.
We also need to seek feedback. You cannot have ego in this work. Don’t seek compliments for doing something anti-racist. We don’t deserve a sticker. And don’t be defeatist. I hear people say how hard it is to recruit people of color to Iowa. But we cannot hide out in the bureaucracy or excuses.
Talk about the concept of allyship Swalwell: “Accomplice” may be a better word than “ally.” White supremacy has built our institutions. We have to be accomplices in dismantling that. The work of racial justice is collaborative. It’s about relationship-building. Find people to connect with and hold you accountable. Don’t try to do it by yourself; it’s exhausting and dangerous. It’s tempting to declare you’re an ally, but you can’t give yourself that title – only people of color can give it to you. White people telling other white people how anti-racist they are doesn’t mean anything.
You know what you need to do. It’s exhausting, but don’t give up. It’s taken us 400 years to get here, but the urgency is here. It’s real.
*Black, Indigenous, People of Color
BY WENDY WINTERSTEEN
Eighteen years ago, Iowa legislation was signed that established Juneteenth, known as Juneteenth National Freedom Day, as a state holiday. Juneteenth is the oldest nationally celebrated commemoration of the ending of slavery in the United States, dating back to the final period of the Civil War, June 19, 1865.
On June 19 of this year, Juneteenth was not only a day of celebration, it was a time to reflect on the work that still needs to be done here at Iowa State University and across the nation to address the racism and prejudice experienced by the Black community, particularly in light of the tragic deaths of George Floyd, Breonna Taylor, Ahmaud Arbery, and others.
Back in June, I encouraged everyone to educate themselves about issues of racial injustice and the Black Lives Matter movement, then use that understanding to help improve our campus and community. Even thinking about the
message from a protester’s poster might help shed some light: “We said, Black Lives Matter. Never said, Only Black Lives Matter. We know, all lives matter. We just need your help with #BlackLivesMatter for Black Lives are in Danger.”
In the days leading up to Juneteenth, our campus and community was provided with a set of opportunities to reflect, listen and learn: • ISU’s Student Government hosted a social justice forum centering on social justice issues and the Black experience. I participated as part of a panel with Vice President for Diversity and
Inclusion Reg Stewart (A); Dean of
Students Sharron Evans; Chief of Police
Michael Newton; Student Government
President Morgan Fritz, a junior in political science; and Black Student
Alliance President India Robinson, a sophomore in English. • Vice President Stewart moderated a panel discussion on policing and justice with Chief Newton and Ames Police
Chief Charles Cychosz (A)(PhD ’94).
The panel was hosted by the Ames chapter of the NAACP. • Nearly 400 faculty and staff participated in a Campus Conversation, organized by our Office of Diversity and Inclusion, on the topic “What should I do? White action and accountability to combat anti-blackness and systems-based racism.” The candid, insightful comments created a space in which to take an introspective look at how we can and must do better.
“The great obstacle to all reform is prejudice.”
– Adonijah Welch, Iowa State’s first president, from his installation address
– Wendy Wintersteen, (L)(PhD ’88 entomology), current ISU president, from her installation address
Back in March, we had marked the 20th anniversary of the Thomas L. Hill Iowa State Conference on Race and Ethnicity, or ISCORE, with more than 1,200 attending. Under the 20 years of leadership provided by director Japannah Kellogg (A), ISCORE has become our premier event for students, faculty and staff to engage in constructive dialogue and enhance understanding of racial and ethnic issues on campus, in our community, and across the country. We know racism, discrimination, and bigotry exist and are causing hurt and harm on our campus and in society. ISCORE is one important way we raise awareness and understanding of these issues and work together to take action to create a more welcoming and inclusive university and community.
Our Office of Diversity and Inclusion continues to add educational resources for our campus community to learn and develop new skills. Because this kind of work is not “one size fits all,” numerous options are available to explore how to confront racism, talk openly about race, participate in campus offerings, and open dialogues that are an important step towards deepening one’s understanding of our issues, biases, and shared values.
It’s these kinds of conversations that reflect and help us uphold the six pillars of Iowa State University’s Principles of Community – Respect. Purpose. Cooperation. Richness of diversity. Freedom from discrimination. Honest and respectful expression of ideas.
Going back more than 160 years ago, Iowa State University was founded with the ideal to offer educational opportunities to students of any race, gender, or social class – a bold and revolutionary idea at that time. Iowa State continues to champion that ideal and works toward creating a more welcoming and inclusive community for all our students, faculty, and staff.
Wendy Wintersteen (L)(PhD ’88 entomology) is the president of Iowa State University
What’s in a name?
Surrounded by national discussions on how places and people are remembered, ISU leaders have formed a committee charged with developing a policy to evaluate historical naming and honors. The committee’s formation occurs in tandem with calls to rename Catt Hall on campus and the interim removal of a plaque recognizing W.T. Hornaday, a former director of the Bronx City Zoo and creator of a racist exhibit during his time as a director. The Committee to Establish Principles on Renaming is being led by Carol Faber (MA ’90 art & design, MFA ’04), Faculty Senate president, and Reg Stewart, vice president for diversity and inclusion.
