The Porch Talk

So how can such a large and diverse place feel like a community? What if you’re part of an underrepresented minority?

Palomar’s Umoja Club shared with me the value of being part of a community and recognizing the people it’s composed of. Umoja, which is Swahili for unity, is a program dedicated to acknowledging and celebratingAfricanAmerican and other cultures.

“I personally don’t think there’s much representation, honestly, in San Marcos campuses in general,” said club president Eric ‘Trey’Russel. “When I go to OUSD district (Oceanside Unified School District), I’m seeing a lot more brown, and I’m seeing definitely a lot more Hispanic instructors.And I think that’s good for my Hispanic and Latino community because I think that’s something they need to see in the education community for sure, is people who look like them.”

The club meets once a week to discuss its goals and plan community-building events. They also host a bi-monthly Porch Talk, where students meet to discuss important and relevant issues in an informal setting.

TheirApril 5th porch talk began with a 30-minute mingling session.Astack of pizzas and breadsticks was delivered to the room.Afew students introduced themselves and informed me of the topic for the day: gun violence. Before the main discussion, the group chatted with me about cultural representation at Palomar and its importance.

At Palomar College, about 46% of students identify as Hispanic, 35% as white, 7% asAsian, and 2% as Black, according to a College Factual Demographics Report. When a group is present in smaller numbers, it can feel particularly difficult to feel recognized. Member Jessica Villagomez said, “Alot of people are losing the origin

Some students feel that cultures and historic events are often taught inaccurately in schools, and with little regard for the people involved. “It annoys me when teachers don’t even think to listen or hear the student's point of view, especially if they’re part of that culture,” said member Lee Checa-Valdez. “There’s so much about certain things that have happened in the past, especially concerning natives and indigenous people that have been debunked and the truth has been told and they’re still teaching all this like, not true stuff.”

Professor Richard Carr teaches English at Palomar and is also the club’s coordinator. He shared his experience as part of a minority group and discussed the importance of engaging and being a mentor to his students. “I was always the one Black student. In my MFAprogram, I was the only black male in that program.And I remember thinking, ‘everybody’s gonna look at me as the one that represents Black people in this room’...so I always feel like I’m carrying the weight of the world on my shoulders when I’m in those types of spaces, but I know our students feel the same way.”

Russell described how Professor Carr’s teaching style differs from that of other professors he's had. “I don't think it’s hard for him to do what he does… it’s more of a connection thing. It’s kind of like, ‘Oh, they might like these little games.’And we DO like those little games,” he exclaimed. Everyone chuckled in agreement. “He kind of knows what’s worked best for him as a former Black student, and what’s going to work for his future Black students.”

“Alot of times, us as professors can get comfortable with things, and in order to meet the needs of your students, you have to constantly be able to evolve as an instructor, as a coordinator, right, in these spaces, they’re not stagnant spaces,” said Carr.