CAMPUS
CENTERING BLACK EXPERIENCES EXPLORING ANTI-RACIST PROGRAMMING AT TUFTS By Seun Adekunle
T
he civil unrest of 2020, following the murder of George Floyd by policeman Derek Chauvin, brought renewed attention to the racism believed to be embedded in 21st century American institutions. Tufts University, like a myriad of other academic institutions, proclaimed its support for the Black Lives Matter movement. In 2021, Tufts announced its newfound “work to build a better Tufts where we will collaborate to advance equity, inclusion, healing, and justice for our own community, and… the wider world.” Tufts appears to have taken steps towards this goal by “committing at least $25 million of university resources, over five years, to support the efforts” enumerated in the five workstreams held between 2020 and 2021. These include, among others, “anti-racism education,” “compositional diversity,” and a focus on representing “values of Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion” through public art as well as rebuild-
6 TUFTS OBSERVER FEBRUARY 28, 2022
ing campus safety and policing. Despite this, some Black students and faculty feel that the university’s rhetoric has largely remained unsubstantiated. Nevertheless, these students and faculty members assert that the development of that ideal community is not only achievable, but imperative. The experiences of Black students at Tufts have ranged from wholly healthy, fascinating, and enriching episodes to ones mired with both camouflaged and overt prejudice. René LaPointe Jameson, a senior at Tufts, wrote in a statement to the Tufts Observer that although Tufts has provided her an “overall great college experience… [with] amazing relationships, opportunities, and skills,” she has been “repeatedly hurt” by the upholding of “elitism and racism inherent to academic institutions like Tufts.” She expounds on her challenges, revealing that she constantly navigates microaggressions, racism, and reminders that she exists “in a space
not meant to include [her].” She further explained that “as a Black student, [she has] to do so much more labor and thinking than [her] white peers, and it is something never acknowledged or compensated.” Several students also revealed that their experiences within the Black community at Tufts have acted as a redeeming factor. Olly Ogbue, a sophomore and Co-Communications Chair of the Black Student Union, wrote in a statement to the Tufts Observer that Tufts has largely been an upgrade from her predominantly white high school because of the connections she has made with other Black students. “My relationships with other Black students are definitely my strongest. Having that community and affirmation is really helpful in navigating my experiences as a Black person on this campus,” wrote Ogbue. However, Ogbue has still encountered incidents that “have made [her] hyper-aware of [her] Blackness.” Wanci Nana, a sophomore and member of the Black Men’s Group, an organization which works to provide “programs that promote a sense of integrity, pride, and honor for the Black community,” similarly wrote in a statement to the Tufts Observer that the diverse patchwork-like community at Tufts
