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Issues of race, power and privilege have made waves on campus recently, but some students say there’s still a long way to go.
Advocates continue to struggle against racism by BEN CALDWELL Staff Reporter
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he controversy surrounding race and racism at Whitman College is not limited to the incidents online last semester, the rally that disrupted the Board of Trustees meeting last semester or the upcoming Power & Privilege Symposium. According to students belonging to racial minorities, the problem of racism is not a new one on campus, nor a small one. These individuals have not been silent, but their voices have not been heard as much as they should have been over the years, and many believe it is time we started listening. The Current Climate “It’s not that people aren’t doing work, it’s not that people aren’t trying and it’s not like the issue of racism is just now emerging. This is something everybody has been fighting for a very long time, and we just aren’t taking the steps that are necessary to make big institutional changes,” said senior Paige Joki. In Joki’s experience, racism is a very real, day-to-day occurrence that has largely been swept under the rug and accepted at Whitman. Never interested in sitting idly by, Joki has long been very outspoken about these problems on campus. In addition to serving on the Board of Trustees Diversity Committee and the Presidential Action Committee, she is helping to organize the Power & Privilege Symposium this year. She has spoken on
a number of panels about race and gender, and she was the person who initially suggested the Rally Against Racism and Cyberbullying that took place on the front steps of Memorial Building last semester. “I think the rally did achieve its purpose. I think it’s been mischaracterized as a response to singular incidents on campus, but we were protesting the climate of racism that has been here since I’m sure before I got here, and the things I’ve experienced since my first year. It’s the experiences that everyone has had that are unacceptable that we were protesting,” she said. According to Joki, this climate of racism is expressed in countless little ways, from insensitive comments from students and faculty to what she believes to be an indecisive and untimely response on the part of the administration. Nick Hochfeld, a sophomore and member of Sigma Chi, claims that today racism is more complicated than bullies throwing insults. Instead it comes from friends and classmates and people in your dorms, whether they realize it or not. “It’s more subtle things, like casual nicknames that are based on your race rather than character traits about yourself ... small things you don’t even notice until people start bringing them to light,” said Hochfeld. As an Asian-American adopted and raised by white parents, he said he wasn’t really aware of racism until this year, when he traveled ADVERTISEMENT
abroad and experienced incidents of ignorance and racial prejudice. While he doesn’t blame others for their ignorance, Hochfeld certainly found the experience unsettling and eye opening. He says it got him thinking about race as an issue. “This whole racial conflict boiled over [last semester]. And then I was like oh, people do call me ‘that Asian kid’ or like ‘Chinese boy’ or something like that, like totally in jest, but ... now it definitely makes me uncomfortable ... I try to correct people sometimes,” he said. Diversity and Colorblindness Should Hochfeld and others with similar experiences be responsible for correcting their peers? According to Joki and other advocates of more racial awareness and sensitivity on campus, that’s not the case. “I don’t think it should fall on students to make their academic environment safe enough for them to feel like they can participate as a student,” she said. Joki said that race became a much more noticeable part of her identity when she came to Whitman, often in ways that were not pleasant or affirming. Her first semester at Whitman, many people thought she was an exchange student, and she says she still gets mixed up with other people of her race on a regular basis. To Joki, the fact that this is even possible—that there are so few students from minority backgrounds on campus—speaks volumes about why Whitman is a hos-
tile environment for them. She says she became aware of the burden placed on minority students at Whitman when she was asked to be on the Whitman Christmas card one year, and she noticed there were students of color who had been on the Christmas cards for several years in a row. She was disgusted by the way the school chose to manipulate its public image, falsely representing the level of diversity on campus to prospective students. But even more than that, she dislikes what this means for students of color on campus. “I think it’s exploiting the people that are here. It’s not our job to pose for a Christmas card. We’re not being compensated for that, [and] it’s not our job to educate the white students about being a different race ... [but] that’s a job that we’re expected to do here,” she said. This is just one of many ways Joki feels that minorities are burdened at Whitman. Though she thinks she is getting a good education here, there are other factors to consider. “[My education] has come at a very high price, both emotionally and physically—the cost of doing all this work all the time,” she said. Joki’s goal this semester was to just be a student like everyone else, but she has found that she can’t do that, because there is simply too much advocating and organizing she feels needs to be done. There are many on campus who care about these issues, but those who step up to the plate tend to be those who come under fire. Joki claims this takes away from not just advocates’ social lives, but their educational experience as well. “You can’t just be a student when you’re defending your humanity a lot of the time, when you have to educate people a lot of the time, and when you’re expected to be a teacher and a spokesperson for your identity. That’s taxing and very uncomfortable,” she said. Joki is not the only one who has experienced a lack of empathy and social stress related to speaking out on issues of race. “No one wants to admit that they might be a part of the problem, so they’re not willing to look within themselves to change themselves. And also when you point it out to them or tell them the specific thing they’re doing is really harmful, people just get really defensive,” said senior Erica Nkwocha. She is troubled by professions of “color-blindness” by some members of the community and the perceived desire to avoid talking about topics of race at all in some circles. “A lot of people don’t want to be friends with people who will call them out on things regarding race, and it becomes divisive that way,” she said. “You should be comfortable around [people] as they are, including all aspects of their person and their reality. You shouldn’t
have to ignore a huge part of it.” Joki noted that when she looked up her class statistics, only around 1.7 percent of the student body identifies as black as she does. According to collegefactual.com, Whitman is ranked 822nd in ethnic diversity in the nation, and 70.2 percent of the student body and faculty identify as white. For Hochfeld, diversity and the way it is handled is one of the major problems with the racial atmosphere on campus. Everyone knows the college is mostly upper-middle class, Caucasian, northwestern and liberal, and this homogeneity is often taken for granted. Hochfeld points out that even beyond being unbalanced and unfair, this puts all students at a fundamental disadvantage. “The lack of diversity leads to everyone agreeing with each other, or those who don’t agree not wanting to speak out, so then ... when something that people are contentious about comes up, people don’t know how to react to that because they’ve been expected to agree with everyone this whole time,” he said. Ideas for the Future The administration is certainly taking some steps in the right direction. They are adding resources specifically for minorities at the Counseling Center and canceling classes for the Power & Privilege Symposium. Additionally, President George Bridges and the Board of Trustees have publicly acknowledged issues of race on campus. But according to some student advocates, these steps have not gone nearly far enough. Joki suggests some of the Encounters texts be replaced or reframed with a focus on different problems of privilege and identity, including race. Hochfeld suggests similar adjustments to the Encounters program and also proposes students study the contemporary civil rights issues up for debate today, in addition to the disputes and disagreements on campus. “The point of going to college is learning to think critically, and this is a great opportunity for Whitman to grab hold of something that actually happened [and] actually teach kids about something that matters now,” said Hochfeld. Currently the Power & Privilege Symposium is the closest thing to campus-wide education on racial issues Whitman has, and as someone who didn’t attend the Symposium last year, Hochfeld wants to encourage everyone to go this year. He would even be in favor of making it mandatory, if possible. Joki agrees. “We just need a lot of education,” said Joki. “I don’t think that it’s a bad thing, or something to be ashamed of, but we have to take that upon ourselves. We can’t just pretend it doesn’t exist and hope it away. That’s not the reality of the situation.”
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Students want more open discussion by ANNA ZHENG Staff Reporter
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ast semester, two Whitman students’ Facebook conservation about cultural appropriation spiraled into a debate about race on Whitman Encounters, an anonymous forum, which eventually prompted rallies and discussions across campus. Despite the fact that most of the student body was aware of these incidents, some students felt it difficult to be involved at the time. This semester, many are reflecting on the implications of these debates and their effects on the future of the community and its goals. When she heard about the online debates last semester, first-year Emily Long was in shock. She had expected more from a community that appears to take pride in accepting differences and in being politically correct. “We are supposed to be all enlightened and aware of all this stuff, and these people [came] out with this ridiculous amount of racism and hatred,” said Long. “As a freshman here, it was an unpleasant introduction because I thought we were better.” While they were in the midst of adjusting to a new environment, joining activities and maintaining a healthy balance of schoolwork and social life, many first-years felt overwhelmed by the events. First-year Jack Lassiter said he was detached from the events as they were happening, but he also feels they were necessary to help catalyze the discussion about race on campus. “It was an event that led us to reflect on ourselves and opened up space on cam-
pus for us to deal with a lot of issues that were very apparent but aren’t addressed by anyone,” said Lassiter. Junior Stephen Moerane felt it was unfortunate that the community could not openly discuss issues of race without bringing malice into the discussion. As an international student from Lesotho, a predominantly black country in Africa, Moerane said he never experienced racism until he came to the United States. He found it hard to understand why students could not be more sympathetic about what is offensive and what isn’t. “We only see the world in our own lenses, and it’s difficult to actually understand what someone might be thinking, especially if you bring in animosity to the conversation,” said Moerane. “I really don’t want to live every waking moment explaining what is offensive and what is not.” Past controversies on campus made it difficult for senior Blythe Monoian to be surprised when faced with more recent ones. Having grown up in the Native American culture, Monoian was taken aback when a Whitman student wore a Native American costume during last year’s Halloween festivities. She recalled how some Whitman students took to Whitman Encounters to comment negatively on the student’s actions. “I’m supposed to be the one most offended since I’m the only Native American here,” said Monoian. “For the situation, I’m glad [she] apologized. I feel like [these events] get carried too far, and sometimes you’ve just got to chill out a little bit.” Students, especially first-years, had the opportunity last semester to at-
tend race panels offered all over campus. This semester, events like the second annual Power and Privilege Symposium are meant to offer students an open space to listen to and understand their peers. They will also let students share personal experiences that have happened to them on and off campus. Senior Joel Senecal advocates a continuation of the symposium as a way to promote diversity of cultures. “[It] would be a fantastic addition to Whitman’s push to be more diverse [and] more culturally accepting, especially in a place that lacks in diversity [like] Walla Walla,” said Senecal. Despite the good intentions of the Power and Privilege Symposium, sophomore Brian Acosta believes it will not be the cureall solution, but rather one step in a long process. Acosta, who participated in a discussion about race at North Hall last fall, views open discussion about race as the most effective way to bring awareness to problems on campus, but he also believes discussion is not the ultimate solution. “[The symposium is] like a stepping-stone in the right direction,” he said. “[But] what we really need is a continuation. Whitman should incorporate [monthly talks] into their studies and bring that into the classrooms more where most people are.” First-year Katalina Gomez values the input of professors on controversies among the student body. “I feel like it’s good that [some professors] think it’s important because they are a part of our community as well,” said Gomez. “They help instill ideas and conceptions on cam-
pus, even as professors.” While the Whitman administration is attempting to become involved in the discussion, many students note they can only do so much. According to Monoian, professors play a larger role in the student community, since they are the ones who interact, connect with and involve students on a daily basis. But some professors declined to discuss issues of race on campus, worrying some of their students. “Some of my professors said specifically, ‘This is an important issue, but we’re not going to talk about it in class [and that] this isn’t the place.’ Well, what is the place? Where are we going to talk about it? If you’re not going to talk about it, who is?” said Long. According to sophomore Logan Davis, it is easy to ostracize people who do not know enough about certain issues, but being receptive and realizing that race is a realistic problem will be one of the first steps in progress. “I hope it goes in a direction where people strive to learn more about the various issues that our campus is facing,” said Davis. “The acknowledgement could perhaps lead to change in the future.” Recognizing that race is and always will be an issue on and off campus may not be a permanent solution, but it could facilitate awareness and help students understand the effect that racism has on society. “Race has always been here and isn’t going to go away anytime soon,” said Lassiter. “It’s pretty relevant for the future of our country and the future of all of us in college having to deal with similar things.”
Where do you want our conversation on race to go? The Pioneer asked the community about their views on Whitman’s issues with race and diversity through an anonymous online survey. Below is a selection of the responses. I feel as though the constant reminder that race is a problem or that anything I say could be insulting to a person of a different race makes me nervous about ever asking questions I might have about race.
If we cannot control ourselves emotionally when we discuss issues of race or any other aspect of human identity, we will devolve into finger-pointing, name-calling and immature, emotionally driven accusations, just like last semester. That is completely unproductive for everyone. Because racial minorities are grossly unrepresented at Whitman, I believe race discussions are all the more important. We have to create a safe and educated environment so that students can discuss race and how it has impacted the world, themselves and their friends.
I think we could all work on being more open about what really happens in our heads, why it happens and what it means. And I think it would help people feel more comfortable talking about race if some people spoke more openly about it.
I have generally seen a great deal of respect for difference at Whitman, but I know from people of color that it can be extremely exhausting to be one of the few people who identifies and must address microaggressions all around us. We must share this responsibility.
This discussion has greatly disappointed me ... Little progress was made. Some could argue that we’ve gone backwards and are less sensitive, aware and critical of how we treat race.
I wish there was more room for people to be wrong.
I think the discussion should shift away from its myopic focus on race and focus more on wealth and socioeconomic status. Instead of getting heated, please just listen to what racial minorities have to say. [There] is absolutely no way you could ever understand what it is like to be a person of color, but that’s no one’s fault. It’s only a problem if you refuse to listen.
Continued discussion may be uncomfortable but it is necessary and ultimately will lead to positive developments. Whitman is way too homogenous in almost every way, but especially when it comes to race and class. As a community of thinkers, we often suffer from talking about an issue without coming to any substantive decisions about meaningful action.
The steps taken already and proposed future steps only deal with symptoms of the problems on campus, not the deeper-rooted problems.
It is positive to talk about race and the only way anyone can learn is through discussion ... I think it is important to reach out to people that maybe don’t think about things like race and privilege.
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11 College to promote race-related education by LANE BARTON Staff Reporter
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ver since the Rally Against Racism last fall provoked a campus-wide conversation about race, the Whitman administration has been keen to promote future discussions on the issue. Although the upcoming Power and Privilege Symposium provides an opportunity for students, staff and faculty to come together and have thoughtprovoking exchanges, members of the administration recognize that this is only a single step in developing the conversation of race and diversity on campus. “One and done is not enough,” said Dean of Students Chuck Cleveland. The administration has already taken steps to promote internal understanding of and involvement with discussions of racial diversity on campus. The college is currently looking for an associate dean of diversity and intercultural affairs to focus on issues of race, and the administration has already held a training session for the Student Affairs staff with Tamara King, an expert on race issues from Washington University in St. Louis. The session addressed how the administration has handled the issue of race on campus and what they can do to promote discussions in the future. Additionally, the administration has ideas for students as well, such as the possibility of an opening week workshop for first-years. “We’re looking to organize an opening week session. We’re in the middle of doing that .... In general, the framework that I think we’re looking to apply is to have someone come in and talk about ... this issue of how to have difficult conversations over difficult issues that gives firstyear students some of the tools and then follow up with a series of sessions,” said Cleveland. Although some might worry that this proposed session would turn into a lecture or a training of first-year students, members of the administration emphasize that events like this are about promoting discourse and trying to get people to think about the issues at hand. “This is what some people think about it—that we’re trying to get people to think about something in a certain way—and instead we would like people to explore how power and privilege effects everyone’s lives,” said Associate Dean of Students Clare Carson. Carson and Cleveland also reiterated the hope that all members of the Whitman community would be involved in continuing the conversation of race, especially if they feel that they have no connection or interest in the discussion. “This is everybody’s issue, and everyone needs to be a part of the conversation,” said Cleveland. “Even if it’s trying to understand, ‘How do I, someone who seems to have it all going fine ... how do I fit into this conversation? What impact do I have?’” Through surveys, the administration identified that splitting the focus of these exchanges to target a specific group on campus is not the ideal way to structure them. Therefore, the Power and Privilege Symposium and events like it will not be aimed at any particular group of students. “Students all across the board have recognized when they attend [these events] that they have personal growth that they’ve experienced ... so these are not targeted to one group or another, but across the board people do benefit from being a part of this discussion,” said Carson. Instead, the administration hopes that future events beyond the Power and Privilege Symposium will provide a space for students of all classifications, backgrounds and interests to come together and stimulate insightful conversations that make everyone involved more aware of all thoughts on the issues. “Challenging perspectives, critical thinking, brainstorming as to how to resolve issues, identification of ... what we need to do and where we need to focus. Those are the kind of encounters we need to have,” said Cleveland.
The administration needs to take steps to educate all of the student body in a mandatory manner, because non-mandatory methods aren’t getting the message through.