Going from Lick-Wilmerding High School to the University of Oregon, I have been very blessed to say the least. Having attended predominately white institutions for the entirety of my educational career, I’ve been fortunate enough to attend schools where racism is not openly blatant and is typically frowned upon. Others in my community, however, have not been as lucky.
For many years, the University of Missouri campus has dealt with deep-rooted racial tensions. In recent years, there have been countless incidents concerning a lack of racial understanding on the campus. In 2010, during Black History Month, it was reported that white students vandalized the Black Culture Center on campus and were only minimally punished. Additionally, students made threats to burn down the cultural center, to which little penalization was given out. Cynthia Frisby, a journalism professor at the University of Missouri, recently spoke out about her experiences with racism on campus, including being called the n-word directly to her face by both students and fellow faculty members.
The list of both racial insensitivity and blatant disregard for racial equity extends endlessly. However, in spite of these instances, the students at University of Missouri rose to the occasion. They demonstrated why more minorities at predominately white institutions should actively rally against oppression.
Through activism, minority students were able to accomplish a lot in just a short period of time. In the past couple of weeks, news coverage of the situation has increased, bringing attention to the issue around the nation. With more national media coverage, an increasing number of people have been sharing posts on social media regarding the situation, making it easy to follow.
The protests and collective outrage are persuading even non-minority students to join in on the events. During the events, many white students have been participating in the protests and fighting for a common cause alongside black students. The inclusion of white protestors illustrates a campus that is unified. Students coming together from different backgrounds to fight for each other will lead to quicker solutions and outcomes. The push by these students has already resulted in the university’s president, Timothy M. Wolfe, announcing his resignation. As opposed to receiving lip service by the administration or empty promises, students forced real change, which will greatly affect how racial tensions are dealt with in the future.
When minority students collectively protest like those of University of Missouri, positive outcomes can come to fruition besides the original demands. For example, in the case of Missouri, now that the former president is resigning, minority students can have more of a say in how the new president is selected. Activism and protests about racial tensions can lead to more open and honest dialogue with administrators. Students can actively work with faculty and the leaders of an institution to create solutions to better address these concerns. Ultimately, collective activism by minority students can lead to a shift in a school’s culture regarding equity, safety and responsibility.
In the recent days, many have focused on the athletes of the University of Missouri, who refused to play until the president of the school resigned. While the intention here is not to belittle their acts of courage, more emphasis should be placed on the importance of the minority students who protested as a whole. Nationwide, students of color face institutional oppression along with lack of social justice and awareness. Even at colleges that are deemed liberal, there is still much progress to be made. The minority students at the University of Missouri have shown us that, even in small numbers, colossal change is very much possible to achieve.
Aziz Ansari is a man of the times. His character on NBC’s Parks and Recreation was a tech savant, social media guru and modern entrepreneur. In his stand-up specials, Ansari delivered fresh comedy through everyday interactions. Now, in his new Netflix show Master of None, Ansari translates those everyday interactions …
