This year the theme has been Conversation Not Confrontation. A phrase coined by Brenau’s own president, Ed Schrader, the point of this years’ theme was motivated (from my general understanding) by many altercations that took place via social media over the summer. These confrontations revolved around deaths of Alton Sterling and Philando Castile, two black men who were killed by police and gained national attention.
Alton Sterling was killed by police in Baton Rouge when pinned down to the ground. Philando Castile was killed by a police officer in his car with his daughter in the back seat by an officer after being told to pull out his license and registration.
Because of these deaths, many protests happened all across the country, including in Atlanta, GA, a city that is near and dear to our hearts. The city of Atlanta protests involved well over 1,000 people marching down highways, blocking cars, and some protesters even spit in the police’s face.
Of course, many people have opinions regarding protesting, the Black Lives Matter movement, and blackness in general. Many of these opinions are unwarranted opinions that come from general misunderstanding. Some view these opinions as radical because racism has learned to hide, yet it is being confronted in such a bold way.
I agree with the theme for this year. One thing people know about me at Brenau is that I love blackness and black people. I am a very outspoken voice at Brenau University, whether you’ve seen me and Black Student Association leading protests and demonstrations at the fountain, or you see my rants on Facebook. Someone once referred to me as the “Rosa Parks of Brenau,” and I stuck with it. I even put it in my twitter bio. From time to time when school is not in session, I involve myself in activism. It has been said that I am “too much” at Brenau. That my opinions were unwarranted and that I hated white people. These were opinions that I did not understand because not once had I demonstrated negativity towards white people outside of whiteness, nor did I state untrue facts about the Black Lives Matter movement. Then, during the leadership retreat that happened two weeks before school started, where we focused on “Conversation not Confrontation,” I figured out why people think these things about me.
Many white people at Brenau University really DON’T get it, and it isn’t even their fault they don’t get it. One girl told me recently that being at Brenau has exposed her to the most black people she has ever been around (which is baffling because there aren’t that many of us). That is not her fault. She doesn’t understand blackness, oppression, and other sorts of issues that are basic knowledge to me because she lived in a world where she did not have to be exposed to it.
Students like this, who have never experienced racism before, are the reason why Conversation Not Confrontation exists. How can I expect someone to take on a bold attitude regarding racism when they don’t even understand the general jist of what racism may even be? How do I explain white privilege to someone who has never seen the worst parts of racism, where their privilege is unknown? How do you explain cultural appropriation to someone who has never been around black people until they got to Brenau? That is where the conversation comes in. I learned that you have to talk to people before you assume they just don’t care or are dismissive. The same girl who told me she has never been around this many black people is the same girl who expressed she is very willing to learn about the injustices going on with black folks. Because of the initiative, I have had conversations about race, privilege, transpobia, homophobia, and other forms of oppressions and parts of existence with people I never thought I would have these conversations with.
I do believe that sometimes, the conversation needs a little bit of confrontation. The conversation needs confrontation when ignorance is too bliss. The conversation needs confrontation when oppression is being expressed as an opinion. Certain things, like homophobia, racism, transphobia, and etc are NOT up for discussion. That’s something some Brenau students have an issue with. The idea that their opinion can’t be wrong.
The conversation needs confrontation when I begin to feel uncomfortable with my blackness, or some student is being disrespected because of their demographic. Sometimes, the conversation has to be confronted because of the sole fact that when there is no justice, there is no peace.
The Black Student Association held a march last Thursday because four more black males were killed at the hands of police all in the same week. The youngest victim was only 13 years old. The march and the reactions proved that conversation not confrontation is working. People are starting to get it. People are beginning to understand where we come from, they are recognizing their privilege, and they are fighting this fight with us. Some reactions also proved that some work has to be done. I knew work still needed to be done when I chanted “Black Lives Matter,” at the march in the cafeteria, and someone else shouted “All Lives Matter” in a form of dismissiveness.
Conversation not Confrontation is necessary. Just remember when it is necessary to confront.