Image via Pixabay
As for me give me music to liberate from worries and education for change: I’m tired of protest!
Saturday, January 26, 2019, there was a “Time to Talk!” event held at Headington College. It was a calm and rational discussion considering recent events here on OU’s campus.
Now I know I am no revolutionary, just someone that’s scared to hell that some people think racism is okay still.
I believe it’s best to acknowledge these things by going to class and observing people while listening to my own music to help me destress. That way these problematic people can see that they have no power over how I go about my days.
That said, it’s so impactful on our campus that everyone who knows racism and blackface are wrong want to march in protest, but it only makes a visual statement and does not educate people in a practical way. There needs to be an influential change when these actions occur, which is where education comes in place as well as actual consequences, an idea presented at this event by a leader of a club in the audience.
Another valid idea made at the “Time to Talk!” event is that there needs to be a required training every semester, but it should feature correction from students where professors at OU learn and listen about how what they say in class can validate racial acts that are wrong.
EVALS help with explaining this issue to the professor, but it needs to be said in class in front of other students. Professors need to know what they teach and what they say and do is noticed plus that there are other races in their classes, big and small alike.
Image via Athens NEWS
It’s better when there is a place to sit down where people can gather their thoughts about what needs to change for this college’s community. Lots of people did have valid points to take to leadership (Gallogly) especially about education and the Greek Life system (what’s wrong with it, what it represents, etc.).
As for me, I still firmly believe not in anger or protest but in observation and education. That is why this event was such a good platform to hear other people’s opinions on how to start educating and doing things in and out of the classroom differently. This event will only have so much impact on what happens, so it’s better to learn through self-help.