Change Starts With an Inclusive Response Followed By Action
College statements of solidarity are not enough in this new era of change.
During an arrest in Minneapolis, Minnesota, on May 25, 2020, four police officers were caught on camera assisting in the unjust murder of George Floyd, an unarmed Black man. The unnerving footage of his death sparked an enormous wave of anger, frustration, and exhaustion within Black and Brown communities toward the American justice system and White supremacist Americans.
College students, especially marginalized college students, are more active now than ever in student civic engagement and activism: fighting for more equitable policies within college institutions and law enforcement.
A statement on such a consequential problem in the country only goes so far as to implement the changes that could make colleges and universities as inclusive, diverse, and safe for Black and Brown students as they imply in their advertisements.
Although we have seen numerous outbreaks of police brutality throughout the course of American history, the protests that followed the murder of George Floyd flooded throughout every state in America and exposed a need for change that calls for dismantling outdated and bigoted systems. In response to the protests and continuous corrupt treatment of Black Americans, some colleges and universities have issued statements of solidarity with Black and Brown students, others have either issued statements remaining neutral, while others have remained silent on such a momentous current issue.
Albeit, a statement on such a consequential problem in the country only goes so far as to implement the changes that could make colleges and universities as inclusive, diverse, and safe for Black and Brown students as they imply in their advertisements.
“There’s a need to include Black and Brown people in the dismantling and reconstruction of non-inclusive policies in higher education, which could set the stage for what the entirety of America needs to do to avoid repeating history.”
For colleges and universities to actively follow through on their promises of an inclusive educational environment, they should establish equal identity-affirming learning environments that challenge the status quo of higher education, homogenize unbiased civic engagement and activism by offering Black and Brown students their own platforms to fairly represent themselves — concerning community discussions to empower the Black and Brown community, and encourage free expression of student activism — exhibited by Black and Brown students — in classrooms to enrich intellectual discussions.
Colleges and universities have demonstrated a lack of initiative taken to truly implement policies that are inclusive to marginalized students. The cause of this being the institutional racism and systemic oppression that’s plagued American systems and burdened American society for centuries. I advocate that institutions take it upon themselves to reexamine the policies that have hindered and marginalized Black and Brown students in their academic ventures. There’s a need to include Black and Brown people in the dismantling and reconstruction of non-inclusive policies in higher education, which could set the stage for what the entirety of America needs to do to avoid repeating history.
Instead of relying on statements to abdicate the importance of the impact of these current events, institutions should establish equal, identity-affirming learning environments that challenge the status quo of higher education by acknowledging the historically impactful systemic oppression, marginalization, and dehumanization of Black and Brown Americans. Identity-affirming learning environments would require a significant shift in classroom practices to augment student and instructor awareness to the “impact of identity on educational practices” (Considine et al. 171–187).
“Classrooms that whitewash history to exclude the contributions of non-white Americans discourage Black and Brown students from choosing to study at a predominantly White institution.”
Including Black and Brown contributions in academia, politics, and in American history could make students of varying backgrounds aware of the significant contributions Black and Brown people have made in America. Further opening students up to Black and Brown students’ reality that systematically oppressed Americans are not offered the same freedom and opportunities as White Americans. Classrooms that whitewash history to exclude the contributions of non-white Americans discourage Black and Brown students from choosing to study at a predominantly White institution. Classrooms that exclude these contributions can lead to struggles with identity and harm their appreciation for their own community.
That being said, it is the instructor’s responsibility to ensure that their classrooms will serve to affirm every students’ identity, especially Black and Brown students. “While the development of classroom norms are co-created with students, the instructor has the responsibility and privilege of designing an inclusive classroom space” (Grier-Reed and Williams-Wengerd 167). Colleges and universities should generate mandatory educational programs for all instructors to complete. Programs taught by a highly educated Black or Brown professor aiming to help non-Black instructors learn how to make classrooms more inclusive for Black and Brown students, by acknowledging every aspect of Black history in America while taking into account perspectives of marginalized people not enrolled in higher education.
“An inclusive campus requires inclusive classrooms.”
The goal should be to uplift these students as they make discoveries about their identities and challenges that they pose on a White supremacist run society. Identity affirming learning environments mirror the ideals of inclusive excellence:
“The ideals of inclusive excellence call for institutions of higher education to
recognize that an inclusive campus requires inclusive classrooms. Instructors
creating inclusive classrooms adopt a definition of diversity that considers the
multiple social identities of themselves and their students and examines how
these identities are constructed; critically reflect upon their own subjectivity as
educators; and consider systemic issues in their society, institutions, and
teaching practices that inhibit student success” (Considine et al. 171)
Merely instituting identity-affirming learning environments challenge a conservative education system that often disservices and marginalizes Black history and lives. “Black students in particular have challenged predominantly White institutions’ historically race neutral ideologies, noting that these ideologies and discourses continue to mask the unequal distribution of power in institutions and society (Gusa, 2010; Patel, 2015)” (Jones and Reddick 204). Higher education could finally exemplify efforts to unify themselves with Black and Brown students to liberate predominantly White institutions from race-neutral ideologies that don’t fairly represent marginalized students.
Implementing such learning environments could very well be the blueprint for a future of a more inclusive and unprejudiced learning environment that is truly for all students.
However, some scholars argue that there’s a lot more work to be done about racial issues outside of colleges and universities for genuine inclusivity and diversity to become a part of classrooms and campus culture. Simply expecting colleges and universities to adapt inclusivity and diversity into their policies is unfeasible, so long as we ignore the institutional racism that plagues American policies, ranging from educational systems to justice and prison systems.
By putting racial issues on a list of problems that need to be addressed in colleges’ and universities’ “diversity strategy,” we’re only putting a bandaid on a much larger wound.
Duke University, School of Medicine, Professor Benjamin D. Reese, wrote that “by simply adding race to the list of differences to be equally targeted in an institution’s diversity strategy, we may feel some degree of comfort that we are being “inclusive,” but that doesn’t begin to systemically or institutionally address America’s original sin: racism.” By putting racial issues on a list of problems that need to be addressed in colleges’ and universities’ “diversity strategy,” we’re only putting a bandaid on a much larger wound. Why rely on institutions to implement these contemporary changes when the issue is clearly in the systemic and institutional racism that swallows America?
Reese is advocating that we direct our attention to the much larger issue: racism. “Simply adding race to the list of differences equally targeted in a diversity strategy won’t eradicate the systemic racism that marginalizes — and kills — black Americans,” He elaborates that colleges often promote the language of inclusion and diversity more than showing it by challenging systemic oppression and racism, further renouncing their responsibilities from doing so because they aren’t capable of it (Reese).
“By changing policies and the structure of academia to be more inclusive of marginalized students, institutions could set an example for the good that dismantling institutional racism could do for American policies.”
Contrary to Benjamin Reese, I believe that it is feasible for colleges and universities to adapt changes in their policies that challenge systems of oppression and push for racial tolerance.
In fact, by changing policies and the structure of academia to be more inclusive of marginalized students, institutions could set an example for the good that dismantling institutional racism could do for American policies. In a time where racial tensions and police brutality are at a high, colleges can help initiate changes in American policies by doing more than reiterating headlines and telling students their position, in their statements. They can tell students how they’re willing to show their solidarity and what they’re willing to do to acknowledge the reconstruction that needs to occur in various aspects of American life.
The University of Nevada, Reno in response to the Black Lives Matter movement sent out a list of “immediate actions” they’re willing to implement to make them “a better institution” for Black and Brown students, faculty and staff (Johnson et al.). Among the actions were ways to address the impact of racism on campus and promote antiracism. The University stated, “It is important to confront our past and seek to build a more equitable and just community for Black students.”
The benefit of institutions initiating changes to demonstrate accountability of systemic oppression and being more inclusive of Black and Brown students, in an uplifting manner, is that the institutions can act as a blueprint for a more tolerant society. Therefore, we must have faith in colleges and universities to take responsibility and truly act on adapting inclusivity into their diversity strategy to enhance intellectual communities.
Granting Black and Brown students a stage to fairly represent themselves, rather than putting the “fairly” unprejudiced White ally on the platform, in such intellectual discourse, will demonstrate that institutions are truly in support of Black and Brown voices fighting for inclusive, nondiscriminatory policies.
There is a need for fairer representation of Black and Brown students in higher education, not only in classrooms but also in campus activities. Homogenizing unbiased civic engagement and activism by offering Black and Brown students their own platforms to fairly represent themselves would show initiative from colleges and universities that they are listening to them and aware of the injustices that are inflicted on Black and Brown Americans. “It is the context and framing of such interactions on college campuses that plays an important role in shaping students’ beliefs about race and inequality in everyday life for the future political and professional leaders of the nation” (Byrd 2).
Sometimes the most frustrating challenge that Black and Brown Americans face is being heard, especially by the institutions they are a part of. “Some scholars have pointed to the #BlackLivesMatter movement as a galvanizing force mobilizing Black students, especially, to demand systemic changes in how predominantly White institutions (PWIs) address systemic racism on and surrounding campuses (Wilson, 2015)” (Jones and Reddick 204).
Granting Black and Brown students a stage to fairly represent themselves, rather than putting the “fairly” unprejudiced White ally on the platform, in such intellectual discourse, will demonstrate that institutions are truly in support of Black and Brown voices fighting for inclusive, nondiscriminatory policies. This act signifies that they’re for the empowerment of Black and Brown students in predominantly White institutions and tending to the inclusive environments that many institutions often advertise but don’t articulate.
“In no way do we challenge our intellectuality by learning from a system that fails to acknowledge the intense reality of Black and Brown lives.”
On college and university campuses, “elite students’ social interactions with each other might influence their racial beliefs in a positive way, since many of these graduates will eventually hold leadership positions in society” (Byrd 2).
Encouraging the free expression of student activism — exhibited by Black and Brown students — in classrooms can enrich intellectual discourse. Utilizing the classroom environment, institutions can begin the process of integrating certain educational qualities of Black and Brown student activism to enlighten students with narrow-minded, prejudiced perspectives on a nondiscriminatory perspective that can make them more culturally open-minded leaders of society.
In no way do we challenge our intellectuality by learning from a system that fails to acknowledge the intense reality of Black and Brown lives. “Teaching must understand and engage with larger societal contexts in order for critical inclusive pedagogies to thrive in the face of often staunch opposition” (Reddick and Taylor 493). Encouraging student activism in classroom discussions caters to that challenging learning environment that unites differing perspectives to help expand academic knowledge, which could enrich the intellectual qualities of classroom discourse. “Racial inequity is alive and well in all aspects of American life — public policy, immigration policy, energy policy, and education” (Reddick and Taylor 493).
The functionality of normal classrooms would be enriched by the integration of student activists and Black radical perspectives being freely expressed in classrooms.
Acknowledging students’ different upbringings and laying them on the table to be discussed from various perspectives contributes to that uncomfortable learning experience that many colleges and universities believe aid students in their academic explorations. Challenge in education is much appreciated. However, the functionality of normal classrooms would be enriched by the integration of student activists and Black radical perspectives being freely expressed in classrooms.
The structure of education and higher education policies that we know now are severely flawed. If institutions are willing to break down components of their previous statements then they could see the flaws in their policies.
Many predominantly White institutions have often ignored and marginalized the on-campus academic experience of Black and Brown students. By reexamining policies that exclude Black and Brown students from fair representation, colleges and universities can utilize Black and Brown students by looking to their student activism and civic engagement to find ways to challenge outdated, bigoted systems to implement identity-affirming learning environments for Black and Brown students.
“The accomplishment of such would bring about a diversely unified, inclusive academic experience that could pioneer motions for contemporary change in several American policies.”
Furthermore, these institutions have the capability to set an example for the nation on the greater need for changes in racially unjust American systems. Thus, showing initiative from colleges and universities to be more active on their commitments and promises of an inclusive learning environment that is fair to all students.
The findings of my research suggest that there are several barriers to changing policies in higher education, but the accomplishment of such would bring about a diversely unified, inclusive academic experience that could pioneer motions for contemporary change in several American policies.
Krystal Carter
January 2021
