BY LINDSEY HAZLETT | PHOTOS BY SHANZEH AHMAD
Hundreds of Edgewood College students, staff, and faculty gathered in solidarity on Feb. 28 to voice their concerns to the administration regarding diversity on campus.
The Student Senate hosted a Walk Out event, encouraging students to leave class and gather in the Predolin Lobby, wearing black.
Student Senate president Ana Jimenez-Diaz said the event was meant to unite all groups. “The purpose of the walkout is to allow student, staff, and faculty voices to be heard and to foster a sense of unity on our campus,” said Jimenez-Diaz.
A student speaker at the event immediately addressed the higher-ups. “Administration, first and foremost, there are no more behind the scenes stuff. And even if it is behind the scenes, why haven’t we seen it?” A total of 16 students spoke.
All 17 members of President Scott Flanagan’s cabinet were present though they were not invited to speak.
Jimenez-Diaz also related the instructions for dark attire to Black History Month. “In honor of the last day of Black History Month and an effort to a campus of inclusion, community members are encouraged to wear the color black,” she said.
During the event, students shared personal testimonies, frustrations, encouragement, anxieties, and recommended action plans. Some students read relevant pieces of poetry.
One student said Edgewood doesn’t just have a campus problem with racism. “We have a cultural problem, which calls for nothing less than a systematic change,” he said.
Another student bluntly expressed her frustrations with staff ignorance. “I feel that it is very disrespectful that staff around here don’t know how to address a colored person,” she said.
Jaiona Spill followed, “I think the main thing we need to work on is our staff. How are you working to help us feel comfortable here?”
Student Senate Vice President Sydney Wilcox addressed the issue of community on campus. “It’s about time that we begin to rebuild the sense of our diverse and inclusive community here at Edgewood that I thought we had,” she said.
Throughout the Walk Out, parking tickets were not distributed, multiple services and offices were closed, and resident assistants, professors, and student worker employers were urged to bring their students.
Flanagan had alerted students, staff, and faculty prior to the event. “All students are encouraged to attend this event, and we are working to eliminate barriers to ensure campus-wide participation.”
The Walk Out was determined to be the most viable option by the Student Senate during a Diversity Forum Talk-Back.
Channel 3000 news arrived and filmed the event. Fox 47, WKOW, and NBC 15 have since published stories.
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