As students entered a dark Cardinal Hall Wednesday night, tour guides led them through a "Chamber of Hatred" where they experienced racial and social oppression first hand.
"The whole point of it was to make you think and to make you experience what other groups go through every day," said Morenike Aderiye, president of the Black Student Association.
About 74 students passed through the chamber after breaking up into smaller groups. In some groups, black students were ordered to the back of the line; in other groups, white students were forced to follow behind.
As they entered the chamber, racial slurs echoed through the air, setting the atmosphere for four scenes that further exposed students to the prejudices of today's society.
In one skit, a black student and three white students argued about whether they could really relate to one another. In another skit, black girls verbally attacked a white girl for dating a black man.
The third skit featured 23-year-old Liz Douglass, who spoke about being treated like a child simply because she was Asian.
"Being Asian makes me more of an American, not less of American," she said.
In a fourth skit, two lesbians were criticized at a church for their sexual orientation.
Some students were outraged by the scenarios; others cried.
"Those are things people go through on a daily basis," said freshman Zac Davis, who helped lead group discussions following the skits. "That's why people were offended."
Sophomore Nikki Green said she almost walked out.
"I was close to stepping out of line and saying I didn't want to go through with it," Green said. "But it was a fabulous experience once I stopped being offended and figured it all out," she said.
Randy Hyman, dean of students, also said he enjoyed the 15-minute presentation.
The scenarios were relevant and reality-based, he said.
"All of the scenarios were very current and unfortunately are all too pervasive," Hyman said. "They emerge in different settings on campus. That troubles me."
Similar to the residence halls' "Closet of Oppression" last year, the "Chamber of Hatred" was the product of several multicultural organizations, including the Black Student Association, Latino Student Union, Asian-American Student Association and Spectrum.
"People who don't realize (discrimination) is a reality are pretty much oblivious to their surroundings," said junior Cerissa Moore, who also led group discussions following the skits.
Aderiye said she hoped students learned from their experience in the chamber.
Davis, who said he hopes to continue the chamber next year, said the chamber was very effective in convicting some students about the way they treat others.
"Everybody has their own opinion, but they need to start looking at things as a whole," Davis said. "You must re-evaluate what you do and don't look down on others who don't do the same thing you do," he said.
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