Carinah Herrero, senior speech pathology major and president of the Asian-American Student Association (AASA), said she began planning a racial justice dialogue in early September.
AASA, BSU Spectrum, Black Student Association (BSA), Latinx Student Union and the Student Antiracism and Intersectionality Advisory Council (SAIAC) came together to host “Emphasizing Equity” on the University Green Sept. 26 at 2 p.m.
“All of our big four organizations stand against racial injustice and we want to fight for intersectionality,” Herrero said. “We’re hoping that the people who come to this event also can get involved with student activism and outside of this event, start advocating for change.”
Nadia Tillman, junior public relations major and PR director of BSA, felt encouraged by the diversity she saw at the event.
“I thought this presentation was very good and personally, it was good that all communities came together, not just people of color, but people part of the LGBTQ+ community,” Tillman said, “because even though you are part of LGBTQ+, you are still part of the Black community as well, and all Black Lives Matter.”
Allen Warren, junior english major and member of the LGBTQ+ community, said he was impressed with what SAIAC contributed to the event and he appreciated how five organizations worked together.
“SAIAC built itself up, because I know the professor who started this organization,” Warren said. “So it's incredible to see they are helping to host this. I think the intercultural part that we can do at Ball State is to have this community building through organizations and demonstrations like this.”
“Emphasizing Equity” hosted four student speakers, and organizers invited attendees to share their own activism efforts.
Jarron Tichenor, junior architecture major, shared what he believes is the enemy of trying to fight for equality.
“I don’t believe that racism is the enemy, I believe that ignorance is the enemy. Most people just aren’t educated culturally,” he said. “The cure for ignorance is education.”
Legal studies senior and Black Student Association (BSA) president Destiny Mitchell bows her head during a moment of silence Saturday afternoon in University Green. BSA and four other student diversity organizations on campus hosted the dialogue. John Lynch, DN
Destiny Mitchell, senior legal studies major and BSA president, spoke at the event and encouraged the audience to vote.
“We must pay attention to who the center of power is, this is the only way we will be able to change our hostile living environment,” Mitchell said. “We have the power to control what the future of our country looks like through voting.”
The event included a table where people could register to vote.
Lauren Reynolds, senior interpersonal communication major, spoke during the event and shared a quote from Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg, who died last week.
Reynolds said, “Now is the time to speak up even if your voice shakes and be a part of the revolution.”
Mitchell said SAIAC is hosting a Zoom conference at 7 p.m. Oct. 8 dedicated to anti-racism and intersectionality empowerment.
Contact Angelica Gonzalez Morales with comments at agnozalezmor@bsu.edu or on Twitter @angelicag_1107.
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