Me Too Monologues is one of the most successful student activism that started at duke and is now spreading to the academic institutions around the world. The show started in 2009 by the founder Priyanka Chaurasia who was moved by the stories shared at the Duke diversity immersion retreat, an event where students share their opinion on identity. Her version of the show, however, made all submissions anonymous in her effort to make the show open to everyone willing to share their own stories. Me Too Monologues has four main goals: To assert that, whatever challenges we face on campus, we are not alone, to amplify voices often at the margins of campus conversations, and be a resource for under-resourced groups, to foster a more supportive, honest,
“Always remember that you are absolutely unique. Just like everyone else.” This mantra from Margaret Mead is a somewhat humorous yet slightly satirical spin on how people tend to think of themselves as one-of-a-kind, irreplaceable human specimens. However, one English teacher from Wellesley High School takes this critique one step further with his polemic presentation at the school commencement. David McCullough, a Massachusetts English teacher, gave a seemingly somber sendoff to his graduates in 2012, with a speech that contained some unapologetically harsh sentiments. However, by looking past the outwardly dismal surface of the speech, the students can infer a more optimistic message. By incorporating devices of asyndeton, paradox, antimetabole, and anadiplosis, McCullough conveys to each student that even though none of them is unique, their commonality is not a fault they all have merit and should strive to view the world through a more selfless lens.
One of these smaller discourse communities that I was fortunate enough to have the opportunity to experience is the Sigma Zeta chapter of Chi Omega Fraternity. Every girl in this fraternity shares 6 common goals that we strive to achieve every day. These ideals are: friendship, high standards of personnel, sincere learning and credible scholarship, participation in campus activities, career development, and community service. We live by these six purposes to strive to make us better than the people we were yesterday. By embracing the six purposes we
Although some like Conor Friedersdorf, of the Atlantic, categorized students as “intolerant bullies, (34)” meaning that the reasons for protests were not really reasons at all. Chang argues that the issues students are expressing need to be improved upon as if not, we will continue to go round and round in this vicious cycle. The addition of the apartheid in South Africa backs up Chang’s argument as there is a consensus of it being a serious issue. This explains why he included this piece of history and how it relates to college campuses. Encouraging critics to listen to students, just as Meyer did to those of color, is the only way to prevent today's youth from bring up the same issues in future years. Just as Chang predicted, the next school year brought protesters to hundreds of colleges and universities. What happened at Mizzou was just the beginning of a country wide movement for racial justice on campuses that hasn’t stopped
College is full of new experiences, new people, and new communities, and many universities encourage the exchange of new ideas and diversity among students. This year, the University of Chicago sent out a letter to all of its incoming freshmen informing them that in keeping with their beliefs of freedom of expression and healthy discussion and debate, the school would not provide “safe spaces” or “trigger warnings”. Senior Sophie Downes found this letter to be misleading in many ways, including in the definitions of safe spaces and trigger warnings, as well as the issues it was addressing. Downes claims that the letter was misrepresenting the school, but also was using the letter as a sort
In Paul Toughmay’s “Who Gets to Graduate,” he follows a young first year college student, Vanessa Brewer, explaining her doubts, fears, and emotions while starting her college journey. As a student, at the University of Texas Brewer feels small and as if she doesn’t belong. Seeking advice from her family she calls her mom but after their conversation Brewer feels even more discouraged. Similar to Brewer I have had extreme emotions, doubts, and fears my freshman year in college.
In a large college lecture hall, the level of anonymity of students is seemingly in accordance with their physical distance from the professor. The students that sit in the front rows establish their identities as academically driven while those who sit in the last row are seen as unmotivated. By choosing to sit in the back of the class, the students submerge themselves in obscurity; wholly secluding themselves from the classroom community. (line explaining what this means)). In “Shut Up, I Can’t Hear You…,” Tom Vanderbilt delves into a common phenomenon of traffic and explores the influence that anonymity, the condition of being nameless or unidentified, has over identity, the sense of self. Extending his argument to everyday life, anonymity
Crafting places where students can imagine a home where feeling discomfort at times, but also pleasure, is a necessary element of race talk, is what educators should strive for. Teaching students about the image of home in relation to narratives, similar to that hooks, can be a beneficial curricular tool when setting up conversations about race. Rarely do we examine the specific ways in which those that consider themselves antiracist actually came to develop this identity. Specifically, white activists can be helpful to study as an example of comprehending that there is more than one way to be white. White students do not often see white antiracist role
Dear White People is a film that depicts the white framework of society that pertains to a prestigious college that is predominantly middle-upper-class, white, students. The film follows the perspective of several African American students as they try to develop themselves towards self-actualization despite the oppressive stereotypes that label and sets parameters of socially acceptable behavior. The film provides a great example of ethnic attrition in the character of Lionel Higgins, as well as using the conflict perspective in connection with racism, and provides examples of both individual discrimination, and institutional discrimination.
Page, Clarence. ³We, the Indigestibles: The Campus Culture Wars.² Showing my Color: Impolite Essays on Race and Identity. New York: HarperCollins, 1996. 257-282.
Berriault, Gina. “Who Is It Can Tell Me Who I Am?” Intersections: An Introduction to the Liberal Arts. Ed. Peggy Fitch. Littleton, MA: Tapestry, 2011. 37-44. Print.
In the article “Academia, Love me Back”, by Tiffany Martinez, the author writes about the stereotyping by her college professor and society in general. She contends that her college professor is biased based on the comments her professor wrote on her assignment. She establishes her academic credentials, describes a biased society against Latinos, describes the racism she has encountered personally, describes her feelings of inadequacy, and makes a challenge to academia at the end. Martinez effectively communicates her arguments to academia based on her logic, organization, and style.
Tisdell, E. J. "Interlocking Systems of Power, Privilege, and Oppression in Adult Higher Education Classes." Adult Education Quarterly 43, no. 4 (Summer 1993): 203-226.
(Man/Woman): Hey everyone, I’m going to talk about something that most American colleges have: “Fraternities and Sororities”. “Fraternities and Sororities” are groups of students that usually live together in a house. Members are usually called “brothers” or “sisters”. These social groups often throw parties. They also host events where they raise money to help people. “Fraternities and Sororities” are a huge part of American college culture. (65 words)
Often when I walk into a meeting on educational issues I am reminded that I am black. My race is salient at these meetings because the room is predictably and overwhelmingly comprised of white people with few (3-5) people of color. This is the norm. My initial scanning of the room always reveals this disheartening reality. Scanning the room is not done to find “black allies”, but to have a pulse on whose voices are being heard in these discussions. It comes from a sincere place of wanting sound representation of the diverse views and opinions these students, communities, and families that are often missing from education reform.
The primary trait that I lack is confidence. In my mind, others are always smarter, prettier, more driven, and just better than me. Because of this attitude, I do not usually voice my opinions, state my ideas, or take control of anything; I automatically assume that anything I say or do is wrong or stupid. Although I still need to work on strengthening my confidence, SMU’s community atmosphere, specifically the Hilltop scholars program, has given me the enormous confidence boost I need to step out of my comfort zone and make my ideas a reality. A gain of confidence through supportive communities is apparent in the films Legally Blonde, Renaissance Man, and Higher Learning because each film includes individuals who need greater self-confidence, which comes from the support of their communities. In “The Quest for Community in Higher Education,” Parker Palmer outlines specifically how community can build up confidence. Additionally, in “The SMU Community According to Etzioni,” Christiano Gallo illustrates that confidence promotes involvement, which promotes confidence. The support I feel from various members of the SMU community has provided me with experiences similar to Elle, Rago, and Malik’s and has helped me understand how Palmer’s ideas foster confidence. Also, encouragement from others has opened my eyes to how involvement can instill confidence. Community gives us somebody to lean on. Somebody to lean on gives us confidence.