America used to be a beacon of unity and diversity in race relations. This period of unprecedented unity is now over, according to recent headlines.
An op-ed from the University of California Los Angeles is a good example of deep partitioning.
The piece was written by Samone Anderson (student) and Gene McAdoo (student). It focuses on segregated spaces because of the special needs for black students.
Skin-based separation opposes Martin Luther King’s dream; but think critically:
For many, Black students’ desire to have a space designed to serve our unique needs seems antithetical to the celebration of multiculturalism and diversity. “Isn’t that the opposite of what Dr. King fought for?” some may ask. To the uncritical thinker, creating spaces designed to serve one particular race of students may seem like an indication that we are making a backward slide away from the supposed racial progress that’s taken place since the civil rights movement.
Could a large school in Los Angeles harbor an enormous animus towards darker skins? The authors insist it’s “pervasive”:
[T]he pervasive nature of anti-Blackness in Black students’ collegiate experiences creates unique obstacles for Black students and cultivates a campus racial climate in which Black students are unable to find reprieve from persistently dehumanizing experiences and the trivialization of our struggles.
They must be able to target segregation. A recent referendum has confirmed this:
[U]CLA must offer targeted support to Black students in order to retain them and ensure they graduate at the same rate as their peers. The creation and continued support of the Black Bruin Resource Center (BBRC) through a “yes” vote on the Education, Access and Retention, Now! Referendum is one way to achieve that goal.
Superior segregation will “disrupt” racism:
EARN! Referendum that are earmarked to provide greater financial support for the BBRC would be a tangible way to disrupt anti-Blackness in Black Bruins’ collegiate experiences. Anti-Blackness is…reflected in society’s inability and unwillingness to recognize the humanity of those racialized as Black.
Only integration can be reconfigured as racism
[T]The anti-Blackness which characterized the education experiences of Black students before federal deegregation was simply changed to accommodate a new racial system. This has seen a shift from visible discrimination to hidden, colorblind prejudice.
Samone and Gene decry microaggressions — such as being asked “Do you go here?” or “Which sport do you play?” Black students, they assert, are viewed “as undeserving because they are seen as ‘unqualified’ by virtue of their Blackness.”
As for the claimed calamity of colorblindness, it’s definitely dwindling:
School District Apologizes for Including White Students in ‘Support Circles’ After Chauvin Verdict
Another University offers segregated racial graduation
Students Praise Cornell University’s Rock Climbing Course Designed for Nonwhites
The College Op-Ed asks whether white people should be kicked out parties
And Samone and Gene aren’t nearly alone in their battle against black-opposed oppression:
College Symposium Razes the Anti-Black Racism of ‘Good’ Grammar
American University Creates Black-Only Version of Required Course on ‘Anti-Blackness’
Professor Prescribes ‘Reregulation’ to Help White People Stop Their Racist Violence
If UCLA won’t meet their demands, other schools that may:
NYU Student Group Petitions for Black-Only Housing So They ‘Can Feel Included’
Another University Commissions Housing for Race-Specific Populations
The authors believe that black-only spaces are key.
Although the creation and support of the BBRC may not be the solution that UCLA was looking for, it is a tangible way to alleviate the suffering of Black students. It provides us with a pro Black space as well as a central location where Black students can seek out community resources.
Will segregation solve racism? If so, it’ll be a phenomenal feat.
America is witnessing a major shift in its society. In 1985, America embraced “We Are the World.” Now, it seems, we’re many worlds — each one defined by group identity.
-ALEX
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