The Falcon   |   Volume 81, Issue 26

Published 6/02/10   |   Log In

Racial privileges focus of exhibit

A display of pictures and facts hang from the curtains in the Born Identity exhibit in Emerson Hall Lounge. Last week, the exhibit was erected for its second year in hopes of educating students about racial awareness
Photo credit: LYNEA COMMON.

Born Identity raises mixed responses

By EMILY MOREHOUSE, Features Writer, BRITTNEY FORTUNE, News Writer

Published: May 20, 2009

The Emerson Bridges Program feels it is important to bring awareness of racial privilege to the SPU community.

One way it has tried to do this is with the second annual Born Identity exhibit, which was held in the Emerson Hall Lounge on May 13 through 15.

Viewers of the exhibit were met with posters asking, "What has your identity done for you today?"

One of the goals of the exhibit was to leave viewers with the awareness to answer this question, said sophomore DeHeavalyn Pullium, an ambassador for the Bridges Program.

The exhibit, which took viewers through the historical and current difficulties of minorities in America, looked at the impact race has on the way we interact every day.

"I grew up in a white community," sophomore Kaitlyn McCranie said. "When I first saw (the exhibit last year), I was hurt, like it said, 'Look what your race has done.' This year, I didn't feel like that anymore."

Freshman Shane Pech said he thought it attacked white people.

"They didn't mention anything positive about white people, but they mentioned how white people have suppressed every other race," Pech said. "Which seems kind of unfair to me to just single out white people."

Viewers were led through a maze of black curtains that held pictures, statistics, political cartoons and information showing where our country has been and how far it has to go in regards to racial segregation and prejudice.

"It's not meant to make white people feel guilty," said sophomore Justeene Campo, an ambassador for Bridges. "This exhibit is to show where we started and where we came from and how much farther we have to go."

In an attempt to bring this issue home to the students and faculty of SPU, the exhibit also displayed scenarios minority students on campus face every day.

"SPU is not really diverse," Pullium said. "A lot of people don't really think about this issue. I think this is a good way to bring awareness."

One way the exhibit tried to connect white privilege with the SPU campus was through the use of a written survey of 19 "true" and "false" questions.

These stated things such as, "In my classes at SPU, there are always at least five other students of my same race;" "I can walk into Gwinn and have the option of sitting at least 10 tables with people of my own race;" "I have typically worked for managers or bosses who are my same race."

Another question included comparing bandages to your skin and answering whether a generic brand would more or less match.

The tests were targeted to show the different atmospheres minority students live in, although being a part of the same campus community, Campo said.

To reiterate the message of white privilege, signs with familiar phrases, such as, "liberty and justice for all," were hung with things like, "privilege and convenience for all whites," painted over them.

Campo said it is not only about white privilege but about being aware of the privileges we all have and working together to bring change to the future.

Pech said he felt misled by the title, thinking it would be about white heritage. Instead, he felt it was only about how it is easier to be a white person than anything else, he said.

Freshman Lisa Hermanson said she chose not to go to the exhibit because she felt it would be attacking whites.

"I don't think I should be made to feel guilty about something I can't control," Hermanson said. "I didn't want to be made to feel guilty about the color of my skin."

Other issues were presented as current examples of prejudice, such as the discrimination of Middle Eastern Americans after Sept. 11, and issues surrounding illegal immigration from Mexico to the United States.

"I think (the exhibit) brings awareness because, although SPU is primarily white, this shows people what we go through and brings awareness not only on campus but in the surrounding community," Campo said.

The hope is that awareness through a connection to the world we live in today will spark conversations and help us progress even farther in the way of tolerance, Pullium said.

"There's racism all over the world and in different countries against different types of people," Pech said. "We need to recognize it's not just white people who have a problem."

© 2008-2010 The Falcon        Contact        Advertise        SPU.edu