Yesterday was Martin Luther King Jr. Day, a day of remembrance for everything Dr. King stood for. As one of the most ardent orators of his generation, he moved an entire country and helped pioneer the African American Civil Rights movement.
Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. delivering a speech in Wilson Plaza, on April 27th, 1965.
But that was almost fifty years ago. Today, we still have acts of violence, racism and discrimination in schools, higher education, the workplace, and in different communities all across the world. What’s worse about these acts is the broken justice system that continues to perpetuate them. Below are just a few examples that hit close to home.
But why are we only taking this one day to remember a cause that we are still facing today? MLK Day is a reminder that we all NEED to be talking about this every single day.
It is said that knowledge is power, and I honestly believe this statement holds true. However, the problem is that people aren’t actively trying to learn about issues of race and diversity. Often, the words “race” and “diversity” seem so daunting that we are hesitant to start a conversation around it. This slight fear of participating in such intense topics causes inaction, which merely adds fuel to the fire.
We are part of a generation where apathy and ignorance is now second nature. As we continue to rely on technology and social media, we allow ourselves to be constantly bombarded with irrelevant information. And when the important issues do come up on our newsfeed, we end up quickly scrolling past it.
Somehow along the way, “liking” has become equivalent to “understanding.” This notion implies that by giving a mere digital “thumbs up” means that you fully comprehend the situation and all of its context.
I too am a victim of this infinite scrolling/liking paradigm, but that doesn’t mean I can’t try to do something about it. We all need to try.
It might seem a bit difficult to dip your feet in issues that you may not be familiar with or comfortable discussing. Or maybe you’re afraid of asking “dumb” questions or possibly offending someone? But just the fact that you’re actively trying to learn more about a certain topic is a milestone in and of itself.
The First Year Experience Office is currently developing new ways to provide students more avenues for discussion and dialogue around large topics and global issues today. For example, we have started a new project called Online Diversity Discussions (ODD).
This is a unique opportunity for students to reclaim agency over technology and use a confidential space to have conversations around topics such as: race, class, gender, sexuality, religion, and spirituality. You can participate from the comforts of your own home, engage with other fellow students, and truly express yourself!
The first discussion is happening this Thursday, and it will be on race and class.
Freshman Only Race and Class Discussion on Thursday, January 21st from 2:00-3:30pm
If you can’t participate in this Thursday’s discussion please click on the links below to sign up for upcoming discussions!
All participants have the opportunity to receive a $25 BruinCard deposit following a focus group activity.
We hope you find a topic that you are particularly passionate about or interested in learning more! Let’s speak up and talk with each other about these important issues.
“Our lives begin to end the day we become silent about things that matter.”
Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.
Written by FYE Professional Staff Eric Kang
uclafirstyearexperience.wordpress.com 