She stood up in tears as every eye looked on, stuck on her every word: ‘My name is Marlo.’
This one girl would change a laid back discussion on race, sponsored by Diversity Fellowship, scheduled to last one hour, into an intense two hour discussion.
The topic was on skin color and stereotypes, which served as a release for those who had been dealt with unfairly because of their skin color.
Faces showed surprise and disgust as an Asian skin bleaching commercial was shown to them. Many students had no idea that those sorts of things went on but were quickly informed that almost every culture had their own form of skin bleaching technique.
Students mumbled. Discussion was straight forward and heated. . One student rose her admitting that she was ‘the ignorant white girl;’ in the past, she said some racially insensitive comments.
Then, Ramos revealed how she felt outcast by students of both races, changing a lot of student’s perceptions on race. The room was silent as she tearfully confessed her strife and frustrations over her lonely existence on campus because of what she thought was her skin color.
She came to UT fall semester with an open mind, ready to make friends but was quickly shot down from all sides at which point she became a recluse. Her plea for acceptance touched so many students and set the tone for the forum from that point on.
Although she was not feeling accepted at that point, she was taken in by every student in that room. People gave her hugs and Facebook friend requests but most importantly their respect and friendship.
Students should speak openly and come together. Discussing controversial issues are the only way we can learn and grow as young adults.
What the Diversity Fellowship did by setting up this forum was just the beginning.
Students need to be able to have an open discussion outside the parameters of a structured classroom setting. This sort of learning is essential to the college experience.
As for Marlo, were those proposals of friendship just superficial promises to be lost in the fever of that night?
‘ I caught up to her sitting with her new group of friends in Vaughn:
‘People actually cared and listened and on top of that it was the first time in all of the time that I had been at UT hat I felt welcome. It was the very first time. That day was the first day of my UT career.’
Nicole Robinson may be reached at nrobinson@ut.edu.
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