A DJS Journey

           It was such a pleasure seeing so many students, faculty, and staff come together to cheer on and appreciate their community. The vibe in the room was one of love, thoughtfulness, and compassion. Watching multigenerational song, movement showing powerful emotion, and the sound of the Maori warriors, all created a strong emotional pull inside of me. Why this event is so impactful is because this vibe of togetherness does not translate outside of this space often in the world. Global Getdown is not just meant to be one night of entertainment. It is meant to show that in difference there is strength. Embracing diversity is not just to see diversity, cheer, and move on, but rather recognize and understand that your own humanity is intertwined with people often referred to as ‘the other”. Perhaps, being the other is your experience, and perhaps not. In a world that values white skin, those with monetary wealth, patriarchy, and unrealistic beauty standards we struggle to ac

What does diversity mean to you? For the past two weeks, a few of my peers and I have asked students who have passed by the dCenter to answer this question. This dCenter project was to figure out what the student population, outside of our dCenter folks, thought about (if they did) diversity. This interactive, write on a window project, has been an eye-opening experience. As woman of color, I stood outside of the dCenter with markers and asked random individuals who walked by to answer this quick question. First of all, I felt a bit uncomfortable asking random students to do this quick task. Second, I was asking a crowd of white individuals what they thought diversity meant to them. Lastly, it never occurred to me how hard of a question I was asking until I watched students stand in front of the window, with marker in hand, for what seemed like a very long minute as they formulated their thoughts into a sentence or word... or realized that this question made some students uncomfor

The idea I’m about to discuss is better experienced than explained, so I will begin with the experience first before I jump into the nitty-gritty. Describe the color red to someone the next time you get a chance. You could try and describe what your bedroom looks like back home. Describe anything you like, it really doesn’t make a difference to the point I’m about to make. Even if you perfectly painted the picture in your head, down to the very last detail, the person who is on the receiving end of your description will never be able to see the picture in your head. We are all effectively blind to your thoughts. These situations are brought about by the qualia within human language. .....What? Qualia, singular quale, are situations or identities that cannot be described because we each experience sensations differently. Pictured from left to right: Beau Smith, Kimberly Roman, Nellie Moran, and Andrew Morris.  Yeah yeah, ok, but what about things I don’t see, what abou

You know what really grinds my gears? (Yes, I have been known to watch Family Guy #nojudging).  White guys who take up a lot of space.  The guy who is so unaware of his size, gender, race, class and who tries to intrude on my physical space.  The guy who tries to hug me constantly, even though I have told him numerous times that, you know what, hugging, really ain’t my thing.  That one dude who thinks it’s funny when I ask him politely at first, but then with more force, to back the F-UP!  This man who believes that the more he tries to come into my personal space, eventually, I will let him in.  He is going to take it, by force, and nothing, I mean nothing, is going to stop him from trying. Dude, White guy, MAN!  Please.  This isn’t funny.  Your continual disregard for my personal space, my comfort, my safety, my wishes, and adamant rejection of your advances are not funny.  Are disrespectful.  Are wack as hell.  Are uncomfortable.  Are pissing me the F-OFF! Back up.  Don’t you se

Last weekend I attend the ACPA Institute for Social Justice: Envisioning Vulnerability in Social Justice Education. The institute was packed with opportunities to participate in dialogue with those with similar salient identities and hear from awesome speakers who shared their social justice journeys, research, and perspectives about vulnerability. While at the institute my understanding of vulnerability became twisted and complex – particularly as a white female social justice educator. Here is the tension that I am currently sitting with: The need to lean into the discomfort of the work… Brene Brown’s TedTalk The Power of Vulnerability has been viewed by over 17,000 people and has found its way onto college campuses through leadership trainings and helping frame community development models and was a framework for ACPA ISJ. Brene suggests vulnerability is necessary and fundamental to building human connectedness and the ability to empathize, belong, and love.  I bel

A satire, not a documentary. A comedy, not a protest. Or is it? After hearing of this new, radical movie talking about our story as students of color, at a predominately White university, we, Black Student Union and the Diversity Center, decided we’d go see it together. This meant each paying our own way, but hopefully at the same time to discover the film, and then debrief. As interest grew the Diversity Center Director found a way to rent the theater so we could all go for free enabling us to open it to the entire campus community but with limited seats. As we ramped up to go see Dear White People in its opening weekend, we met some resistance on the PLU campus. The more advertisements went out, the more unsolicited and unchallenged comments, opinions, and questions. such as: “That’s so racist!” “Why are they mad?” “Is this a protest.”“Oh, yeah, I heard about that documentary.” PLU Dear White People private screening Racism is a system of inequality based on race, so no it

Hello all... I just wanted to give you an update on the life of a senior, Jazmyn Carroll... a PLU student trying to figure out life in a day. This past week, I have been bombarded with questions of identity... Now that it is becoming increasingly clear that I will be leaving my PLU home at the end of the school year, these questions of identity and where I will be after college has seriously got me stumped! Stumped to the point that I consider myself a walking vessel with little to no cognitive capacity to learn strenuous concepts. This is extremely distressing because I consider this hodgepodge of a beautiful, yet messy mind of mine, to be taking a toll on my well being. For reassurance purposes, I am aware that I am experiencing cognitive dissonance and plan to be at 101% Jazzy sometime in the near future. Jazmyn Carroll Anyways, what has got me questioning who I am is the religion course I am currently taking on Christian Theologies... bad enough I am trying to be an A student

I have often witnessed Orientation Guides attempt to describe the Diversity Center to new students, and while many hit key points, I have never heard a succinct and satisfying way to describe it. So, here's my attempt:  I want you to envision the Diversity Center, but picture it as a box shaped void, devoid of the people, couches, colors, and identity. Begin filling the box with words; good and bad, gendered and non-gendered, hateful and kind. Now, add ideas to these words, let them flow from your mind and into this space. Some of these ideas attract each other, others repel, still others spin about each other seemingly engaged only to disappear into the growing mass of thoughts whirling about in this void. While you're envisioning this conglomeration, picture your parents and your great-great-grandmother. Picture the president and your high school bully. Picture the world wars, and picture smallpox. Include the native people displaced and destabilized in colonial countries

Clanddinin and Connelly (2000) state, “our research interests come out of our own narratives of experience and shape our narrative inquiry plotline” (p.121).  My own interest in social justice education is both professional and personal.  I have had a career in multicultural affairs for nine years.  I support students from various social identities and work to create awareness of dominant and subordinated identities, ally as a verb and not a noun, and microagressions.  Personally, W.E.B. DuBois, in his seminal work, The Souls of Black Folk spoke of “double-consciousness” or two selves that are in conflict with who we are and what people expect us to be.  I have spent most of my life being an “Other” but also know what it’s like to “Other” someone else based on some of my dominant identities.  As a multiple identity being, I in fact belong to two worlds, one of privilege, and one of an empowered person of color.  Meaning that I understand racism, oppression, and privilege, and how

Another great story about another great Diversity Center Alum! “Rae-Ann brings a tremendous amount of energy and expertise to this very important hub of student life.” Rae-Ann Barras (left) '12 dCenter Alumnae

As we strive for justice there is continual pressure to conform to majority norms in effort to be free from harm. We in turn have to teach our children not to wear hoodies or dark colors. “Wait, Don’t be suspicious.” This still doesn't relieve the threat on the lives of our children. Why are we constantly being told to change who we are to be accepted, to be safe, to be respected, and loved? Skin tones and the culture in which they are perceived to align with meet varying hardships, pressures, and threats that are not to be ignored. Our browns are beautiful; my black is beautiful. Colorblindness is another way many seek to silence me and my experience, as a person of color, saying it must be so, in order for POC to be treated as equals. To that I say... See my color Treat me as equal anyway Hear my pain Respect my experience anyway My color is not hindering me From working hard but It hinders your perception of my work ethic My color does not delay my intelligence I

Today, universities across the nation work to increase diversity across their campuses and are often missing the opportunity to prioritize developing campus cultures and leadership that support new students of color. When I began my studies at PLU, I was blessed to arrive with a cadre of six high school friends, who knew my life story, and would complete their educations alongside me. Thanks to James Mamerto, Act Six Cadres 1+2+3+4, and my mentors in Lakewood, WA I was able to maintain a connection to a community that looked like and valued me. My community was a blessing and outlet for my feelings of otherness that can commonly arise during the first year in a predominantly white institution. I have also come to believe there is a need for the boards, faculties, staffs and students of universities much like PLU to bring intention and energy to campus cultures and spaces that respect, celebrate and breathe in the differences among the communities they’ve worked hard to buil

One of the Diversity Center's newest projects are D Talks . The idea of D Talks is similar to Ted Talks however specifically targeted to engage in topics that allow for conversation on social justice, discrimination, diversity, privilege, and experiences of individuals that want to share their culture and lives with others. D talks are something that bring the individual together with the community. Stories tell a perspective, they give insight into a person's life. It allows individuals to be real, engage with others, and to share something that they feel is significant. For myself personally, hearing other's speak and listening and absorbing are crucial to understanding an individual. Ben Okri a prominent Nigerian poet noted "Stories can conquer fear, you know. They make the heart bigger." Stories are a beautiful, powerful, and thought-provoking experience. I challenge individuals to speak out in whatever way is best for them whether that be words, music, blog

Amy making some chocolate art. What is the Chocolate Trail? A trail of chocolate, right? Yes and no, the important factor is where the chocolate trail takes you. The Chocolate Trail is an open house invitation to all Pacific Lutheran University students, staff, and faculty to be a part of a new and different space, not normally in the average PLU person's schedule. As in, if you did not know about the space you obviously wouldn't be in the space. I am being a bit vague about space, but I am referring to a physical room/space. As I said earlier, the Chocolate Trail will lead you to the Diversity Center and Scandinavian Center located in the lower AUC building, the Women's Center across the street from Stuen Hall, and the Wang Center on PLU's upper-campus. I like to refer to these spaces as hidden gems and treasures, waiting to be found. So what better way to find these gems than to have a chocolate trail? As you make your way through the Chocolate Trail, you are gr

My social media timeline catalogs photo moments of pride, celebration, mischief, and bad decisions. Despite the many incriminating photos of me with red cups and distasteful Halloween costumes, someone outside of my network would describe me as a young educated woman who is active in the outrigger paddling community and enjoys throwing a good house party. You see, I am White, and because of that, my race will provoke a positive narrative of my character regardless of my actions. #iftheygunmedown went viral after the murder of Michael Brown, a young Black male from Ferguson Missouri as a statement against the media’s radicalized and bias narrative of Black people. In the case of Michael Brown, and many other stories of people of color, the media chose photos to share with the public that depicted a single story of who he was and one that played into a negative stereotype of his race. People who have shared posts with this hastag present two photos: one of them in graduation

The Diversity Center has been dubbed the space with “the comfiest couches and best conversations on the PLU campus.” Most of us are familiar with the impact the physical space of The Diversity Center has had on ourselves and others. The Diversity Center has been a home away from home for many of us, providing sanctuary and family. It is a space that promotes self-exploration, conflict with civility, social action, advocacy, and community. The Diversity Center has used social media (sometimes well, other times not so much!) as an extension of our physical space. Our philosophy is that social media should be used to create a “Virtual dCenter” and offer opportunities for dialogue and sharing resources just like our physical location.We realize that not everyone can benefit from the physical space of The Diversity. Folks leave the university, move to other parts of the world, and have lives that make sitting on those couches impossible. This doesn't mean that those indivi