The Racial Justice Alliance is a new student organization for undergraduate and graduate students committed to understanding, recognizing, and interrupting racism within ourselves and all around us. The discussion-based group creates a space to talk, learn from one another, and understand how racism operates.
At monthly meetings, the group introduces a topic, offers historical context, "gets uncomfortable" by thinking about how we may have perpetuated or condoned problematic racial assumptions in our lives, engages in some "real talk" by unpacking experiences and the implications of our topic, and finds tangible action steps to respond to this experience when we encounter it.
Doctoral students Megan Cardwell, in the Department of Communication Studies of the College of Arts and Sciences, and Alexa Yunes-Koch, in the Department of Teaching, Learning, and Teacher Education of the College of Education and Human Sciences, advise the group.
New topics are introduced weekly to engage in discussion and formulate conclusions on ways to better interact with the issue. Members communicate via Slack between meetings.
Considering joining? The organization is accepting applications in August. Prospective members can watch this informational video and contact one of the advisors.
- Have you ever found yourself in an argument about race or had a conversation that you felt was steeped in racism, but you couldn't find the words to describe it or respond to the racist individual?
- Have you experienced racism and discrimination yourself and need a group of students to support you in unpacking those experiences?
- Do you feel guilty or underinformed when it comes to racism?
- Do you want to share your knowledge of complex racial systems?
- Do you simply want to be a better racial actor in the world?
