Alpha Phi Alpha fraternity hosted “Crash Into Racism” on Tuesday night at the African American Culture Center, a forum intended to tackle racism and racial stereotypes. The forum screened two scenes from the movie “Crash” and discussed the racial stereotypes brought forth in the film. The discussion developed into a town hall meeting about racism and the state of the black community at the University.
Jared Avery, member of Alpha Phi Alpha and event coordinator, said it was important to inform the community of what the current racial problems are and why protests like Monday’s of the purple and gold Confederate flag are occurring on campus.
“People need to know what the fight is,” Avery said.
Some at the forum said some of the protesters only came because it was an opportunity to socialize and were not well educated as to what “the fight” encompassed.
Isaac Netters, coordinator of multicultural programming, said it is the responsibility of the black community to educate themselves about racial issues and pass on that knowledge to those inside and outside their own race.
“You have the power to transcend your stereotypes,” Netters said.
Some said that nothing would ever change at the University, including the existence of the controversial flag, until the black community mobilizes.
“They just pacify the black students,” said Brandon Hudson, ISDS senior and Alpha Phi Alpha member, of the University administration. “We can’t just let things die down anymore.”
Hudson and others suggested “the fight” should hurt the University financially. One way that would happen is if black football players refused to take the field for a University that allows tailgaters to fly the Confederate flag.
“If [black football players] all decided they weren’t going to play, it would all of a sudden be a way bigger issue,” Hudson said.
Tia Gibson, LSU graduate and former Black Student Union president, said that change would only take place if a galvanized black community forced the administration to take action.
“We have a chancellor that is not student-friendly,” she said. “He may play like he is, but he’s not.”
Netters said the black community must break its own stereotypes on campus and enlist support from key members of the administration.
“They think black people are not trying to excel,” he said. “They think we are just trying to get the paper and get the hell out.”
All that said, moderator and University graduate Tanya Chapman said it was all meaningless if black students did not follow one piece of advice.
“Don’t only talk big, but walk big,” she said.
Contact Mathew Sanders at [email protected]