Cultural groups are open to all

The last three years at CSB/SJU, I have been hesitant to speak out about this issue, but I figure now that I near the end of my college experience, I might as well speak to the community that helped me grow into the man I am today.

To be quite frank, I am disappointed by my community. For too long, I have sat back and watched as my peers continued to not value the plethora of cultures and perspectives on the CSB/SJU campus. Why is it that students of color are often the only CSB/SJU students to attend cultural club meetings and events? Yes, don’t get me wrong: these meetings/ events are intended to bring students of color together, but that is not their only intention. These meetings and events are also intended to highlight our culture to the broader student body.

As someone that has served the last three years on the Black Student Association Executive Board, I cannot tell you how many times we have thrown an event that has had less than ten white students attend. That in itself is an issue, and I know for a fact that the BSA is not the only club that has experienced this lack of participation from our white peers here at CSB/SJU. We must do better. College is a time for us to grow and learn more about ourselves and the world around us.

How do you expect to grow if you don’t allow yourself to experience discomfort? To my white peers, I challenge you to lean in. Trust me; I get it. It’s difficult being in a space where you may be different than everyone else, but that one hour of discomfort you may be experiencing is four years for some students here at CSB/SJU. Not everyone on this campus is comfortable, and if you took the time to join us in these meetings, you may be able understand why and the role you could play in making this campus more inclusive for all.

If you take anything out of this piece, please understand that cultural clubs are not limited to those who identify within that specific cultural group. These clubs exist so all can experience the culture and continue learning about the world around us. If we truly want to claim we are a community, then we need to act like a community. As I conclude, I want to make one last thing clear. I get that we are all busy. My life is the definition of busy. That is no excuse for not leaning in and pushing yourself to grow and learn from your peers.

We all have the ability to make an impact on this campus; it just depends on how willing you are to do so.