Hey Guys! Ive been thinking a lot since Ive had extra time on my hands since I medically withdraw this semester. Ive had an interesting time at Georgia Southern. When I entered the school I had a rough freshman year, because I was adjusting to college like a typical student. Sophomore year was great. I made a lot of new friends and got more involved. However, I got to see more about how this school works. I was saddened in many ways. Actually, the problems I saw were less about Georgia Southern and more about higher ed in general. Junior year I was over involved which triggered my anxiety which lead to my medical withdraw. But you want to know what else lead to my medical withdraw?Realizing how pervasive anti-blackness is, and realizing all of the subtle forms of aggression that I have to face daily. Ferguson, and the realization that I go to school with, and interact with a ton of blatantly racist white people. Many of whom I considered friends. They leave comments online using their name, with KKK pictures, they harass my best friend, they do all of these things because they can. Its a way of life here. I got called the n-word while walking home just last night, and the thing is, its accepted here. Its hard to find a Black student here who hasnt experienced that. Because guess what, we dont live in a color blind/ post-racial society :))) Its even in subtle ways. People can post microagressions left and right, and still get opportunities on this campus. I would know because I was SUPER INVOLVED. Black people complain about the systematic oppression they face and there is literally SILENCE or these people are ostracized. White people complain that a Black person cursed at them and they are literally APPLAUDED for taking a stand against racism. This is ridiculous. I refuse to go to an institution where people think they are being profound by comparing police brutality to someone generalizing them on twitter. I refuse to go to an institution where people claim to love social justice and share racist articles and contribute to oppression daily. I just want yall to notice that the things that happen on this campus are NOT normal here. People are appalled that we have a bar called The Plantation Room. People are appalled when they see our Yik Yak. People are literally disgusted by the racist dress codes at bars, and the fact that people just accept all of these things. THEY are not the weird ones WE are the weird ones. No one is acknowledging the huge emotional toll interacting with racist people has on students of color. No one is acknowledging how it can literally break a person. Also, for non-poc that think that their silence is okay on racist issues THIS IS PART OF THE PROBLEM. Your silence, is actively contributing to my oppression. Your silence, shows that you think this is okay. You are silent because you are benefiting from your privilege so why the heck would you do anything. Especially staff!! STAND UP FOR SOMETHING. You are not doing anyone a favor by saying cryptic cookie cutter quotes about how this world needs Jesus, no what this world needs is for POC to not be oppressed. This world needs for you to not go to church on Sunday and pray for the starving black children in Africa, and then literally poop on the black people who go here. The world needs for you to stop sharing Facebook pictures with you holding little Black babies from your mission trip, then ignoring the needs of Black people here in the US. The world needs for you to stop smiling in the face of your Black peers yet continue your racism behind their back. For POC who think that they should keep their head down and get out of here, I just want to say that I am praying for you, and I am standing with you in solidarity. But your silence, will not protect you. I am not leaving because this school won, and I am not leaving because the system won, I am leaving because I refuse to let this school break me. I am smart, I am likable, and I have the potential to do a lot of great things and those things cant happen if I am sacrificing my mental health to be here. I dont care if I dont graduate on time, I am leaving this school, and I am going to a place where I can participate in movements that are not threatened or infested with respectability politics and misogyny. I am so thankful for the friends I have made here, and the staff that has helped me along the way. You guys know who you are. But I just have to go, and this status is not meant to hurt yall. Its meant to inform yall. And if you dont agree/dont like me/want to whine feel free to block or unfriend me because we probably arent friends nor will I miss your presence in my life :)))) I know Im being dramatic but its okay so #bye Also, #blacklivesmatter yes, I specifically said #blacklivesmatter And any other hashtag that seems to piss yall off. *cue whoopi goldberg scene from The Color Purple*
Posted on: Thu, 11 Dec 2014 14:49:37 +0000
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