Special to The Leader
On Thursday, Feb. 22, Rosalyn Taylor O’Neale visited Fredonia’s campus to give a presentation on “The Power of Diversity and Inclusion.” The conversation began with lessons on similarities and differences but ended with students yelling calls to action to administration.
With racial incidents happening semesterly, Fredonia’s administration called O’Neale’s visit “timely.” Her award winning background as a diversity consultant at Campbell’s Soup Company and other Fortune 500 companies made her a candidate for addressing the current climate on campus.
O’Neale’s presentation showed students and administration the importance of working together, outside of their comfort zones.
“We can not do it until we are willing to stand together,” said O’Neale.
As the presentation continued, the audience laughed as O’Neale played video clips that showed the way the brain can make judgements without considering all of the important details. But the laughter came to an abrupt halt during the question and answer portion of the conversation.
“I appreciate your ability to dance around the questions,” said sophomore Devin Johnson. He further expressed his frustration with the lack of impactful solutions being offered by O’Neale.
She offered “not worrying about people unless they are keeping you from getting your degree” as a solution to dealing with overt racism.
After further questioning about campus concerns, O’Neale additionally suggested students “do their work” for the possibility of a better life for younger generations.
“We need to just keep chipping away at it … I need you to do your work so my seven-year-old grandson doesn’t have to do it”
Students disagreed.
Victor Morales, a junior, said that he “shouldn’t have to” do work for further generations but that there should be solutions right now. He also expressed that people are being killed right now, and because of this, he believes he may not have the opportunity to have children, making reference to a recent hate crime in Buffalo.
Audience members expressed the burden of the work they were doing, with no real change, as well as their frustration for the lack of work done by campus administration.
“As much as these emails are being sent saying Fredonia is no place for this behavior, I have yet to see anything that shows me that,” said junior Nailani Pringle. “It’s a slap in the face to give us forums with no action.”
“What are we going to do? I keep hearing ‘keep going and keep going,’ but what are we gonna do?” asked Morales.
The Monday following the discussion, President Horvath sent an email to the campus community.
“As a campus community,” read the email, “we need reconciliation to address the real hurt of many people, training for all, clearer structures to support diversity and continued commitment to being an inclusive community.”
President Horvath indicated in her email that the hurt “was clear” and steps need to be taken.
What happens next will determine the future of diversity on Fredonia’s campus.