Oracle Online

If Dr. King were here today, what would he say to Hamline? I believe he would say he was proud to see students taking the initiative in making social change happen, but he would say you must do more, you must continue to move forward. There is more work to be done.

It is very easy to fall into a complacent attitude because we are not always in a visible struggle. Dr. King would say that Carlos Sneed’s promotion is not enough. Hamline has work to do.

The fact that Dr. Hanson is Hamline’s first female president shows progress, but Hamline still has work to do. Until the pictures on our website are an accurate depiction of our campus, Hamline will still have work
to do. The struggle does not end because we have identified our issues; we must now start the serious work of rectifying those issues until they are no longer.

My dream for Hamline is that it will be a place where students of color will feel comfortable and not confined to the MISA or student organization offices. Students of color will not be made to feel as though they are speaking on behalf of their whole race, but will be viewed as individuals. Hamline should be a place where all cultures are seen as valid and equal, and a place where ethnicity is an addition to who you are and not your sole deciding factor.

Hamline has begun some of this groundwork for change by allowing a space for students such as Colin
Schumacher and Krystal Klein, who are involved in student-of-color and advocacy groups on campus, and Shona Ramchandani, who is one of few women of color to be HUSC president.

Because of these factors, I am hopeful that my dreams for Hamline are feasible; therefore, I charge:

To my white fellow students:

Recognize your privilege not just at Hamline, but also in your life. As you continue into the business world, acknowledge your whiteness.

Believe the experiences of students of color and validate that.

Seek first to understand others, and then to be understood.

Step out of your comfort zones, challenge yourselves to be educated, but don’t always expect us to be your teachers.

Remember that being an ally is not a title given to oneself, but a title to be earned.

To the faculty and staff:

Listen to all students and respect experiences and opinions regardless of background.

Check your curriculum and ask yourself: Is it inclusive to a variety of experiences that may be represented in your classroom?

Make reference to the lack of color on the faculty.

And to my fellow students of color:

Be aware that you are not alone in the fight, but if you don’t do the work for yourself, nothing will be accomplished

Understand that you are not the only one with barriers; you have to give at least a little to receive a lot.
Identify yourself: Who are you? Who do you want to be? Where do you want to go?

And finally, to you all: The struggle is continuous, and although it at times seems invisible, it is steadily affecting us every day. Take this charge and understand that we should stand and work together if our purpose is to make Dr. King’s dream a reality.

The advocacy organizations on this campus can only accomplish so much. It is when we all band together that the real work can be done.

Angela Robertson
CLA Student

This piece, provided by the author, is from a speech originally given at the Martin Luther King Commemoration at Sundin Music Hall on Jan. 18.