On Oct. 22 the Multicultural and International Student Affairs and the Department of Communication and Media Studies held a Courageous Conversations ‘Race Blame Game’.

The forum was held to promote an understanding of racial perspectives through respectful discussion. 

A panel of moderators proposed questions to the students and attending faculty, and then they would respond with their feelings and thoughts about the subject.

On the panel was Naomi Narcisse, a lecturer for the department of communications and media studies, and Dr. Carol Madere, a professor for the department of communications and media studies. 

Multiple students spoke up about their experiences with racism in their day to day life, from campus life, internet culture, and to just waking up in the morning. 

Dr. Elizabeth Hornsby,  an instructor for the department of communications and media studies, continued a conversation on how the internet profits off of black culture.

“A lot of the research I read talks about how the internet is so specific to black culture,” explained Hornsby. “Like so many things that become popular and viral. Recently I watched this whole supercut on TikTok videos and literally things black people do and say, but it’s not black people doing them. It was like another social media platform that’s basically ripped off of black culture and its profiting off of it. Because those bodies, its acceptable for them to be ratchet, to be loud, to be aggressive, but if someone looks like this, it’s all of a sudden problematic.” 

The night continued on with discussions on varying aspects of different racial issues in many different fields of day to day life. Towards the end there was a high hope from instructors and students alike that this activity will help create a space on campus to talk about these issues. 

“Next time we do something like this, I would love for y’all to bring your peers, friends, whoever,” expressed Narcisse. “Because the bigger the conversation the more perspectives we are able to understand about each other as well.”

MISA and the Communication Department look forward to holding more Courageous Conversations in the future. For updates follow the MISA social media or check the calendar regularly.