• Home
  • Staff
  • Privacy Policy
  • News Tips/Press Releases
  • Advertising
Friday, April 16, 2021
No Result
View All Result
The Times-Delphic
  • News
    • All
    • Administrative News
    • Campus Events
    • Campus Health
    • Caucus Roundup
    • In Des Moines
    • Politics
    • Student Politics
    • Student Senate

    COVID and Drake Students

    Students react to recent shootings

    Students react to recent shootings

    Student Activities Board announces Relays theme

    Meet the 2021 Student Senate Candidates

    Education Students begin Practicum in Des Moines Classroom

    • Administrative News
    • Campus Events
    • Campus Health
    • Caucus Roundup
    • In Des Moines
    • Politics
    • Student Politics
    • Student Senate
    • Senate Elections
  • Sports
    • All
    • Baseball
    • Basketball
    • Column
    • Cross-Country
    • E-Sports
    • Football
    • Golf
    • Rowing
    • Soccer
    • Softball
    • Tennis
    • Track and Field
    • Volleyball
    Reviewing the women’s volleyball season

    Reviewing the women’s volleyball season

    Drake Football takes third loss against Valparaiso

    Drake Rowing Prepares for First Race of Season

    Drake Rowing Prepares for First Race of Season

    Drake Places in March Madness Tournament

    Drake Places in March Madness Tournament

    Drake Tennis Player named Player of the Week

    • Basketball
    • Column
    • Cross-Country
    • E-Sports
    • Football
    • Golf
    • Rowing
    • Soccer
    • Softball
  • Commentary
    • All
    • Horoscope
    • Letter from the Editor
    • Letter to the Editor
    Commentary | April Fool’s Day and Easter

    Commentary | April Fool’s Day and Easter

    Troll 2: The Best, Worst Movie

    Troll 2: The Best, Worst Movie

    Commentary: We all Relate to the Suez Canal

    Commentary: We all Relate to the Suez Canal

    Commentary: Where has Rock Gone?

    Commentary: Where has Rock Gone?

    Commentary: Letter to the Editor

    • Horoscope
    • Letter from the Editor
  • Features
    • All
    • Greek Life

    COVID and Drake Students

    Plaque Honors DG House Mother

    Plaque Honors DG House Mother

    SJMC alumn encourages students to be their own advocates

    SJMC alumn encourages students to be their own advocates

    Drake Theatre Department Presents Online Musical

    Haley Piper Designs Record-Breaking Light Show

    Politics Professor Begins US-China Podcast

    Politics Professor Begins US-China Podcast

    • Greek Life
  • Podcasts
    Drake Weekly Sports Podcast | December 3

    Drake Weekly Sports Podcast | December 3

    Drake Public Safety and the student body

    Drake Public Safety and the student body

    Humans of Drake Podcast

    Bulldog Blitz 1: December 7, 2010

    The Sports Report 2010 7: 11/09/2010

  • Relays Edition
    Rainbow Union Empowers the LGBTQ+ Community at Drake

    Rainbow Union Empowers the LGBTQ+ Community at Drake

    Avengers: Endgame Predictions

    Avengers: Endgame Predictions

    Drake professors define their teaching experiences

    Evening at the observatory: Is There an Anti-Me?

    Evening at the observatory: Is There an Anti-Me?

    Bulldogs football completes 9th winning season in 10 years

    You can be the force to finally change Drake’s culture

    Student press is essential for letting students’ voices be heard

    Rolle breaks Drake triple jump record

    Rolle breaks Drake triple jump record

    First-year uses photo talent to market Drake’s campus

    Spanish class spotlights important Latinas

    Blitz Day festivities include revealing Relays concert, theme

    Blitz Day festivities include revealing Relays concert, theme

    • Commentary
    • Coronavirus
    • Elections
    • Features
    • In Des Moines
    • News
    • This week in photos
    • Top News
    • Top Stories
    • Uncategorized
    • Video
    • Sports
    • Security Reports
    • Relays Edition
    • Poll
    • Podcasts
    • Online Exclusives
    • Opinion
  • Satire
  • News
    • All
    • Administrative News
    • Campus Events
    • Campus Health
    • Caucus Roundup
    • In Des Moines
    • Politics
    • Student Politics
    • Student Senate

    COVID and Drake Students

    Students react to recent shootings

    Students react to recent shootings

    Student Activities Board announces Relays theme

    Meet the 2021 Student Senate Candidates

    Education Students begin Practicum in Des Moines Classroom

    • Administrative News
    • Campus Events
    • Campus Health
    • Caucus Roundup
    • In Des Moines
    • Politics
    • Student Politics
    • Student Senate
    • Senate Elections
  • Sports
    • All
    • Baseball
    • Basketball
    • Column
    • Cross-Country
    • E-Sports
    • Football
    • Golf
    • Rowing
    • Soccer
    • Softball
    • Tennis
    • Track and Field
    • Volleyball
    Reviewing the women’s volleyball season

    Reviewing the women’s volleyball season

    Drake Football takes third loss against Valparaiso

    Drake Rowing Prepares for First Race of Season

    Drake Rowing Prepares for First Race of Season

    Drake Places in March Madness Tournament

    Drake Places in March Madness Tournament

    Drake Tennis Player named Player of the Week

    • Basketball
    • Column
    • Cross-Country
    • E-Sports
    • Football
    • Golf
    • Rowing
    • Soccer
    • Softball
  • Commentary
    • All
    • Horoscope
    • Letter from the Editor
    • Letter to the Editor
    Commentary | April Fool’s Day and Easter

    Commentary | April Fool’s Day and Easter

    Troll 2: The Best, Worst Movie

    Troll 2: The Best, Worst Movie

    Commentary: We all Relate to the Suez Canal

    Commentary: We all Relate to the Suez Canal

    Commentary: Where has Rock Gone?

    Commentary: Where has Rock Gone?

    Commentary: Letter to the Editor

    • Horoscope
    • Letter from the Editor
  • Features
    • All
    • Greek Life

    COVID and Drake Students

    Plaque Honors DG House Mother

    Plaque Honors DG House Mother

    SJMC alumn encourages students to be their own advocates

    SJMC alumn encourages students to be their own advocates

    Drake Theatre Department Presents Online Musical

    Haley Piper Designs Record-Breaking Light Show

    Politics Professor Begins US-China Podcast

    Politics Professor Begins US-China Podcast

    • Greek Life
  • Podcasts
    Drake Weekly Sports Podcast | December 3

    Drake Weekly Sports Podcast | December 3

    Drake Public Safety and the student body

    Drake Public Safety and the student body

    Humans of Drake Podcast

    Bulldog Blitz 1: December 7, 2010

    The Sports Report 2010 7: 11/09/2010

  • Relays Edition
    Rainbow Union Empowers the LGBTQ+ Community at Drake

    Rainbow Union Empowers the LGBTQ+ Community at Drake

    Avengers: Endgame Predictions

    Avengers: Endgame Predictions

    Drake professors define their teaching experiences

    Evening at the observatory: Is There an Anti-Me?

    Evening at the observatory: Is There an Anti-Me?

    Bulldogs football completes 9th winning season in 10 years

    You can be the force to finally change Drake’s culture

    Student press is essential for letting students’ voices be heard

    Rolle breaks Drake triple jump record

    Rolle breaks Drake triple jump record

    First-year uses photo talent to market Drake’s campus

    Spanish class spotlights important Latinas

    Blitz Day festivities include revealing Relays concert, theme

    Blitz Day festivities include revealing Relays concert, theme

    • Commentary
    • Coronavirus
    • Elections
    • Features
    • In Des Moines
    • News
    • This week in photos
    • Top News
    • Top Stories
    • Uncategorized
    • Video
    • Sports
    • Security Reports
    • Relays Edition
    • Poll
    • Podcasts
    • Online Exclusives
    • Opinion
  • Satire
No Result
View All Result
The Times-Delphic
No Result
View All Result
Home Opinion

Racism still exists, Strides being made

bySELCHIA CAIN
April 24, 2013
in Opinion
0 0
0

Column by Selchia Cain

Cain is a sophomore public relations and magazines major and can be reached at selchia.cain@drake.edu

Selchia Cain-w2000-h2000Every year, to prepare for Drake University’s oldest tradition, the painted street is white-washed. Erasing the artwork, but never the memories from the years past. As Drake students, making memories on the painted street is just as important as creating the memory of graduation.

But memorable moments on the painted street are not solely limited to the Drake Relays’ tradition. The sidewalk paved with art is also closely connected to Drake’s awkward racial atmosphere. Last year, it was the scene of an incident that disrupted the racial climate of our campus.

For those who don’t remember, or those who weren’t here, I’ll briefly recap what happened. One night, a group of African-American students was walking down the painted street after attending a performance at the Fine Arts Center. Out of the blue, “Get off our campus. We don’t want you on our campus. We don’t like (expletive),” was shouted at them from a Jewett Hall window. The rest of the details on what was said never truly came to light. Nor were the people who shouted those remarks ever identified. But, nevertheless, this obviously sparked a racial upset among the African-American students.

We refused to allow the incident on painted street that night to go unaddressed.  In late March, President Maxwell drafted a campus wide email encouraging us to sign a petition as a call to action to end  the “presence of racism on our campus.”

The word racism, for some odd reason, seems to make peoples’ palms sweat or cause frowns or arguments of disbelief, as if the talk of racism has become a taboo topic since the end of Jim Crow laws during the 1960s. Many students on Drake’s campus were eager to combat the petition, agreeing that this was an isolated incident. They challenged that this was “part of a broader campus culture that pretends racism no
longer exists.”

But I am the three percent who attends Drake, an 89 percent non-minority campus. I am the black Bulldog. And I’m here to tell you that yes — Drake suffers from a diversity deficit that easily fosters room for racism to grow. And guess what? The petition was a wonderful attempt to create a campus “kumbaya,” but still nothing has changed. Since then, the racial issues on our campus have simply been swept under the rug, only leaving behind these awkward particles in the atmosphere creating
subtle racism.

Please don’t misunderstand me, this isn’t about the three percent that makes the African-American population on campus. This is about everyone who doesn’t identify as being a part of the 89 percent. Drake doesn’t just have black issues, we have a diversity issue.

A few things have changed on the administrative side in hopes of understanding how Drake can better support diverse minorities. The Office of Admissions is scouting to create an authentic pool of future Bulldogs. The Provost Office is conducting a study on the retention rates of Latino and African-American students. But changing the racial atmosphere on campus has to be a grassroots effort starting with the student body.

Students still only seem to be interested in embracing diversity when it’s convenient. Attending programs that dazzle them with food and entertainment. But students rarely show an interest when serious conversations are being had about the white privilege that plagues our campus. True change will only come from students who want to change their racial mentalities. With students who want to explore what little diversity Drake has to offer and who aren’t afraid to have those uncomfortable conversations.

It is almost politically correct to sign a petition to support a cause. Creating programs to encourage multicultural understanding sounds good. The embedded “responsible global citizenship” in our mission statement is great, but we as a campus community need to truly change Drake’s racial climate. We have to understand that diversity is a party that everyone is invited to, but inclusion is a party that
everyone enjoys.

Tags: opinionracism

SELCHIA CAIN

Next Post

Redefining Drake’s Greek letters over the years

Twitter Feeds

The Times-Delphic
The Times-Delphic @timesdelphic

The Times-Delphic is looking for commentary pieces for our Relays Edition! Have a controversial opinion, wanna rank the best tv shows, think the moon is cheese... we wanna hear! Please send submissions or pitches to timesdelphic @drake.edu
View on Twitter
3
7
The Times-Delphic
The Times-Delphic @timesdelphic

Congratulations to Morgan Coleman for being elected as Drake University’s student body President for 2021-2022 🎉
View on Twitter
1
68

Recommended

Accommodations for sexual assault survivors questioned

6 years ago

Drake University Honors: A different way to learn

10 years ago

Popular News

  • Snapchat Streaks: fostering friendships or forcing communication?

    Snapchat Streaks: fostering friendships or forcing communication?

    0 shares
    Share 0 Tweet 0
  • Gladwell’s “Outliers” reveals the many factors of success

    0 shares
    Share 0 Tweet 0
  • Drake ranks among Ivy Leagues on Economist list

    0 shares
    Share 0 Tweet 0
  • Several students test positive for COVID-19 in Goodwin-Kirk Residence Hall

    0 shares
    Share 0 Tweet 0
  • Drake Declines to Share Covid Data

    0 shares
    Share 0 Tweet 0
  • Twitch Streamer Raises Money for LGBT Community

    0 shares
    Share 0 Tweet 0
  • The rise and fall of Motown Records

    0 shares
    Share 0 Tweet 0
  • Professor’s Tweets Bring Campus Controversy

    0 shares
    Share 0 Tweet 0
  • Student press is essential for letting students’ voices be heard

    0 shares
    Share 0 Tweet 0
  • Rolle breaks Drake triple jump record

    0 shares
    Share 0 Tweet 0

Connect with us

  • About
  • Home
  • Podcasts
  • Privacy Policy
  • Virtual Edition
  • Advertising

Copyright 2015 Fuel Themes. All RIGHTS RESERVED.

No Result
View All Result
  • News
    • Administrative News
    • Campus Events
    • Campus Health
    • Caucus Roundup
    • In Des Moines
    • Politics
    • Student Politics
    • Student Senate
    • Senate Elections
  • Sports
    • Basketball
    • Column
    • Cross-Country
    • E-Sports
    • Football
    • Golf
    • Rowing
    • Soccer
    • Softball
  • Commentary
    • Horoscope
    • Letter from the Editor
  • Features
    • Greek Life
  • Podcasts
  • Relays Edition
    • Commentary
    • Coronavirus
    • Elections
    • Features
    • In Des Moines
    • News
    • This week in photos
    • Top News
    • Top Stories
    • Uncategorized
    • Video
    • Sports
    • Security Reports
    • Relays Edition
    • Poll
    • Podcasts
    • Online Exclusives
    • Opinion
  • Satire

Copyright 2015 Fuel Themes. All RIGHTS RESERVED.

Welcome Back!

Login to your account below

Forgotten Password?

Create New Account!

Fill the forms bellow to register

All fields are required. Log In

Retrieve your password

Please enter your username or email address to reset your password.

Log In

Add New Playlist