More than 200 students, faculty and staff gathered in Koch Commons Thursday night for a “BE-In” event to reclaim the space of Ireland Hall after a racial slur was found in one of its bathrooms. The event was followed by a peaceful protest in front of the men’s dormitory.
This event, which was moved indoors because of rainy weather, followed a Teach In/Speak Out eventearlier Thursday, giving the St. Thomas community a chance to speak out after the racial slur was found Wednesday night.
“Hate is not tolerated on campus,” Associate Vice President of Inclusive Excellence Kha Yang said. “(We are here) to reconfirm our values and our convictions of respect and dignity for everyone.”
The campus gathered Thursday afternoon to declare St. Thomas as an anti-racist community, following the discovery Wednesday night of a racial slur in Ireland Hall.
“As a community whose mission statement calls for us to think critically and act wisely for the common good, you have a responsibility. If you aren’t willing to embrace it, you shouldn’t have come because that’s who we are,” Dean of the College of Arts and Sciences Yohuru Williams told the crowd.
Less than 24 hours after the discovery, the CAS and the School of Education hosted a Teach In/Speak Out event in the O’Shaughnessy Educational Center Auditorium to allow students, faculty and staff to reflect and unite.
For the second time in a year, a racist word has been found in a dormitory on the St. Thomas campus.
President Julie Sullivan announced via email Thursday that students found a “racist word traced in dust on a bathroom window” late Wednesday night in the all-male Ireland Hall.
“This word and the person(s) responsible for writing it have no place within our community. This is an act of hate against our black residents and a damaging act against the entire St. Thomas community,” Residence Life Director Aaron Macke wrote in an email to Ireland residents.
TommieMedia has learned the racist word was found in the third-floor south bathroom.
Sullivan said students reported it immediately, but it was not clear when the slur was written.
Samantha HoangLong can be reached at hoan1058@stthomas.edu.