Letter to the Editor:

Majority students must take responsibility for their own learning

By Ashley Price, Queer People of Color co-founder

Published March 9, 2010

Mr. Paul, when I was in undergrad and a student leader I had the opportunity to meet you several times as I was a member of the queer student leadership on campus. When I initially began reading your column in The Maneater I was hopeful that you were to take a stance that would help to educate our campus on why some the rising comments about the cotton incident are both ignorant and unwarranted. However, instead you took the opportunity to blame some white students' ignorance on the lack of outreach YOU see the minority organizations having. Because of this, Mr. Paul, not only have you perpetuated the kind of ill placed rhetoric that has permeated our campus because of this incident, but you blatantly ignore the hard work minority student leaders have put into each of their outreach and educational programs.

I appropriately will not speak for other organizations and I will only speak from my experiences. I have worked with queer organizations for the last three years and in many cases have been directly involved in programming and marketing, for Queer People of Color and the former Gamma Rho Lambda. I have worked on many pride month, coming out, and workshop events in these years. All of the events have been heavily advertised and have in every way tried to reach not just the demographic that normally appreciates social justice organizing. I have actually directly spoken to you at a Queer Leadership Council meeting, in front the rest of the members, to discuss how you would help try to bring in the demographic of white students who never wanted to attend these events even knowing about their presence. I remember you stating that this was an issue MSA did not take lightly and wanted to help facilitate more people attending these events on our campus. What is interesting is the conversation I had with you I was privileged enough to have with the whole MSA senate as a freshman where I garnered the same responses, due to lack of support for Day of Silence.

So I wonder Mr. Paul, at what point do you stop blaming the minority students and organizations and start blaming the majority who are in power? You say that we needed to work on our outreach as if we are the problem. Well I remember doing outreach and I remember the large amount of outreach programs from our minority and diversity organizations that still exist to this day. So before you begin blaming those who have worked hard to get the message out there let me ask you a few questions, that perhaps will throw out your "outreach is the problem idea". Where were you for our open pride month events and discussions? Where were you for queer people of color's talk on coming out in minority communities? Where were you during coming out week? Where were you at discussions, forums, workshops, and events? More importantly where was our fellow Mizzou community you think we are responsible for? If the educational programs are out there and we are trying to get all to attend why is it still my responsibility to hold someone's hand and guide them to where they need to learn more about diversity? I thought part of college was coming into adulthood and seeking education.

Let me state this clear: the programs are out there, the events advertised, the facilities are on our campus, the offices are open, the people are friendly, and I know I am waiting for someone like you to take the leap and join us in our missions.