Running head: INSTITUTIONAL AND PERSONAL ANALYSIS1INSTITUTIONAL AND PERSONAL ANALYSIS 13

Institutional and Personal Analysis: Committing to Diversity and Social JusticeWillie GoreLoyola University Chicago

AbstractI often associate diversity and social justice with the notions of freedom and liberation. Diversity simply celebrates difference. However, I believe that social justice refers to the progression toward true liberation for those who are oppressed, which will be my primary focus throughout this analysis. The freedom that is obtained through social justice is not a destination, but rather a journey that is embarked by those who have the willingness and belief that change is possible. According to Paulo Freire (2008) Freedom is acquired by conquest, not by gift. It must be pursued constantly and responsiblyIt is the quest for human completion (Freire, 2008, p. 47). I equate this quest for freedom to the journey and process of social justice. There are three distinct themes that I would associate with my current understanding of social justice. Firstly, one cannot effectively challenge societal norms without being aware of them. Therefore, consciousness and reflection are key components to challenging systems of inequity. Secondly, consciousness and reflection does not often occur naturally; usually these processes are triggered by crisis and discomfort, which are helpful means of disrupting societal norms. Lastly, once this disruption takes place and consciousness is developed, social justice can finally be pursued through praxis. This paper will examine my current understanding of diversity and social justice, analyze Allegheny Colleges commitment to social justice and diversity, and explore the relationship between my personal analysis and Alleghenys commitment to diversity and social justice.

Consciousness & Personal ReflectionAs a low-income Black male, the pervasiveness of oppression and social injustice is evident. The consciousness that I acquired at a young age was invoked by the salience of my race. I often experience what W.E.B. DuBois (1989) refers to as double-consciousnessA peculiar sensation this sense of always looking at ones self through the eyes of others, of measuring ones soul by the tape of a world that looks on in amused contempt and pity (Dubois, 1989, p. 9). I know who I am through my own self-perception. However, I walk into predominantly White spaces and experience an internal conflict, trying to both accommodate and resist mainstream white societys cultural and linguistic norms (Levinson et al., 2011, p. 209). Due to this heightened awareness, I am unable to ignore or disregard the existence of societal injustices.My positionality as a Black man helps me to not only recognize racial discrimination, but to also be aware of other marginalized and oppressed identities regarding class, gender, sex, ability, etc. Despite the daily psychological strain of double-consciousness, I am thankful for the personal reflection and awareness that has occurred as a result. Lacking this awareness would be far less desirable. According to Freire (2008) As long as the oppressed remain unaware of the causes of their condition, they fatalistically accept their exploitation (p. 64). Oppression is not something that I am simply willing to accept. The first step to challenging the forces that cause oppression is recognizing them. People who cling to their delusions find it difficult, if not impossible, to learn anything worth learning (Lipsitz, 2006, p. 69). According to Paulo Freire (2008) The struggle begins with mens recognition that they have been destroyed (Freire, 2008, p. 68). The reality of injustice and oppression is harsh, but one must first be conscious of it before challenging it.My double-consciousness has enabled me to develop critical consciousness resulting in my awareness of the many systems of inequity within this society (Levinson et al., 2011). Many remain unaware and are resistant to critical consciousness due to the pervasiveness of what Levinson et al. (2011) refers to as common sensean incoherent set of generally held assumptions and beliefs common to any society (p. 52). Many societal norms and injustices go unchallenged and often unnoticed due to these commonly unquestioned beliefs and assumptions held generally by members of a society (Levinson et al., 2011, p. 60). Because common sense is the conception of the world which is uncritically absorbed (Levinson et al., 2011, p. 60), it can only be combatted with the ability to think critically. Critical consciousness must be developed in order for us to be aware of common sense and to develop the good sense that is necessary in the pursuit of social justice (Levinson et al., 2011). Discomfort & CrisisThe journey toward social justice can be uncomfortable. It often involves breaking down the barriers of comfort zones and common sense in order to disrupt the oppressive normalcy that is embedded within society. According to Kumashiro (2002) The desire to learn only what is comforting goes hand in hand with a resistance to learning what is discomforting, and this resistance often proves to be a formidable barrier to movements toward social justice (Kumashiro, 2002, p. 4). Expecting comfort and safety within a learning environment is a very privileged perspective. Those who benefit from comfortable and safe learning often have identities that align to privileged identities, which is not representative of the true learning that takes place within antioppressive education. Kumashiro (2002) suggests that antioppressive education meant learning things that are uncomfortable because they complicate a persons frame of thinking (Kumashiro, 2002, p. 8). Interestingly, institutions of higher education are often places characterized by comfort and safety. Nonetheless, I do question who can actually experience this comfort and safety and when are these two notions sacrificed for the betterment of antioppressive education? In college, individuals often desire comfort, but within the classroom, expectations should differ. Education is not something that involves comfortably repeating what we already learned or affirming what we already know. Rather, education involves learning something that disrupts our commonsense view of the world (Kumashiro, 2002, p. 63). The willingness to experience and value discomfort often results from the consciousness and reflection that was previously mentioned, recognizing that discomfort can result in a necessary and anti-oppressive shift in understanding. Furthermore, discomfort and consciousness can also be experienced as a result of crisis. Crisis has a negative connotation, but can be effectively used as a means to disrupt the oppressive norms of society. It, in many ways, is the antithesis of comfort and safety. According to Kumashiro (2002), learning that the ways in which we think and do things is oppressive involves troubling or unlearning what we have already learned, and this can be quite an emotionally discomforting process, a form of crisis (p. 63). The disruptive nature of crisis causes individuals rethink their current sense of understanding, which is often a necessary when journeying toward a more socially just society. Nonetheless, Educators often try to avoid crisis in order to maintain a sense of control over what students learn (and, for that matter, over how they behave). Yet we can never control what students learnattempts to control education can actually hinder antioppressive change (Kumashiro, 2002, p. 8). Educators must relinquish this false sense of control and be brave to embrace uncertainty and ambiguity in order to both teach and acquire knowledge that challenges oppressive norms. I agree with Kumashiro (2002), teaching and learning really take place only through entering and working through crisis, since it is this process that moves a student from being stuck and into a different intellectual, emotional, and political space (p. 63). Individuals are often stuck with a limited and incomplete understanding of society. Crisis is a means by which people can become unstuck. Recognizing that crisis can also be detrimental to an individuals development, it is important for people to have the space to reflect and process the crisis that they have experienced. In revisiting the crisis through testimony, students are not merely repeating the crisis but are supplementing it, giving it new readings, new meanings, and association with different emotions (Kumashiro, 2002, p. 63). Therefore, educators must prepare for the crisis that often comes with antioppressive education and allow both the time and space for individuals to reflect on their experiences. In this case, educators can exhibit their ability to support others rather than control them. Letting go of control is to open oneself up to crisis, welcome discomfort, and truly partake in antioppressive education that celebrates diversity and progresses toward social justice. Praxis of Social JusticeMany associate social justice with dialogue, which is often perceived as a simple discussion. However, true dialogue is much more than simply having a conversation. According to Freire (2008) the essence of dialogue is the word. But the word is more than just an instrument which makes dialogue possibleWithin the word we find two dimensions, reflection and action There is no true word that is not at the same time praxis (p. 87). Both reflection and action are key components to dialogue. Words lose meaning and equate to silence when action is not incorporated. Human existence cannot be silent, nor can it be nourished by false words, but only by true words, with which men and women transform the worldHuman beings are not built in silence, but in word, in work, in action-reflection (Freire, 2008, p. 88). In order to journey toward social justice one must operate under the assumption that change can not only take place, but that they can be an agent of change. Freire suggests, There would be no human action if humankind were not a project, if he or she were not able to transcend himself or herself, if one were not able to perceive reality and understand it in order to transform it (Freire, 2008, p. 53).Referring to humankind as a project speaks to the mutability and fluidity of this society. A project is something that can be worked on, changed, and improved. Just as objective social reality exists not by chance, but as the product of human action, so it is not transformed by chance (Freire, 2008, p. 51). This agency and intentionality is the critical hope that is necessary to engage in the praxis of social justice. Social justice speaks to the pursuit of liberation through action. Simply acknowledging that change is necessary or being conscious of injustices does not equate to social justice in action. Nonetheless, action without reflection can also be problematic and misguided. Freire (2008) states that The discovery cannot be purely intellectual but must involve action; nor can it be limited to mere activism but must include serious reflection: only then will it be a praxis (p. 65). One must not be satisfied with critical consciousness. Praxis allows individuals to be moved beyond critique toward social action (Levinson et al., 2011, p. 217). Ultimately, my understanding of social justice connects to the concepts of crisis, discomfort, consciousness and action. Each of these notions are interconnected and integral to the process of social justice. Consciousness often leads to necessary discomfort, and crisis often leads to consciousness and reflection. However, to truly engage in social justice work, one must convert this consciousness to praxis. For organizations, the words that construct mission statements often speak to the reflective part of praxis. However, it is also important to assess whether these words align to institutional practices.Allegheny Colleges Mission and Statement of CommunityEducational institutions are interesting subjects when it comes to examining social justice commitment and practice. These institutions are often microcosms of the unjust and oppressive society at large. Kumashiro (2002) stated that, Schools do not stand outside of these structures and ideologies, innocent of the dynamics of oppression, but are institutions or apparatuses that transmit ruling ideologies, maintain hegemony, and reproduce existing social order (Kumashiro, 2002, p. 45). Educational institutions have the ability to reinforce oppressive societal norms and injustices. This, I learned firsthand as an undergraduate of Allegheny College. As a recent alumni of Allegheny College, class of 2010, I have some personal experience that will help illuminate the institutions commitment to diversity and social justice. However, I must also acknowledge and be aware of my own possible biases that could affect this analysis. It is my goal and intent to accurately depict Allegheny Colleges commitment and practices in advancing diversity and social justice. Allegheny Colleges mission statement concludes with the following: Graduates are equipped to think critically and creatively, write clearly, speak persuasively, and meet challenges in a diverse, interconnected world (Allegheny College). This is the only, yet very brief, mention of diversity or social justice within the mission. However, Allegheny has also constructed a Statement of Community that was approved through faculty vote on April 20, 2007 which reads,Allegheny students and employees are committed to creating an inclusive, respectful and safe residential learning community that will actively confront and challenge racism, sexism, heterosexism, religious bigotry, and other forms of harassment and discrimination. We encourage individual growth by promoting a free exchange of ideas in a setting that values diversity, trust and equality. So that the right of all to participate in a shared learning experience is upheld, Allegheny affirms its commitment to the principles of freedom of speech and inquiry, while at the same time fostering responsibility and accountability in the exercise of these freedoms. This statement does not replace existing personnel policies and codes of conduct (Allegheny College, 2007).The intentionality behind this statement is evident. There was a need and desire to verbalize Alleghenys commitment to fostering an environment of inclusivity, justice, and equity which is not evident in the mission statement. Currently, this statement of community appears directly under the mission statement serving as an add-on or extension. These words clearly articulate an overall commitment to social justice and diversity. Nonetheless, there have been various incidents that call into question this commitment.Halloween Blackface IncidentOn October 31, 2010, the night of Halloween, Allegheny College students were seen wearing highly offensive and racist costumes imitating people of color through the use of blackface. The inaction of the institution caused unrest within the multicultural student organizations of the Association for the Advancement of Black Culture (ABC) and Union Latina (UL). A fellow Allegheny alumna from 2010, Jessica McGrady, wrote a letter to the editor of the school newspaper, The Campus, reacting to this incident. McGrady states that specifically Two white students dressed up as Kid Cudi and Lil Wayne, adding blackface to their costumes, a highly offensive, racist and oppressive tradition. Five other students dressed up as Mexicans by wearing sombreros, ponchos and large fake moustaches (McGrady, 2010). ABC consulted the Allegheny administration and nothing was done. Therefore, ABC hosted a forum to appeal to the Allegheny administration, and the Allegheny community as a whole for the establishment of a welcomingliving and learning community at Allegheny (McGrady, 2010). McGrady described the event as emotionally moving, powerful, and courageous on the part of the students. However, she addresses the administration for failing to take action. I am calling out the Allegheny administration on their lack of action, their abdication from responsibility and their current state of ignorance; they must take direct action (McGrady, 2010). From my experience as a former student of Allegheny College, I would agree that, The aforementioned incidents, as well as countless othershave been tactfully swept under the rug (McGrady, 2010). From stolen multicultural banners to the selling and flaunting of confederate flags on campus, Allegheny College has often turned a blind eye to the oppressive practices that have occurred on campus. This ultimately forces me to question whether Allegheny College is truly a community that will actively confront and challenge racism, sexism, heterosexism, religious bigotry, and other forms of harassment and discrimination (Allegheny College, 2007). Actions Speak Louder than WordsAs I suggested earlier, social justice is the pursuit of liberation through praxis. It will not suffice for individuals to simply be aware of injustices and fail to take action. According to Freire (2008) To affirm that men and women are persons and as persons should be free, and yet to do nothing tangible to make this affirmation a reality, is a farce (p. 50). The words of Alleghenys statement of community are meaningless when administration are not willing to take what McGrady would refer to as direct action. Nicely written e-mails are not direct action, though they have been a popular method of response in the past (McGrady, 2010). For higher education institutions, words and mission statements are not enough to show a commitment to social justice. Antioppressive education takes place only through social action; learning happens when acting in the world (Kumashiro, 2002, p. 47). The lack of commitment that is exhibited by institutions such as Allegheny College can cause frustration and hopelessness. Nonetheless, these marginalized students must perceive the reality of oppression not as a closed world from which there is no exit, but as a limiting situation which they can transform (Freire, 2008, p. 49). There is agency within the positionality of the oppressed. The Agency of the OppressedDue to the inaction of the predominantly White administration of Allegheny College, the onus of challenging these injustices is placed on the oppressed, marginalized, and isolated students. This is the basis of Freires (2008) pedagogy of the oppressedwhich is the pedagogy of people engaged in the fight for their own liberation (p. 53). This is the great humanistic and historical task of the oppressed: to liberate themselves and their oppressors as well (Freire, 2008, p. 44). If Freire (2008) is right when suggesting that oppressorscannot findthe strength to liberate either the oppressed or themselves (p. 44), Alleghenys inaction makes sense. Giving a voice to the oppressed is imperative when challenging systems of inequity. Freire (2008) references this notion.Attempting to liberate the oppressed without their reflective participation in the act of liberation is to treat them as objects which must be saved from a burning building; it is to lead them into the populist pitfall and transform them into masses which can be manipulated (p. 65). Contrary to popular belief, the oppressed are not powerless. Those who experience oppression have both the ability and agency to reflect on their current situation and journey towards liberation, which is exhibited by the students of Allegheny College. Accompanying others on that journey without listening can further reinforce the oppression, objectification, and dehumanization that they are experiencing. As marginalized students learn to navigate the often oppressive climate of Allegheny College and work toward their humanized liberation, they must first have the critical hope to recognize that change is possible. Concern for humanization leads at once to the recognition of humanization, not only as an ontological possibility but as an historical reality (Freire, 2008, p. 43). The possibility of change is justified by history. Change has occurred and will continue to as long as there are hopeful people who are willing to take action. The journey toward social justice is fueled by critical hope, the belief that both societal transformation is possible.A people under the necessity of creating themselves must examine everything, and soak up learning the way the roots of a tree soak up water. A people still held in bondage must believe that Ye shall know the truth, and the truth shall make ye free (Lipsitz, 2006, p. 69).Critical hope is this truth that will enable individuals to seek consciousness, show resilience through crisis, and take action for the betterment of a more just society.

ReferencesAllegheny College. (n.d.). College mission statement. Retrieved from http://sites.allegheny.edu/about/?utm_source=mainnav&utm_medium=web&utm_content=About&utm_campaign=HomePage2013Allegheny College. (2007). Statement of community. Retrieved from http://sites.allegheny.edu/about/?utm_source=mainnav&utm_medium=web&utm_content=About&utm_campaign=HomePage2013DuBois, W. E. B. (1989). The souls of Black folk. New York, NY: Random House.Freire, P. (2008). Pedagogy of the oppressed. New York, NY: Continuum.Kumashiro, K. K. (2002). Troubling education: Queer activism and anti-oppressive pedagogy.New York: Routledge.Levinson, B. A. U., Gross, J. P. K., Hangs, C., Dadds, J. H., Kumasi, K. D, Link, J., & Metro-Roland, D. (2011). Beyond critique: Exploring critical social theories and education. Boulder, CO: Paradigm.Lipsitz, G. (2006). The possessive investment in whiteness: How white people profit from identity politics (2nd ed.). Philadelphia, PA: Temple University Press.McGrady, J. R.(2010). Letter to the Editor: Administration fell short in response to blackface incident. The Campus. Retrieved fromhttp://alleghenycampus.com/684/opinion/letter-editor-administration-fell-short-response-blackface-incident/