The BYU School of Communications entered the conversation of race alongside two historically black universities, Morgan State and West Virginia University, to discuss how far we have come since the Kerner Commission Report and what changes still need to be made.
BYU Newsline featured some of the positive changes that have been made since the Kerner Commission at BYU and within The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints. Clubs on campus such as the Black Student Union and the Women of Color Club meet to support black students on campus, advertisements for the Church have tried to include more families of different races to be inclusive of a global membership and BYU comms students have worked to understand the conversation about race by inviting people such as social justice activist Bryan Stevenson to campus.
BYU’s campus is 82% white, so it can be difficult to have a thorough conversation on race. However, UVU professor LaShawn Williams says, “We should feel some guilt about white privilege, but not shame. Guilt influences us to act. Don’t be afraid to act. There are small things we can do every day to fight privilege in our communities. Things as simple as asking to volunteer in a classroom with a student who doesn’t get help from a parent at home.”
The media is another platform where privilege is often overlooked. “Where is my representation?” Tamu Smith asked. “Every day white women see themselves in the media. Hiring more racial minorities in the media is important so that African Americans can tell their own stories. It is possible, in today’s world, that a white person could never even come in contact with an African American. This is why it is so important that they hear our stories from us.”
Although a more diverse representation in media seems frustratingly slow moving, one of the Morgan State representatives said, “We can tap into events in the world today through so many mediums, including social media. They do not have to rely solely on the news reporters or stations. We have both the power to be journalists and a responsibility to report.”
LINKS:
102618 Kerner 50 Newscast Segment
102618 Kerner 50 Radio Segment
102618 Kerner 50 Panel Discussion Segment
https://comms.byu.edu/50-years-after-the-kerner-commission-byu-discusses-race/