As a freshman at Simpson College, it only took a few weeks for me to learn that our campus is not thoroughly capable of handling issues related to diversity. In specific, I am focusing on the racial diversity and acceptance on campus.

Being unfairly confronted by a CA because my black friends made “people feel uncomfortable” wasn’t very welcoming and hurt a lot. The very organization that was made to make sure residents feel at home, safe, and accepted on campus is the organization that opened my eyes to the problems on campus.

The fact that I could outline many instances of racism and discrimination that not only myself but other people of color have experienced is very troubling. This is not okay. I firmly believe that Simpson’s campus as a whole is not fully capable of handling these issues. It is micro-aggressions like this that make Simpson an unwelcoming place for a lot of people of color.

With that being said, I think that it is integral that there is representation for not only people of color, but all minorities on campus. With the recent letter that has sparked much debate about the makeup of SGA and how to increase diversity within the organization, I would like to remind everyone where the real issue still lies.

Whether or not you agree with the letter and what was said in it, please remember that there are still voices that aren’t being represented and other racial and minority issues that are very prevalent and still occurring on our campus at this very moment. I ask that you please do not lose focus on what the real issues were to begin with.