I was glad to have been able to attend the “Are We In This Together” forum about transforming Lehigh into an antiracist institution that took place last Thursday evening (July 22nd at 4:00 pm). There was an amazing group of panelists who participated that represented many groups on campus and it was a very powerful experience to have been a part of. I was curious to see the steps that Lehigh is going to take in order to become an antiracist community and how I can be a part of that change. As Ibram X. Kendi said, “by choosing to become antiracist, we are choosing to become actively conscious about race and racism and take actions to end racial inequalities in our lives… It’s not about who you are, it’s about what you’re doing”.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=e1RVgDKC6us
Audio Only: https://drive.google.com/file/d/1sEJptsVHklY846zBL3H1cy7yqcE9SMq-/view?usp=sharing
Working in the Office of Multicultural Affairs, I wanted to make sure that I heard each of their voices and learn how I can better support them. Courteney Parry made the statement during the panel that we need to be more intentional in our programming and activities and make sure we are reaching everyone. If there is a group that is missing, we need to find out why and how can we better reach and support them. This resonated with me and I will make it a point to be extra observant of the voices who are missing in the future and what they need from us.
I was happy to hear that Lehigh would be doing more in addressing acts of racism that are happening on campus as well as working towards the enhancement of a diverse community throughout campus. I believe it was Provost Urban who mentioned that a diverse range of perspectives is needed to become a better university and a better community. I’d like to add that it also makes us better people. Dr. Liang then put out the question: are we preparing our students for work in a diverse world? And if we don’t have those skills as faculty and staff then we need to educate ourselves. “Becoming an Antiracist Champion is a process, not a destination. It takes constant effort to grow as individuals and constant effort to grow systems. It takes courage to fail and a commitment to learn”. This really stuck out to me. I am always eager to learn, but I fear failure. Worse, I fear my failure at the expense of someone else. I am striving to overcome this fear. I know that I am human and as I make mistakes I hope others feel comfortable enough to give me feedback and I am comfortable enough to hear, acknowledge, learn and apologize for my mistakes but then grow from them.
I am very grateful for this forum and the commitment Lehigh is making to acknowledge and grow. It takes all of us to make that change. As Gary Chan put it: “We Are One Lehigh”.
-Renee Musser
Coordinator, Office of Multicultural Affairs