Diversity 2023 - The Statesman

FEB. 2023

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THE STATESMAN

Diversity at Stony Brook University 41 years after being called a “racist school”

By Mariam Guirgis In the 1980s, Howardena Pindell, a Black professor in the Department of Art at Stony Brook University, was the victim of a hate crime in her office on campus.

The day after appearing on a television program for WLIW2, Long Island’s PBS Station, Pindell returned back to campus to find black paint thrown across her door by students. They also poured acid under the door of the office next to hers, one that belonged to a Jewish professor.

Recent incidents of racism and antisemitism on Stony Brook’s campus demonstrate that Pindell’s experience is still relevant today.

“When I first joined the faculty, the racism of the students was pretty intense,” Pindell said. “I remember that some of the Black male students were afraid of the white male students and the white male students would walk around with a lot of swagger.”

Pindell recounted that she experienced a great deal of hatred from Stony Brook students during her 44 years of teaching, especially after her television program where she discussed racial issues on Long Island.

Pindell said that upon filing a complaint about what had happened to her office door, the University “didn’t do anything, I don’t think they were set up to do anything.”

On Feb. 4, 1982, The Stony Brook Press released an article discussing racism at Stony Brook and in the Undergraduate Student Government. The article mentions how the school was not as diverse as it should have been, and students who were considered a minority on campus had to deal with a large amount of discrimination.

The Statesman could not find any records of student enrollment by race or ethnicity from the 1980s. But, in 1995, 10% of students identified as Black or African American, 18.9% identified as Asian and 49.3% were white.

Forty-one years later, students and faculty members are reflecting on whether Stony Brook has changed.

According to Stony Brook’s Fall Headcount Enrollment by Any Indicated Race/Ethnicity, in 2022, less than 10% of students identified as Black or African American and 14.9% were Hispanic or Latino.

Most of Stony Brook’s population was either Asian, making up 44.2%, or white, making up 37.2% of the student population.

As a 1977 Stony Brook alumnus, Jonathan Friedman, a lecturer for the honors and undergraduate colleges, feels that the University makes a continuous effort to be as diverse as possible.

“The administration really puts an emphasis on diversity, they really try hard to recruit a diverse class of students and hire a diverse group of faculty members,” Friedman said. “So you get the best of both worlds.”

Pindell sees the progress herself.

“It’s much more diverse as a campus now,” Pindell said. “I see students are friendly with each other. You didn’t really see that much before early on.”

Sydney Bush, a senior sociology major with a minor in Africana studies, disagrees.

“Racism here is not an individual experience at all. [It] isn’t a one time thing,” Bush said. “[It] is something

Data collected from Stony Book’s Fall Headcount Enrollment.

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that is recurring and ingrained in the culture of Stony Brook University.”

On Feb. 9 of this year, Bush had a verbal altercation with one of her suitemates. Bush said that her suitemate insulted her by saying “the monkey is mad because she can’t get her bananas.” In the past, this phrase was used by white supremacists in order to dehumanize and objectify Black people.

Bush said the University’s response failed to meet her expectations — much like what happened to Pindell in the 1980s.

An old photograph of professor and artist Howardena Pindell Unsatisfied with the displaying her first exhibition as an assistant professor at Stony University, Bush took matters into Brook University in 1980. TIM GIORLANDO/THE STATESMAN her own hands. She posted her story on Instagram, and within days received to them, I think they’re not doing as much as nearly 3,000 likes and over 100 comments. they should be doing.”

“It wasn’t until I took to social media that Friedman feels the opposite.

I started receiving an overwhelming amount “I’m pretty confident in saying the school of administrators contacting me,” she said. will respond to the needs of the students, Bush said that she told her residential whatever those needs are,” he said. hall director about the situation, who reDespite conflicting standpoints on the sponded later in the day. After contacting University’s progress over the past four the hall director and posting about the incidecades, Pindell recognized the positive dent online, the suitemate was removed from changes she has seen with the student body. the suite and an incident report was filed.

“The kids have become nicer as people, “Students are being more proactive and I think partly because the campus is with whatever issues they have,” said in itself more diversified — so they’re in Vivianne Hung, a senior business an environment that now is comfortable — management and applied math and statistics Stony Brook is kind of an oasis of civility,” major. “In terms of Stony Brook responding Pindell said.

Students address lack of political diversity at SBU

DIVERISTY 2023

By Sky Crabtree

At Stony Brook University, where over 22.2% considered themselves conservative or “I would say that when it comes to politi17,000 undergraduate students attend what far right. cal ideology on campus, it’s definitely on the USA Today ranked as the ninth most diverse college in America, students with unpopular political perspectives feel they cannot openly voice their opinions.

Even the president of College Republicans feels the need to censor her views in academic settings.

Sara Adcock admits to having submitted assignments that aligned with her professors’ beliefs rather than her own out of concern for her grades.

“Regretfully, earlier on, there’s been one or two occasions where I’ve handed in papers I wrote that were in opposition to my personal political beliefs out of worry I wouldn’t receive an adequate grade,” Adcock, a junior health sciences major, said. “Being a student at Stony Brook guarantees being almost explicitly taught and exposed to progressive values.”

A Turning Point USA protest at Stony Brook University on Sept. 12, 2021.

According to a 2017 study conducted by the TIM GIORLANDO/THE STATESMAN Higher Education Research Institute at the University of California, Los Angeles, 48.3% When it comes to Stony Brook faculty, liberal side of things,” Karim said. “There’s of college professors across America identify as although there is no data documenting their definitely a lot more democrats registered on politically liberal. political ideologies, employees of the university campus, and there’s certainly a lot more of a In the same study, the 2017 incoming donated over $55,000 to left-leaning organizaprogressive kind of perspective.” class of college freshmen was surveyed tions in 2021.

Karim theorized that Stony Brook’s about their political beliefs. These results Sowad Karim, president of College STEM-heavy student population may play a showed 35.5% of students aligned themselves Democrats, has taken note of student political role in the lack of political activity on campus. with liberal or far-left ideology, while trends at Stony Brook.

Karim explained that, from his perspective,

the fewer students interested in careers in the public sector lead to less political involvement on campus.

But, there have still been a number of political events on campus. College Socialists president Amanda Basinger, a senior double majoring in applied math and statistics and economics, recalled a time when several clubs joined together in response to Turning Point USA (TPUSA), a right-wing political action group, coming to campus.

On Sept. 12, 2021, TPUSA, the New York Young Republican Club and the Long Island Loud Majority held a protest on Stony Brook’s campus after the State University of New York (SUNY) put a system-wide vaccination mandate on its campuses.

“All of us were kind of frightened by the movement of the far right and the dangerous national organization that TPUSA is,” Basinger said.

The Stony Brook College Democrats and the LGBTQS+ Alliance had a meeting with the head of clubs to express their concerns about TPUSA’s campus presence.

“They told us [that] we’re sorry to hear that but we have to protect free speech,” Basinger said. “So our plan of action then shifted to explaining to people what TPUSA does.”

Several counter-protesters appeared at the event, and one person who planned to attend Continued on page 7

Intersectional identities in medicine and research: Dr. Farzana Ali’s journey

By Lori Saxena In December 2022, former Stony Brook University undergraduate and new physician-scientist, Dr. Farzana Ali, added yet another degree to the growing list of letters behind her name.

Ali had just finished her Ph.D. in biomedical engineering. She already completed her M.D. at the University of Buffalo and her bachelor’s with Honors, M.S. and M.P.H. degrees from Stony Brook.

For Ali, an international student and a woman of color who uses a wheelchair, the path to finishing her doctorate was neither linear nor traditional.

When she started her undergraduate studies, Ali knew that she wanted to merge her interests in science and math with her desire to work in a humanitarian career, inspiring her to pursue medicine. However, making her goals a reality proved to be a little difficult at first.

“My initial struggles in undergrad were connecting with students,” Ali said. “In the STEM field, most students were males who would hang out in groups, and there were moments when I felt excluded. And for me, it was even more difficult because I came from a different country at that time to pursue my undergraduate education.”

Prior to matriculating at Stony Brook, Ali had grown up in Bangladesh and struggled to adjust to a new environment. She was also on federal work study and was balancing her financial struggles with her academic ones.

“I had the language barrier and I was not very familiar with the culture,” Ali said. “At the same time, being a female in a male-dominated field felt even more overwhelming.”

To compound the culture shock, during her sophomore year, Ali was involved in a motor vehicle accident. Her family’s car was hit by a drunk driver, causing her to suffer a spinal cord injury that left her in a wheelchair.

“On top of everything else, I suddenly had to learn to live in this new body, and then learn to navigate through a world which is not made for people in wheelchairs. I knew I wanted to be a doctor at some point in my career. I just did not know how to go on that path in this newly disabled body.”

According to the National Institutes of Health (NIH), 9% of graduates in the biological and biomedical sciences reported having one or more disabilities. Scientists and engineers with disabilities also have a 2.94% higher unemployment rate than those without disabilities.

In particular, female faculty with disabilities in the STEM fields comprise an understudied, underserved and often invisible population.

But for Ali, her intersectional identity as a disabled woman of color, became a source of strength. From learning how to connect with others and take advantage of the available resources, she developed skills and abilities that not only helped her

grow as a student, but also as a human being.

“As a female, I learned that I should not focus so much on my gender, but what I’m capable of doing, and that’s the sense of strength that actually helped me deal with my disability as well,” Ali said. “Rather than focusing on what distinguishes me or isolates me from the rest of the class, I used it as a strength to connect with others and look beyond what’s isolating, to find something that’s a common experience.”

By developing a stronger sense of self-confidence and pushing herself to connect with others despite the lanA headshot photo of Dr. Farzana Ali. PHOTO COURTESY OF guage barrier and concerns FARZANA ALI about her physical disability, Ali persisted, and eventually She was also one of the participants thrived, in a predominantly male discipline. selected by the American Physician Scientists According to the National Library of Association to attend the 2022 Introduction to Medicine, only 3% of medical school appliAcademic Radiology program. cants in the United States every year apply For Ali, it was her limitations and uniquefor M.D./Ph.D. training. After finishing both ness that allowed her to reach these heights. her M.D. and Ph.D., Ali is currently doing a Her experiences taught her to look beyond transitional year in internal medicine as a her limitations and focus on what she is able 2023 match applicant to the Diagnostic to do instead of what would prevent her from Radiology residency. achieving her full potential.

Continued on page 5

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THE STATESMAN

Atrocities in Iran spark Stony Brook responses

By Sonya Gugliara

Oceans away from Iran, Stony Brook students are doing their part on campus to raise awareness of the protests happening worldwide following the death of Mahsa Amini in September 2022.

Mahsa Amini was a 22-year-old woman who died after three days of being detained by police for reportedly not following the country’s dress code in September 2022.

Protestors, especially women, are demanding the end of the mandatory hijab law. The Guidance Patrol, or “morality police,” has the authority to arrest or fine individuals violating the Islamic Republic’s dress code.

Stony Brook University’s Iranian student population has banded together to support the movement and spread the protesters’ message.

“We hear their voice, and we are their voice here,” said an Iranian Ph.D. student who has asked to remain anonymous out of safety concerns.

The Iranian Graduate Student Association has played an active role in Stony Brook University’s advocacy for Iran since the start of the uprisings. The association’s main goal is to raise awareness and show support for the people of Iran.

Stony Brook joined over 200 college vcampuses around the world that have participated in demonstrations to protest the actions of the Islamic Republic. On Nov. 30, 2022, the Iranian Graduate Student Organization held a demonstration in the Student Union.

Members of the Iranian Student Association participated in the movement by cutting off some of their own hair at the demonstration. Hair-cutting has become a prevalent act of protest as a way to challenge the standards set by the Islamic Republic.

“It’s a symbol of feminism,” said Zavosh Mottadesh, a Ph.D. student in computer science and president of the Iranian Graduate Student Association.

Attendees also dipped their hands in red paint and pressed them on a banner to symbolize the loss and bloodshed of Iranian protesters.

As described by the unnamed Ph.D. student, a key component of protests is to encourage Americans to “raise awareness [and] talk about this … so that more people know what’s happening.”

Members of the Iranian Graduate Student Association informed audiences of the killing of innocent Iranians, while also playing videos that displayed the international protests in solidarity.

Additionally, students sang Iranian protest music at the event. The motifs of these songs were female empowerment and resilience.

“We are trying to spread the word internationally,” Mottadesh said.

Over 500 protesters have been killed in Iran since September 2022. Over 19,600 people have been detained.

“Not only do I hope, but I believe and want conditions in Iran to get better,” Mahan Agha-Zahedi, a Ph.D. student in electrical engineering, said. “The only way for that to happen is to overthrow the government. I doubt that the government officials will resign.”

The Iranian peoples’ relationship with their government also became a topic of discussion during the World Cup in November and December 2022.

The Iranian soccer team’s captain, Ehsan Hajsafi, publicly supported protestors and ex-

pressed alignment with the Iranian people over the government.

“We have to accept that the situation in our country is not good and that our people are not happy, they are discontent,” Hajsafi said at a press conference. “We are here, but it does not mean we should not be their voice or that we should not respect A sign held at the Stony Brook Union on Nov. 30, 2022 in memoriam of them. Whatever we individuals who have been killed by the Iranian Government over recent have is theirs.” protests. COURTESY IRANIAN GRADUATE STUDENT ASSOCIATION Although Stony said. “Unfortunately, nobody knows when Brook students may conditions in Iran will get better.” agree with Hajsafi’s statement, they have President Raisi publicly blamed all of the conflicted opinions about the Iranian soccer team’s overall involvement in the competition. unrest in Iran on Western influence during a televised speech on Feb. 11. While this speech “In Iran, sport is very much involved was being streamed online, a hacker group inwith politics, and the government has a significant control over sport,” Mottadesh said. terrupted for several seconds before the regular feed was restored.

“Iranian people within and outside of Iran A masked woman appeared on screen. requested FIFA to ban the Iranian national With an altered voice, she called for the soccer team from the World Cup, but FIFA continuation of protests against the didn’t care.”

Islamic Republic.

When Iran’s team faced Wales, they did But the unknown does not stop the not sing their national anthem in an act of Iranian Graduate Student Association from protest, which resulted in negative attenadvocating for the people in Iran. The devtion from the Iranian government. But, the astation arising from death and injustice is sentiment remains that no specific effort can still felt, and it pushes students to continue definitively end the horrifying circumstances showing their support. in Iran.

“I feel like I’m losing a friend every day,” “Nobody can predict anything, but I the anonymous student said. “I’m mourning believe it’s going to be better someday either people I don’t even know every day.” in this generation or the next,” Mottadesh

Signs held up at a demonstration by the Iranian Graduate Student Association on Nov. 30, 2022. COURTESY OF THE IRANIAN GRADUATE STUDENT ASSOCIATION

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Dr. Farzana

DIVERISTY 2023

Continued from page 3

“I became more cognizant of the need for a healthy life to ultimately pursue my goals,” Ali said. “I also realized that I can do it at my own pace. I don’t have to follow the timeline that society has placed on me.”

Ali is referring to the “traditional” path that many students take, both to a career in medicine and through higher education, where they apply to graduate programs directly after they finish their undergraduate degrees.

Many stigmas persist against non-traditional students who don’t follow this path.

Oftentimes they are older, career-changers, or simply apply to graduate programs later in life. However, many medical schools are currently working to better embrace new aspects of diversity by recognizing the benefits of non-traditional career paths.

Ali’s disability made it harder for her to follow a linear path to her medical and doctorate degrees. When she initially came back from the hospital, she took her time to retrain her body to adapt to its environment, both academically and at home. She also spent time relearning the resources that were available to her. This included seeking support from professors, TAs, the pre-health offices, etc.

“I felt like I came out as a more balanced person who valued relationships more after

my injury. And thankfully, gradually I was able to go to med school and finish my studies,” Ali said.

Throughout the whole process, Ali learned how important it was for her to draw strength from the connections she had, and how to keep herself healthy, both mentally and physically.

“Those are the things that will keep you alive when life gets really difficult, and it gets harder to move on,” she said.

Ali also benefitted extensively from female mentorship through her undergraduate and graduate studies. She aims to become a role model for more girls in the future.

By serving as a teaching assistant at Stony Brook, she was able to connect with high school, undergraduate and graduate students

in engineering and pre-health fields. The small number of female students in her classes are what made her more aware of the need for females in computer science and engineering.

“I also realized that I was fortunate to have a mentor from the field of electrical engineering, where the female representation is also comparatively low,” Ali said, referring to her Ph.D. dissertation advisor, Christine DeLorenzo, with whom she connected while she was an undergraduate.

Ali’s connections with her mentors largely inspired her path.

“Those connections were so strong I do not want to let go of that just for my career

“As a female, I learned that I should not focus so much on my gender, but what I’m capable of doing. And that’s the sense of strength that actually helped me deal with my disability as well.”

-Dr. Farzana Ali

aspirations,” Ali said. “And I have learned in my academic journey, that the most important parts are the people and the connections that I made. So even if I had to take a detour in my path, to stay close to those connections, I happily did that.”

Instead of pursuing a traditional M.D./ Ph.D. degree, she wanted to stay in the lab where she completed her master’s degrees and pursue her medical education at an institution that was more accommodating of her disability.

For Ali, the University of Buffalo had the financial resources and the personnel to meet those needs. After graduating, she then came back to Stony Brook, where her dissertation focused on the application of machine-learning techniques for the prediction of antidepressant treatment response.

In the future, Ali strives to pursue academic medicine, where she can teach the next generation of physicians and biomedical engineers and serve the patient community.

“It’s up to us females who are currently in the field to encourage the next generation and help them see how many opportunities there are, and pave the path for them,” Ali said.

Like it was done for us.”

Op-Ed: How a 1992 study influenced police brutality beliefs

By Katherine Moquete

Content warning: sexual violence Tyre Nichols, a 29-year-old Black man, was threatened, pepper sprayed, tased and brutally beaten by five Memphis police officers on the evening of Jan. 7.

The sounds of Nichols begging, pleading and crying for his mother were ignored. He lay on the pavement bleeding, just 100 yards away from home.

This came after officers pulled Nichols over for a traffic stop following alleged “reckless driving.”

Officers immediately used excessive force for the entirety of their encounter with Nichols despite him exhibiting no dangerous behavior. Following the vicious abuse and violation of his rights, Nichols passed away at St. Francis Hospital on Jan. 10 — his face so horribly battered he was unrecognizable to loved ones.

There are countless instances of police brutality throughout American history but, in the last 10 years, there has been increased attention toward police violence. The response to the killings of Trayvon Martin, George Floyd, Breonna Taylor and Eric Garner all exemplify this.

Yet, coverage of these victims will often fixate on alleged criminal pasts or decry them as “no angel” without placing blame on police officers.

The biggest question is: why is the public perception of police brutality focused on the “violent” offender rather than the police officers responsible?

Let us go back to the United States in the 1990s — a country plagued by crack cocaine, violent crimes and major police reform.

During this era, two FBI agents began to investigate and conduct interviews for a study they titled “Killed in the Line of Duty.”

One leader of the study had experience as a police lieutenant, and the other was a Catholic priest with a doctorate in psychology.

In addition to this, the study reiterated that the behavior of an offender is what makes an encounter aggressive.

Police violence with minimal provocation is also apparent in the 2014 murder of Eric Garner who displayed no violent nature.

Despite his nonviolent crime, Garner was placed in an illegal chokehold and arrested in an aggressive manner that turned fatal.

This is also apparent in the 1997 case of Abner Louima, who was arrested at a nightclub after a physical altercation with another partygoer. He was accused of allegedly “attacking a police officer” and resisting arrest, both of which were later proven false in court.

He was beaten, strip-searched and raped with a broomstick before being dumped at Coney Island Hospital by police officers claiming to Ohio individuals protesting in front of the Statehouse in January 2023. BY BECKER1999/CC BY 2.0 have found him partaking in “abnormal homoThey decided to analyze the motives behind While the study had no ill intent, it uninsexual activity.” the actions of convicted police murders. tentionally informed modern understanding of Later in court, the officers involved admitOver three years, the duo interviewed 50 police brutality. ted they did not feel threatened by Louima. offenders that were responsible for the deaths This interpretation soon reached the Despite the public’s introduction to of 54 police officers. The leaders of the study ears of police departments nationally. Some Nichols in this tragic manner, we must not investigated what characteristics the murdered analysts have suggested that it led to a change brand him solely as a victim. We must not police officers shared, in addition to the psyin officers’ mindsets, treating all perceived brand any of those murdered at the hands of chological health of the offender. offenders as threats to their safety. police only as victims. They were all individThe study garnered national acclaim and Officers arguably then started to treat all uals who led meaningful lives, accomplished was even featured on the front page of The offenders they encountered as potential threats goals, had hopes and dreams and left their New York Times. As a world-renowned news to their safety. The instilling of a “domimarks on loved ones. Tyre Nichols was a outlet, the impact of their words can heavily nate-or-die” notion amongst police is still father, an aspiring photographer and a son. sway the minds of those who read to inform prevalent today and is heavily exhibited by the The way to honor his legacy is to themselves on race and politics. The 1992 killing of Tyre Nichols. appreciate his work, give his family time to study’s prestige, doubtlessly boosted by The “Don’t move,” followed by “Give me your grieve and spread awareness of police brutality Times, has made it a lasting and influential hands” and “Lie flat, goddamnit,” were some so we will never have to hear another narrative document in policing. of the conflicting commands barked by the five of this injustice.

The study’s conclusion showed that Memphis police officers who detained Nichols.

In order to avoid the harm the study police officers killed in the line of duty “Defying” their orders was interpreted as a re- perpetuated, the country needs education by those interviewed were “good-natured” bellion and as an unjust result. Force was used regarding police brutality, police culture, and overall friendly individuals who used on Nichols despite bodycam footage showing racism and privilege. Choosing to ignore the little to no force with offenders. The officers’ no grounds for violence. issue at hand and to not educate yourself on amiable behaviors made them well-liked We need to stop extrapolating the study’s your own privilege makes you a contributor in their communities, as well as in findings to deaths like Tyre Nichols’, which do to the problem. Say his name and do not their departments. not involve violence against police officers. forget him: Tyre Nichols.

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THE STATESMAN

Black World is more than just another media organization

By Sonya Gugliara

With Black World’s first printed issue in 10 years scheduled to be released soon, the publication is renewing its mission to represent the voices of Black and Latino students on campus. The printed newspaper coming out at the end of February aims to distinguish itself from other Stony Brook University media organizations.

“Black World is a media organization where we try to highlight Latino and Black students on this campus,” said Black World lead writer Audrey Fernandez, a senior majoring in biology and minoring in Africana Studies.

Founded in 1974, Black World primarily served as a core aspect of activism on campus, as well as a means for Black and Hispanic students to report on news from their perspectives.

A 1979 edition of a Black World publication, for example, features a variety of articles surrounding student life, from sports to rallies covered with “the black perspective in mind.”

Now, Fernandez and the rest of Black World aim to continue extending their impact, serving Stony Brook’s Black and Latino communities through print publications, multimedia content, general body meetings and events.

“The vision for Black World [is to] be the proving grounds for young Black creatives on this campus,” said Oluwatunmise Akinfeleye, a junior political science and journalism major and Black World vice president.

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Black World took a hiatus from 2013 to care about,” said Meloseri Dumnoi, a it gets scary because it’s not as if what you’re 2018. Fernandez was told this break was due video editor and freshman majoring in saying is wrong, but people around you might to a lack of not relate to your experience.”

USG fundThe concept of a shared experience ing. When is one of Black World’s main priorities. the organiBlack World is Stony Brook’s only media zation came organization focused on and catered to the back to life, Black and Latino community.

Fernandez “What better way than learning said that through us, instead of hearing from COVID-19 others,” Fernandez said. “Yeah, we could made it be part of The Press or The Statesman and difficult for write an article, but it’s not the same as continuity, an entire [publication] being by students making the of color and for students of color.” upcoming Fernandez’s statement alluded to a publication section of The Statesman called “Black of the Black Voice” that was active for some time durHistory ing the 1960s. She described the section Month as “before Black World was Black World.”

From the left, freshman Meloseri Dumnoi, junior Oluwatunmise Akinfeleye and senior Audrey special issue Fernandez holding Black World’s last printed issue from 2013.

The special issue is expected to be in BRITTNEY DIETZ/THE STATESMAN especially circulation by the end of the month. meaningful.

Black World will be hosting a launch “2022 was the year [Black World] basically economics, globalization studies and party on Feb. 25 in the United Nationalities started rising back up, and then I feel like the international relations. in the Transcending Ideologies (UNITI) publication kind of set in stone,” Fernandez Dumnoi said joining Black World as a Cultural Center. said. “It really kicked it off into the momenfreshman significantly eased her transition The organization evidently has aspirations tum of Black World.” into college. She described the organization as beyond being yet another campus publication.

Aside from publishing articles and creative a safe space for people to express themselves.

They strive to make a mark on the University writing, Black World serves as a comforting “I think it’s a nice place to come and just and beyond. environment for students. talk about the things you want to talk about,” “I want it to be a place where years down “It’s just nice to be around creative people, Dumnoi said. “Sometimes in class, you want to the line, we can have notable alumni like ‘Oh, creative people who care about the things I say something you want to add, but sometimes yeah, started at Black World,’” Akinfeleye said.

Staff Editor-in-Chief.................Jeremy Portnoy Managing Editor.......Katherine Procacci Managing Editor.................Viola Flowers Managing Editor...............Maria Lynders

SBU cultural clubs forge communities and provide educational resources

By Beth Gatto

At Stony Brook University, organizations for underrepresented communities News Editor....................................Lori Saxena are an important part of student life.

Stony Brook’s campus now hosts Sports Editor............................Mike Anderson over 70 clubs that provide an established Opinions Editor.....................Christine Kelley community to students of different backMultimedia Editor...................Tim Giorlando grounds. The Afghan Student Organization, the Caribbean Student OrganizaCopy Chief......................................Skylar Sena tion and the Sikh Student Association Audience Engagement...............Alissa Pabon are just a few examples.

Ethnic organizations are widely conAsst. News Editor....................Sonya Gugliara sidered some of the most important stuAsst. Arts & Culture Editor.........Jenna Zaza dent clubs. They provide environments Asst. Sports Editor......................Matt Howlin that allow for connections between students who share a cultural identity.

Asst. Sports Editor..................Kenny Spurrell Cultural groups help forge commuAsst. Opinions Editor...........Anya Marquardt nities on campus. They also act as eduAsst. Opinions Editor..................Sara McGiff cational resources to inform the student body about other cultures.

Asst. Multimedia Editor.........Brittney Dietz “All of these people share a heritage Asst. Multimedia Editor..........Camron Wang and we can just all gather into one place,” David Gonzalez, a freshman Asst. Copy Editor..........................Olivia Erndl representative for the Latin American Asst. Copy Editor..................Alyssa Pascocello Student Organization (LASO), said.

Asst. Audience Engagement..McKenzie Post “They can come and gather with their friends … share music, share their life events, things that they are going through … that is very important in terms of a supportive aspect of being a community.”

To contact the Editor-in-Chief and Managing Efforts towards ensuring inclusion for all students are a primary goal for Editors about organizational comments, Stony Brook. questions, suggestions, corrections or The University’s Diversity Plan photo permission, email states that “there have been various efforts in the past, along with current editors@sbstatesman.com. work being done, to improve the campus climate and to make headway The Statesman is a student-run, student-written in meeting the goal of developing a more inclusive community at incorporated publication at Stony Brook UniStony Brook.” versity in New York. The paper was founded Student organizations also play an integral part in the goal by holding as The Sucolian in 1957 at Oyster Bay, the events to educate and celebrate their original site of Stony Brook University. In respective cultures.

LASO in particular hosted events 1975, The Statesman was incorporated as a like Café Con Laso, a Day of the not-for-profit, student-run organization. Its Dead Celebration and conversations editorial board, writers and multimedia staff on Colorism in Latin America. They also participated in the 30th Annual are all student volunteers.

Opening Ceremony Celebration in 2019, which celebrated both the start of HisThe Statesman and its editors have won several panic Heritage Month and 30 years of Hispanic excellence at Stony Brook. awards for student journalism and several Organizations such as LASO can past editors have gone on to enjoy distinalso benefit students who are not a part of the Hispanic or Latino community guished careers in the field of journalism. or have had little interaction with those cultures beforehand.

“Attending LASO would be a Disclaimer: Views expressed in columns or good way to open your eyes, because

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DIVERISTY 2023

obviously Latin America may not have anything to do with your culture, but you can share in celebration and you can also participate and become more aware of the different cultures around you,” Gonzalez said.

The impact that LASO and similar cultural organizations can have on campus is well understood and emphasized by its members.

Even students who haven’t attended events offered by cultural organizations can see the impact on campus.

Continued from page 3 “When I think of anti-racism the event said on social media that they resources, I mainly think of clubs would be armed in case of any “leftist like the Asian Students Alliance,” counter protesters.”

Reem Hamdan, a freshman biology The event highlighted political tensions on major, said. campus and sparked a petition to ban TPUSA Hamdan also finds that cultural from campus, which ultimately failed. The clubs help connect people to their culture. He has experienced this firsthand chapter was then approved as a legitimate as a member of the Arab Language and campus organization, but now no longer appears on the SB Engaged platform, signifyCulture Club.

“It helps in knowing you have that ing it is most likely inactive or no longer has university approval. community on campus,” he said.

Adcock expressed that she feels Stony Increasing diversity and an underBrook has a liberal ideology extending beyond standing of these communities is an student-led organizations. ongoing effort.

“I’ve experienced very little political diverFor organizations such as LASO, sity in the curriculum at Stony Brook,” Adcock raising awareness on issues specific to wrote in an email to The Statesman. “I’ve taken the Latino community is an important many classes here that have left-leaning mesgoal. Gonzalez noted that Latinos of various backgrounds are treated differently sages woven into the course material.”

A popular college ranking website even within the community. ranked Stony Brook as the No. 12 most liberal “We’re not homogenous, but that college in the country. Adcock agrees with this, doesn’t mean that you get to treat anyone differently just for their nation- pointing out that many conservative students ality,” Gonzalez said. “It’s also a matter on Stony Brook’s campus often feel silenced of teaching that to others, teaching that and ignored, based on her experiences.

She also expressed frustration with student to ourselves … which in a lot of ways organizations on campus, feeling that many of does involve combating racism and them are left-leaning. This includes the Underforms of colorism.” graduate Student Government (USG), which Despite the importance of these Karim is the president of. organizations, not all students are However, leaders of different Stony Brook aware of them, which prevents them political organizations agreed that students from taking part in their events tend to treat each other with respect on campus or joining. when discussing differences in political beliefs.

Anish Shenoy, a freshman C.J. Burgardt, secretary of the College psychology major, has not attended Democrats, said that while students tend to events from cultural organizations act civil to each other on campus, it can be a but said that he would if he was more different story in online spaces. informed. Another freshman, biology “I think it’s because it’s on an online platmajor Alina George, also sees the form, people are more confident, and calling value of cultural groups. out other people,” Burgardt said. “And this “I think it’s really important that isn’t just for politics, just about things that people have a place to go where they’re happen on campus in general.” surrounded by similar people who Despite what happens online or in the understand them,” George said. “So I classroom, Adcock advised students with mithink these organizations have had a nority views to not be afraid of having different great impact on making people feel seen opinions than their peers. and heard.”

“When I was an incoming freshman at SBU, it was a bit daunting entering a university known for being so liberal,” Adcock said.

“As I discovered for myself, there are many more like-minded people out there than you might initially think. Some of my closest and strongest friendships are those I’ve made by getting to know politically similar peers in College Republicans.”

Political diversity

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