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‘New Slaves’ lets African-American students discuss issues
Jordan Bishop Staf f Rep orter
Sometimes, all it takes to help adapt to an unfamiliar world is talking it out with someone who shares the struggle. That’s what members of Oklahoma State’s chapter of Alpha Phi Alpha were trying to emote in its presentation of “New Slaves” on Thursday Night in Agricul-
ture Hall. “New Slaves” is one of OSU’s Alpha Week’s final events, which are brought about each year to provide a social atmosphere to discuss intellectually stimulating ideas about race. In the discussion, African-American students were asked questions of what it truly means to be black, if the “N” word is acceptable, what it’s like being a black student on a predominately white campus and other pivotal questions. Dominic Hardaway, president of the chapter, said it’s up to Alpha Phi Alpha and other multicultural Greeks to prepare events like “New Slaves.” “We rarely get interested
people to come speak to us or professors who want to teach things that relate to us,” Hardaway said. “So when the institution fails to provide that for us, it’s our job to provide it for each other.” Hardaway said initially the event was going to be sort of a black awareness event, but once he saw there was so much struggle between black students themselves, he thought it was better to discuss them in a “no-judgement zone.” “We realized that some of the biggest things were division within ourselves related to skin tone,” Hardaway said. “There is division related to socio-economic status, certain personal
beliefs, male vs. female.” Before the discussion, fraternity members divided attendees into different seats based on skin tone to create an experience and show them that through discussion, things such as skin tone don’t have to be a dividing issue. Michaela Boyd, a member of the choir that sang before the event, said she was glad to find out there was not only an event like “New Slaves” at OSU but also all of Alpha Week as well. She shared Hardaway’s sentiment’s that there should be more events like it. “I feel like it would be better if we had other cultures actually join us and hear some of the stuff,”
Jordan Bishop/O’COLLY Members of Alpha Phi Alpha discuss racial issues with African-Americn students in Ag Hall on Thursday night.
Boyd said. “It would be kind of cool if we could get together and learn about each other’s differences and even some similarities.” Chauntel Brown, a psychology major, said she thinks that the first step toward getting past racial issues and bridging the divide in society is to discuss them with other African Americans. “We’re so different with such different backgrounds
coming from our roots in Africa to being here and born and raised in a western European culture,” Brown said. “It has shaped each of us in a very different way. What is normal to one person isn’t normal isn’t normal to everyone else. “It opens the eyes to those who may not know, and it’s about adjusting and adapting and living in harmony” follow jordan: @jordanbishop35
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