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“Call It What It Is”

Background

College students across the nation are beginning to speak out on the issues that have plagued their respective campus for as long as students of color have occupied those spaces. From the University of Missouri to Yale University, students are making a public outcry for their administrators and the world at large to hear and take action on the unjust, unequal, isolating, marginalizing and oppressive conditions in place at their college/university.

With the safety, well being and peace of mind of thousands of students of color across the nation now jeopardized, there is no time to take a passive and timid approach to improve the quality of their lives. It is now time to “call it what it is,” and say the name of what young people are speaking out about: racism. There is no other term that can be given to describe the experiences these young people are referring to.

“Call It What It Is” is a national call of action for millennials across the nation to join in solidarity with one another to publicly voice personal experiences of racism, and in turn point out the overall problem of systemic racism within institutions of higher education. Using the universal tool of social media, specifically Twitter, Facebook and Instagram, students are encouraged to share pictures, videos and posts of their experiences, opinions and plans for change that their university make now take the lead in implementing.

Moreover, “Call It What It Is” is a time for not only students of color to engage to meaningful dialogue, but it is a moment that students of all backgrounds should participate in. It is not meant to override or conflict with current trending topics or hashtags millennials across the nation have currently been using, such as “#ConcernedStudent1950” “#IStandInSolidarityWithMizzou” or “#InjusticeAnywhereIsAThreatToJusticeEverywhere.” Rather, “Call It What It Is” is a time for young college students to share more in depth experiences that occur on their specific campus, as to not be limited to one school.

Objective

• Engage millennials, young college students and those affiliated with colleges/universities in meaningful dialogue surrounding experiences of systematic racism on their campuses
• Use social media platforms such as Facebook, Twitter and Instagram to share longer form content detailing specific instances
• Have a week-long, town hall style forum across social media platforms, conveying the same message experiences of racism on college campuses
• Set the tone for future discussions with college administrators, mainstream media and daily personal interactions to not shy away from pointing out systematic racism
• Encourage the public at large to address the roots and structures on their campus that perpetrate racism, while not attacking specific individuals