This article has been updated since its original publication.
Kennesaw State student organizations held “A Night of Healing” event on March 6 and 7 across the Kennesaw and Marietta campuses to discuss and move on from recent racial events.
According to OwlLife, the event was hosted by the Student Government Association, the African-American Student Alliance, the NAACP, KSUnited and others in the student centers on both campuses. Members from every group, as well as audience members, were given a chance to express their attitude towards the events and campus administration.
“As administrators, we don’t want to pretend that it’s not happening and provide a venue for students to share their concerns and ideas,” UNITY Center Manager Emily Wells said.
At the Marietta event, Associate Director of Cultural and Community Affairs Brandon Jackson said that the event is one way to handle diversity and inclusion and is intended as a safe space.
“I think people have a misunderstanding of the term ‘safe spaces’ and what they actually do,” Jackson said. “A safe space is generally designed to be a space that is inclusive of all ideas. It’s not necessarily a space where nothing bad will happen to [people]. [It is] where we are safe to have an open dialogue.”
Those that attended the meeting participated in an open discussion to describe how they felt about the racial climate on campus.
Phi Beta Sigma President Vaughn Robinson said that he felt paranoid and does not want the recent racial events to be swept underneath the rug.
SGA President Carly Keller was also in attendance, explaining that many students currently feel overwhelmed.
“As a leader on campus, I want to do anything and everything I can to make students feel safe at school,” Keller said. “School should be a safe place for everyone to learn.”
Some students expressed a lack of freedom of expression among themselves and professors within the classroom. SGA Director of Internal Affairs J.J. Lopez said that she has spoken to professors who have avoided speaking with students about current issues on campus for fear of losing their jobs.
Other students also brought up issues with the number of people on campus raising their voices during a time when they feel that other voices should be heard.
“I feel like there are a lot of conservative male voices that are the loudest in the room,” political science major Nia Jasmine said. “I think if the black students are not speaking, members of the LGBTQIA [community] are not speaking [and] Hispanic students are not speaking, we’re not truly sharing our perspective and we’re not addressing our prejudices that we have. I welcome people who think differently than I do, but if everyone is not speaking, then I feel like we’re not reflecting what’s actually going on.”
Political science major Deshawn Jamison also spoke up during the event, stating that the student who shared a photo of Elijah John, the student targeted by racial discrimination in a private GroupMe chat, is not protected under the First Amendment.
“Incitement is not free speech, nor is intimidation,” Jamison said.
Coordinator of Outreach Services Dr. Marcuetta Sims told students during the event to look after their mental health and take a day off if needed during this time of tension on campus.
Industrial systems major Brooklyn Harper said that she transferred to KSU from a historically black college and that she has regrets about transferring.
“If I had the choice, I would take my studies elsewhere back to another university where I felt comfortable, where I felt valued,” Harper said.
Vice President of Student Affairs Dr. K.C. White expressed that all students are important and valued to KSU.
“We need you here, we want you here,” White said.
