Take advantage of diverse campus
Keiara Tenant
After living on campus for nine months, besides the people I work with, I can count on one hand the number of friends I have who aren’t black.
I came to MSU with the hope that it would display the same diversity that my high school did.
I was eager to meet new people and find out about different cultures, nationalities and religions.
I was sadly disappointed.
I’m from Hamtramck, Mich. It’s a city outside Detroit and some claim it to be the most diverse city in the state. What was once known as a Polish town is now a city vibrant with cultures and nationalities from across the world. Bangladeshi, Arabic, Bosnian, Albanian, Polish, Pakistani, Yemenite — living in Hamtramck was like experiencing the world in a span of two square miles.
I’ve always found it ironic, though, that one of the most diverse cities in Michigan would be located on the outskirts of one of the most segregated areas in the state — Metro Detroit.
This unique feature of my city made me love living there more. While attending high school in Hamtramck, I had friends from many different backgrounds and walks of life. With more than 26 different nationalities living there, I learned more from my friends about the world than I think I would’ve ever absorbed in a classroom. I’ve tried traditional Bengali and Arabic foods and I understand more about the Muslim and Hindu religions.
When I came to MSU for the Academic Orientation Program, I roomed with a white girl. Although it was only for one night, it was a very different experience and it peaked my excitement about starting college. I assumed that my rooming situation at AOP would reflect what the academic year would be like, so when I moved in, I was surprised to find that my roommate was the same race as me. I wasn’t upset about the situation but more so disappointed because I was looking forward to experiencing something new. Nevertheless, I was happy to see that at least my floor was diverse.
After a few weeks of living on campus, I realized that few of my new friends were outside of my race. Being from Hamtramck, I was definitely open to meeting people from other backgrounds, but it seemed others didn’t share the same attitude.
When I would go into the cafeteria, I noticed students seemed to self-segregate themselves from other groups. For example, the black students would sit with other black students, the white students with other white students.
It’s understandable that, because of language barriers, the international students might not be as social with other groups of people, but I couldn’t wrap my mind around why the other racial groups weren’t interacting with one another.
When I went to other halls on campus, I also noticed they weren’t as diverse as the hall I lived in. I’m not implying that the university has anything to do with the “segregation” that exists on campus, since students choose where they want to live. In some of the halls, there is clearly a misrepresentation of the campus, however.
For example, if a visitor walked into the Wilson Hall cafeteria, they might be under the impression that the campus isn’t very diverse, since 89 percent of the students living in Wilson are white. If that same visitor were to walk into the Hubbard Hall cafeteria, they might have the perception that the campus is fairly diverse, since 42 percent of the residents living in Hubbard are nonwhite.
It saddens me that people still can’t seem to get past skin color. One of the most valuable things I learned from living in Hamtramck is people aren’t as different from one another as they may appear.
Diversity is beautiful.
Students should take every opportunity they have to learn about other races and religions. Most of us are at MSU with the same purpose in mind: receive a quality education.
Why not take the time to broaden our perspective of the world by going out on a limb and talking to people we might not normally approach?
Keiara Tenant is the State News minority representative and summer opinion writer. Reach her at tennan10@msu.edu.
Published on Thursday, April 24, 2008
Comments
Adam DeLay
04/24/08 @ 8:02pm
Hey, don’t forget about Romulus! Its probably the only other mixed city in the area to.
But I feel you for sure. I was very glad that I went to a diverse high school, and MSU has been disappointing in that regard.
This is right on
Get Your Facts Straight
04/24/08 @ 8:59pm
I find it Ironic that you claim Hubbard to be the most diverse dorm. While Hubbard may have a 42% black population, that percentage is nt consistent with that of the racial makeup of MSU as a whole.
Using this logic one could make the assumption that Hubbard is actually the most segregated dorm. And as you pointed out students choose there dorm to an extent.
Maybe blacks should stop segregating themselves and then claiming that there is no diversity.
Get Yourself Straight
04/24/08 @ 10:25pm
It says “42 percent of the residents living in Hubbard are nonwhite.”
Mr. Pants
04/24/08 @ 10:36pm
Hamtramck is not really “a city outside Detroit.” It is almost entirely surrounded by Detroit. It is definitely not “located on the outskirts of … Metro Detroit.”
http://www.hellohamtramck.com/Maps.Cfm
Reader
04/24/08 @ 11:33pm
I would agree that Hubbard is the most segregated dorm on campus. If you want diversity, why don’t you try and move or join organizations that are not just students of your own race? Also Hamtramck is in Detroit and not really part of Metro Detroit, just like Highland Park, you are surrounded by Detroit and thus it’s not really Metro Detroit, which would be the suburbs.
J-money
04/25/08 @ 6:11am
When i went to high school in my hometown, and during my time here at Michigan State, i’ve learned about a type of diversity never discussed here. I’m talking about diversity of personalities. Isn’t that much more interesting and relevant than skin color anyway? The Breakfast Club is a much better representation of what life has to offer than looking at how many colors are in what dorms. Decently written article though.
Steve
04/25/08 @ 6:47am
Why is it that “diversity” is always based upon how we look?
Frank
04/25/08 @ 8:34am
People have always segregated themselves based on race. Its nothing new. Unforunately, white people don’t have much in common with black people, and visa-versa. Plus, especially at MSU, whites usually come from middle- to upper-class soceity, while most blacks come from the hood. There is little to talk about, little to associate with, and there is little in common between the two races.
Once there is more of an economic equilibrium between the two races (and I am not promoting wealth re-distribution or special preferences to make it happen) there will always be this divide.
Tim
04/25/08 @ 8:36am
Seriously people, you have nothing else to say other than to dispute her characterization of where Hamtramack is in relation to Detroit. As to the issue, Steve is right. I imagine I am much different from Keiara’s white friends from Hamtramack or from other states etc and I would be similar to friends of hers who may be racially different from me but grew up down the street from me.
Also, it doesn’t matter if you surrounded yourself with people from every country on the planet if you don’t do so with an open mind. With an open mind, even a chance encounter can open your eyes and mind to new ideas, cultures, practices etc.
Thanks!
04/25/08 @ 11:11am
Thanks for a great article! Well written!
BTW Frank, I have noticed alot of postings from you (or another Frank) that consistently talks about whites being from one socioeconomic group and blacks from another. I think those generalizations are really detrimental to most discussions. For most issues it is more relevent to discuss one or the other. Further, it continues to strengthen unfounded stereotypes.
There is no evidence to suggest that any race performs better or worse than another when socioeconomic status is accounted for and talking about the “poor blacks” and the “rich whites” facilitates a large degree of segregation, hostility and anger on a racial issue when largely, individuals are angered about the disproportionate opportunities available-a socioeconomic issue.
Just my two cents
Adam DeLay
04/25/08 @ 11:46am
It doesn’t really matter where Hamtramck is, though it is totally surrounded by Detroit. It is, however, very diverse considering the area. What gets me is people saying “blacks should make an effort to be more diverse”. When we have people on this campus claiming that pretty much all blacks are poor and whites are rich, as above comments imply, can you blame African-Americans on campus for sticking together?
Mark
04/25/08 @ 1:52pm
I can wrap my mind around the self segregation:
When you go away to a strange place where you have no groups…
Geeks are attracted to geeks. Country music fans are attracted to other country music fans. Rap music fans are attracted to other rap music fans. People from the same geographic area are attracted to others from that area.
All of these groups are segregated by race, so the groups people form with common interests will also be segregated by race.
I bet if you did a psychological study where people wrote a little bit about themselves and their interests and then removed anything regarding race. Then took those forms and passed them out to the group, to have them pick the people they wanted to learn more about or be friends with, you would see segregation on race. This would probably happen cases where all the participants did not have a racist bone in their body.
Mark
04/25/08 @ 1:56pm
It saddens me that people still can’t seem to get past skin color. One of the most valuable things I learned from living in Hamtramck is people aren’t as different from one another as they may appear.
Taking a sample of people from one geographical area and calling it diverse, shows me you may be preoccupied with race and not the issues that really keep people apart.
KuBoots.
04/25/08 @ 4:08pm
Frank,
Time for you to step out of the office/co-worker friend zone and diversify who you’re hanging out with. You’re missing out ma-man.
Cherry Garcia
04/25/08 @ 4:11pm
Jeff Garcia of the Tampa Bay is not my nephew, man
Diversity
04/25/08 @ 7:30pm
Diversity is more related to the physical aspect and to your geographical origin because it, most of the time, indicates that you have different ideas and thoughts about different issues. This is the essential part about diversity, and it is called “culture.” If we take a sample of the American culture we will have, of course, different personalities. But that means that we will, also, have a lot of people with the same ideas about different issues or topics. It does not mean that the American culture is different but that we will have a lot of the same. On the other hand, when we have people from other cultures in our campus we multiply the possibilities of learning from another perspectives, learning new attitudes, and learning about other cultures. This helps because one gets a more well-rounded education. For example, imagine if you had to live with Obama or Clinton for a couple of years. By the end of that time, you would probably do not believe the other because you have been influenced by the attitude of one of the candidates. But, if you lived with both, or had the opportunity to listen to both arguments, you would develop a better understanding and you would be able to evaluate their arguments. So, be careful with what you say when you refer to diversity. In these years we will start seeing the effects of Affirmative Action in our education.
Think about this. Why do you think Asians are being so succesful in today’s economy? It is because they receive education in America and, by doing that, they learn different perspectives on different issues. They learn new ways of approaching problems. They look for better, improved, ways to approach our problems. In that way, they develop better technologies and better businesses. At the end, you have Asians that take American jobs and that are more successful.
People need to learn to be open-minded. The people in Michigan do not know that. They had the enemy (Proposal 2) in a ballot and they think they won, but they lose. Michigan lose in more people visiting the State, consequently, affecting the economy. Finally, today we have the State of Michigan and it is a mess, economically and socially. Finally, do you guys know what is the latest news regarding the economy? I do. That Michigan needs to improve their tourism and attract more people. Well, I wonder if Affirmative Action was the only reason why tourism was not affected before. But that is Michigan. That is you.
Mark
04/25/08 @ 7:59pm
Diversity,
I suggest you read more about this asian success myth.
I cannot vouch for the accuracy of this article, but there are lots of sources.
http://www.huppi.com/kangaroo/L-aamodel.htm
Hey Diversity
04/25/08 @ 11:59pm
I am sick and tired of the diversity agenda…my family came to this country in the early 1900s, as Irish immigrants. I mention that to rebut the predictable onslaught of reparations claims. Nonetheless, the people that harp on diversity become blinded to the more important issue; it is wonderful that we can all celebrate our heritage, so long as you are not white. What if we threw diversity out the window for an hour, not even a week, and celebrated what we all have in common. Everyone wants to celebrate our differences, but when it really comes down to it, what makes us Americans is not the fact that we are diverse, but the fact that we brought our diverse backgrounds together to believe in a common dream.
I am sick and tired of “diversity.” As a white male, it is assumed that I came from a rich white family, while my black friends are assumed to be stupid and poor. This is disparaging to my friends, and while I will not empower others to offend me, it really makes all of you guilt laden liberals look ridiculous.
When men and women are put into combat, as I have been put, diversity flies out of the window, and raw human emotion and brotherhood is seen. I speak of this from personal experience, and while military service in combat is not required to realize the common threads that we all share, it is a microcosm of the larger and more important premise that when it comes down to it, people are not themselves because of a race or minority group in search of more “diversity.” What builds the bridges of trust and understanding is the common theme that we are all people.
Hey diversity…I am open minded, and your hypocrisy is eclipsed only by your ignorance.
Diversity
04/26/08 @ 1:06pm
Are you guys serious? Are you telling me that you would not have a more well-rounded and a better college experience if you had the opportunity to learn from other people that come from other place that is not the United States?
By the way, Mark, what I meant to say when I mentioned the Asians was referring to the graduate students. Well, MSU has a lot of undergraduate Asians but, recently, most of them are citizens of the United States. But, check out those graduate students is math and sciences. Furthermore, since Americans do not want to study math and/or sciences any more, many universities rely in other populations to maitain successful programs and funding in those areas. For a university like ours that was founded on the Land Grant principles of agriculture and engineering, it is essential to maintain great programs in those areas.
To “Hey Diversity.” Diversity is more than celebrating what we have in common, it is combining our differences and getting a better product. Why would I want to celebrate what we have in common if it does not give me any advantage? On the other hand, being able to study and share ideas with people from other cultures will give me a better preparation for the future because, as I said before, I will learn other perspectives and I will learn, essentially, about other cultures.
Also, why do you guys think that universities, like Oxford, are so prominent? It is because they are able to attract the best talent (faculty, researchers and students) of the world. Think about the Rhodes Scholarship (An elite fellowship that gives American students the opportunity to study in Oxford for two years). Besides being the oldest international scholarship, its prominence relies on the fact that it is international. The problem with diversity is that Americans do not want the world to come to the United States, they want to go and travel. For example, the study abroad programs in MSU. But, imagine if, besides the study abroad programs, we had a campus were the combination of cultures and the exchange of ideas was notable and a day-to-day situation. MSU would not only be a beautiful campus, but it would pay a tribute to those who exchange ideas as MSU’s Founding Fathers. In a concrete way, MSU would be producing more cutting edge research and it would have more successful programs.
Well, at the end, your involvement with other ethnic groups will depend on how much you want to learn and be successful. If you want to get a degree, have the normal college experience (that involves going to athletic games, meeting new people from you area, and drinking on the weekends) and get a good job that can give you 100k a year, you do not have to get involved. You should not worry about learning from other colleagues. But, I do not want a 100k/a year job. I want to be a leader, not another normal graduate. For this, I want to learn as much as I can from other people, other cultures and other perspectives. It is not believing everything you hear, it is about hearing all the sides of the story and, then, making a decision.
Mr. Pants
04/27/08 @ 4:11pm
I refuse to address the theme of this article until the obviously incapable copy editors address the fact that Hamatramck is almost entirely (not totally, so fuck you Adam DeLay) surrounded by Detroit.
Apparently, unlike this author, I have lived there.
Bill Lumberg
04/30/08 @ 12:38pm
What a crappy article; how do you know there is a lack of diversity in those groups, did you go up and ask the national origin of everyone in those groups you observed? Did you ask them were their hometown was? In my class we had a “white” guy from Romania and an “Asian” women raised in America. I guess it is just easier to view things based on skin color then complain that people view things based on skin color.
Crappy article, bring back the fish.
Propaganda Machine Work Your Magic
05/04/08 @ 11:17pm
The human mind is all that matters. The very act of pointing out self-segragation based only on physical appearance is in itself suggesting that appearance matters more than diversity of the human mind, which is an entity wholly separate from your body which has a certain concentration of melanin in your skin. If you ask obvious questions, you’ll receive obvious answers. Those with commonality of race simply feel more comfortable around each other. This isn’t the politically correct answer sociologists want to hear, but I’m sorry, it is correct.
Appearances aside, diversity of the mind is much more exciting.