As a minority, a lonely black student searches for a place where he belongs. Other students ignore him because he is in athletics. In his drug-ridden, rough hometown he is ostracized for being "too white" because he attends a university. When he can't relate to anyone, where can he fit in?
This is a scene from Tunnel of Oppression, an event that took place last Wednesday and Thursday in order to educate students about the issues minorities face.
"You really think about how you act," sophomore Amy Tournoux said after watching the presentation. "I thought 'Oh wait, do I take part in that?'"
In the Black Box Theatre in CFSU, the Tunnel of Oppression used a multi-sensory experience to engage the students' emotions. Now in its sixth year, about 450 students attended the event, which more than doubles last year's attendance.
The Department of Residence Life, along with student groups Anti-Racist Movement, Black Culture Center and Advocate, the LGBTQA association, planned the event.
"People always think we are playing the race card, but it exists for us every day," said senior Glenance Green, social chair of BCC and an actress in one of the skits. "We like to show people just a glimpse."
Three skits, about 25 minutes long in total, reenacted racism, sexism and heterosexism in the daily lives of students. In these scenes, members of different minority groups are questioned about their schoolwork, their relationships and other issues directly related to university life.
"As we were showing the skits, some people were shocked, some dropped their jaws, some were nodding their heads in realization," said Kashan Malik, a fifth-year student who acted in the skits and is a member of A.R.M.
The presentation stressed that discrimination is present even at Loyola.
"A lot of the examples I've definitely seen firsthand," Tournox said. "I experienced it my freshman year."
In addition, Loyola Students for Life provided a PowerPoint presentation against the death penalty, using pictures to humanize death row inmates and encouraging students to sympathize with the prisoners.
After the presentation, a mediated discussion challenged students to confront their ideas about discrimination and how it is displayed in their daily lives.
"Even during the discussion I saw people who were uneasy," said sophomore Ali Ahmed said. "I think the interesting part is seeing people talk about race and think, 'Oh my God, is that present?'"
The idea for the Tunnel of Oppression originated from a program at Western Illinois University.
"It's been adapted," said Jana Lithgow, the resident director for Regis and Creighton, who helped plan the event. "It gives our program a chance to collaborate with other groups to educate students about oppression, both at our institution and globally."
"I hope at Loyola people will open their eyes," said junior Brittany James, an actress in the event.
The Tunnel of Oppression is also a part of LGBTQA Awareness Month. The departments of University Ministry, student diversity and multicultural affairs and fine arts also supported the cause.
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