[Music]
[Music] [Applause]
September 20th will be a day that I
September 20th will be a day that I would never forget I was playing my
would never forget I was playing my
would never forget I was playing my daily game of parking wars trying to
daily game of parking wars trying to
daily game of parking wars trying to find somewhere to park on our beautiful
find somewhere to park on our beautiful
find somewhere to park on our beautiful campus and I received a call from my
campus and I received a call from my
campus and I received a call from my advisor and when he told me it was not
advisor and when he told me it was not
advisor and when he told me it was not something that what had happened that I
something that what had happened that I
something that what had happened that I would never believe and to be honest I
would never believe and to be honest I
would never believe and to be honest I thought he was just over exaggerating
thought he was just over exaggerating
thought he was just over exaggerating but when he began to tell me what
but when he began to tell me what
but when he began to tell me what happened
happened
happened he was telling the truth within the
he was telling the truth within the
he was telling the truth within the early morning – you’re on our campus
early morning – you’re on our campus
early morning – you’re on our campus someone sprayed paint on the side of the
someone sprayed paint on the side of the
someone sprayed paint on the side of the hall on the side of one of our halls KKK
hall on the side of one of our halls KKK
hall on the side of one of our halls KKK leave in word and when he told me this I
leave in word and when he told me this I
leave in word and when he told me this I was confused I was mostly confused on
was confused I was mostly confused on
was confused I was mostly confused on how University so diverse could receive
how University so diverse could receive
how University so diverse could receive something this bad and little did we
something this bad and little did we
something this bad and little did we know as students that this was just the
know as students that this was just the
know as students that this was just the beginning
beginning
beginning was from since the first incident the
was from since the first incident the
was from since the first incident the remorseful others there was another
remorseful others there was another
remorseful others there was another spray painting there were calls the
spray painting there were calls the
spray painting there were calls the different calls calling african-american
different calls calling african-american
different calls calling african-american students monkeys and small writings
students monkeys and small writings
students monkeys and small writings within dormitories and the students
within dormitories and the students
within dormitories and the students fought hard within that same day of the
fought hard within that same day of the
fought hard within that same day of the first incident students organized a
first incident students organized a
first incident students organized a march tub Washtenaw and as they marched
march tub Washtenaw and as they marched
march tub Washtenaw and as they marched up washing all they marched to the
up washing all they marched to the
up washing all they marched to the President’s House demanding to have
President’s House demanding to have
President’s House demanding to have their voices heard there are other
their voices heard there are other
their voices heard there are other demonstrations from a demonstration on
demonstrations from a demonstration on
demonstrations from a demonstration on the football field – a demonstration and
the football field – a demonstration and
the football field – a demonstration and a sit-in within the Student Center and
a sit-in within the Student Center and
a sit-in within the Student Center and all of these demonstrations had one
all of these demonstrations had one
all of these demonstrations had one thing in common they wanted their voices
thing in common they wanted their voices
thing in common they wanted their voices to be heard and they wanted answers and
to be heard and they wanted answers and
to be heard and they wanted answers and one would wonder why would students have
one would wonder why would students have
one would wonder why would students have to fight so hard to be heard at a
to fight so hard to be heard at a
to fight so hard to be heard at a university that they pay tuition I
university that they pay tuition I
university that they pay tuition I wondered the same thing at user Michigan
wondered the same thing at user Michigan
wondered the same thing at user Michigan University and many universities across
University and many universities across
University and many universities across the world at almost all of them there is
the world at almost all of them there is
the world at almost all of them there is a top-down structure and with this
a top-down structure and with this
a top-down structure and with this top-down structure includes is the top
top-down structure includes is the top
top-down structure includes is the top making decisions and reporting down what
making decisions and reporting down what
making decisions and reporting down what also is included in the structure is a
also is included in the structure is a
also is included in the structure is a communication structure to where certain
communication structure to where certain
communication structure to where certain people communicate to certain people and
people communicate to certain people and
people communicate to certain people and to keep order and to keep order people
to keep order and to keep order people
to keep order and to keep order people must we must keep that structure
but what I learned is that we worked
but what I learned is that we worked best for our students when we work
best for our students when we work
best for our students when we work together to give you a few examples our
together to give you a few examples our
together to give you a few examples our Black Student Union hosted a town hall
Black Student Union hosted a town hall
Black Student Union hosted a town hall and within that Town Hall there are
and within that Town Hall there are
and within that Town Hall there are representatives from every different
representatives from every different
representatives from every different constituency you can think of there are
constituency you can think of there are
constituency you can think of there are faculty alumni staff students and
faculty alumni staff students and
faculty alumni staff students and administration all being able to all be
administration all being able to all be
administration all being able to all be able to voice their anger their hurt and
able to voice their anger their hurt and
able to voice their anger their hurt and their pain directly to our University’s
their pain directly to our University’s
their pain directly to our University’s president an executive board another
president an executive board another
president an executive board another example would be a crisis board this
example would be a crisis board this
example would be a crisis board this isn’t something that we have here at
isn’t something that we have here at
isn’t something that we have here at this university but with this crisis war
this university but with this crisis war
this university but with this crisis war it would do it would take concern
it would do it would take concern
it would do it would take concern community members and faculty and staff
community members and faculty and staff
community members and faculty and staff who are trained in counseling to be able
who are trained in counseling to be able
who are trained in counseling to be able to be there at the side of the crime to
to be there at the side of the crime to
to be there at the side of the crime to support our students emotionally and
support our students emotionally and
support our students emotionally and another example would be I would another
another example would be I would another
another example would be I would another example but before I give you this
example but before I give you this
example but before I give you this example I would have to tell you all why
example I would have to tell you all why
example I would have to tell you all why these examples are so important our
these examples are so important our
these examples are so important our student body president I often thought
student body president I often thought
student body president I often thought myself being pulled in so many different
myself being pulled in so many different
myself being pulled in so many different directions for answers there were days
directions for answers there were days
directions for answers there were days where I was being pulled in one
where I was being pulled in one
where I was being pulled in one direction by students for answers
direction by students for answers
direction by students for answers another direction by alumni for answers
another direction by alumni for answers
another direction by alumni for answers faculty staff and administration all
faculty staff and administration all
faculty staff and administration all wanting answers and they got to the
wanting answers and they got to the
wanting answers and they got to the point where I felt myself being spread
point where I felt myself being spread
point where I felt myself being spread just too thin my last example would be
just too thin my last example would be
just too thin my last example would be the President’s Commission on diversity
the President’s Commission on diversity
the President’s Commission on diversity and inclusion and within this Commission
and inclusion and within this Commission
and inclusion and within this Commission there are representatives from all those
there are representatives from all those
there are representatives from all those different groups that I told you we’re
different groups that I told you we’re
different groups that I told you we’re taking me in different ways to be able
taking me in different ways to be able
taking me in different ways to be able to speak the different diversity and
to speak the different diversity and
to speak the different diversity and inclusion incidents that happen on this
inclusion incidents that happen on this
inclusion incidents that happen on this campus and how to truly make Eastern
campus and how to truly make Eastern
campus and how to truly make Eastern Michigan University the diverse campus
Michigan University the diverse campus
Michigan University the diverse campus that it really is so my advice to
that it really is so my advice to
that it really is so my advice to universities across the world including
universities across the world including
universities across the world including my own there is African proverb that
my own there is African proverb that
my own there is African proverb that says if you want to go fast go alone but
says if you want to go fast go alone but
says if you want to go fast go alone but if you want to go far go together so if
if you want to go far go together so if
if you want to go far go together so if we want to continue to address these
we want to continue to address these
we want to continue to address these specific issues these are specific
specific issues these are specific
specific issues these are specific attacks then we can continue in our
attacks then we can continue in our
attacks then we can continue in our top-down structure and continue to go
top-down structure and continue to go
top-down structure and continue to go alone but if we truly want to go far and
alone but if we truly want to go far and
alone but if we truly want to go far and we truly want to make change and
we truly want to make change and
we truly want to make change and to tell time and different campus and
to tell time and different campus and
to tell time and different campus and universities across the world we must
universities across the world we must
universities across the world we must address what the real issue is and to be
address what the real issue is and to be
address what the real issue is and to be honest our real issue is
honest our real issue is
honest our real issue is institutionalized racism and we must
institutionalized racism and we must
institutionalized racism and we must address that issue and if we want to
address that issue and if we want to
address that issue and if we want to address that issue and not continue to
address that issue and not continue to
address that issue and not continue to address these end of the individual
address these end of the individual
address these end of the individual situations every time they come up we
situations every time they come up we
situations every time they come up we must work together within these past few
must work together within these past few
must work together within these past few months I can say we have heard together
months I can say we have heard together
months I can say we have heard together we have cried together we have
we have cried together we have
we have cried together we have demonstrated together we have learned
demonstrated together we have learned
demonstrated together we have learned together but most of all we have all
together but most of all we have all
together but most of all we have all came together with one common goal in
came together with one common goal in
came together with one common goal in mind and that is to make sure that
mind and that is to make sure that
mind and that is to make sure that Eastern Michigan University is home for
Eastern Michigan University is home for
Eastern Michigan University is home for all students thank you
[Music] [Applause]
September 20th will be a day that I
September 20th will be a day that I would never forget I was playing my
would never forget I was playing my
would never forget I was playing my daily game of parking wars trying to
daily game of parking wars trying to
daily game of parking wars trying to find somewhere to park on our beautiful
find somewhere to park on our beautiful
find somewhere to park on our beautiful campus and I received a call from my
campus and I received a call from my
campus and I received a call from my advisor and when he told me it was not
advisor and when he told me it was not
advisor and when he told me it was not something that what had happened that I
something that what had happened that I
something that what had happened that I would never believe and to be honest I
would never believe and to be honest I
would never believe and to be honest I thought he was just over exaggerating
thought he was just over exaggerating
thought he was just over exaggerating but when he began to tell me what
but when he began to tell me what
but when he began to tell me what happened
happened
happened he was telling the truth within the
he was telling the truth within the
he was telling the truth within the early morning – you’re on our campus
early morning – you’re on our campus
early morning – you’re on our campus someone sprayed paint on the side of the
someone sprayed paint on the side of the
someone sprayed paint on the side of the hall on the side of one of our halls KKK
hall on the side of one of our halls KKK
hall on the side of one of our halls KKK leave in word and when he told me this I
leave in word and when he told me this I
leave in word and when he told me this I was confused I was mostly confused on
was confused I was mostly confused on
was confused I was mostly confused on how University so diverse could receive
how University so diverse could receive
how University so diverse could receive something this bad and little did we
something this bad and little did we
something this bad and little did we know as students that this was just the
know as students that this was just the
know as students that this was just the beginning
beginning
beginning was from since the first incident the
was from since the first incident the
was from since the first incident the remorseful others there was another
remorseful others there was another
remorseful others there was another spray painting there were calls the
spray painting there were calls the
spray painting there were calls the different calls calling african-american
different calls calling african-american
different calls calling african-american students monkeys and small writings
students monkeys and small writings
students monkeys and small writings within dormitories and the students
within dormitories and the students
within dormitories and the students fought hard within that same day of the
fought hard within that same day of the
fought hard within that same day of the first incident students organized a
first incident students organized a
first incident students organized a march tub Washtenaw and as they marched
march tub Washtenaw and as they marched
march tub Washtenaw and as they marched up washing all they marched to the
up washing all they marched to the
up washing all they marched to the President’s House demanding to have
President’s House demanding to have
President’s House demanding to have their voices heard there are other
their voices heard there are other
their voices heard there are other demonstrations from a demonstration on
demonstrations from a demonstration on
demonstrations from a demonstration on the football field – a demonstration and
the football field – a demonstration and
the football field – a demonstration and a sit-in within the Student Center and
a sit-in within the Student Center and
a sit-in within the Student Center and all of these demonstrations had one
all of these demonstrations had one
all of these demonstrations had one thing in common they wanted their voices
thing in common they wanted their voices
thing in common they wanted their voices to be heard and they wanted answers and
to be heard and they wanted answers and
to be heard and they wanted answers and one would wonder why would students have
one would wonder why would students have
one would wonder why would students have to fight so hard to be heard at a
to fight so hard to be heard at a
to fight so hard to be heard at a university that they pay tuition I
university that they pay tuition I
university that they pay tuition I wondered the same thing at user Michigan
wondered the same thing at user Michigan
wondered the same thing at user Michigan University and many universities across
University and many universities across
University and many universities across the world at almost all of them there is
the world at almost all of them there is
the world at almost all of them there is a top-down structure and with this
a top-down structure and with this
a top-down structure and with this top-down structure includes is the top
top-down structure includes is the top
top-down structure includes is the top making decisions and reporting down what
making decisions and reporting down what
making decisions and reporting down what also is included in the structure is a
also is included in the structure is a
also is included in the structure is a communication structure to where certain
communication structure to where certain
communication structure to where certain people communicate to certain people and
people communicate to certain people and
people communicate to certain people and to keep order and to keep order people
to keep order and to keep order people
to keep order and to keep order people must we must keep that structure
but what I learned is that we worked
but what I learned is that we worked best for our students when we work
best for our students when we work
best for our students when we work together to give you a few examples our
together to give you a few examples our
together to give you a few examples our Black Student Union hosted a town hall
Black Student Union hosted a town hall
Black Student Union hosted a town hall and within that Town Hall there are
and within that Town Hall there are
and within that Town Hall there are representatives from every different
representatives from every different
representatives from every different constituency you can think of there are
constituency you can think of there are
constituency you can think of there are faculty alumni staff students and
faculty alumni staff students and
faculty alumni staff students and administration all being able to all be
administration all being able to all be
administration all being able to all be able to voice their anger their hurt and
able to voice their anger their hurt and
able to voice their anger their hurt and their pain directly to our University’s
their pain directly to our University’s
their pain directly to our University’s president an executive board another
president an executive board another
president an executive board another example would be a crisis board this
example would be a crisis board this
example would be a crisis board this isn’t something that we have here at
isn’t something that we have here at
isn’t something that we have here at this university but with this crisis war
this university but with this crisis war
this university but with this crisis war it would do it would take concern
it would do it would take concern
it would do it would take concern community members and faculty and staff
community members and faculty and staff
community members and faculty and staff who are trained in counseling to be able
who are trained in counseling to be able
who are trained in counseling to be able to be there at the side of the crime to
to be there at the side of the crime to
to be there at the side of the crime to support our students emotionally and
support our students emotionally and
support our students emotionally and another example would be I would another
another example would be I would another
another example would be I would another example but before I give you this
example but before I give you this
example but before I give you this example I would have to tell you all why
example I would have to tell you all why
example I would have to tell you all why these examples are so important our
these examples are so important our
these examples are so important our student body president I often thought
student body president I often thought
student body president I often thought myself being pulled in so many different
myself being pulled in so many different
myself being pulled in so many different directions for answers there were days
directions for answers there were days
directions for answers there were days where I was being pulled in one
where I was being pulled in one
where I was being pulled in one direction by students for answers
direction by students for answers
direction by students for answers another direction by alumni for answers
another direction by alumni for answers
another direction by alumni for answers faculty staff and administration all
faculty staff and administration all
faculty staff and administration all wanting answers and they got to the
wanting answers and they got to the
wanting answers and they got to the point where I felt myself being spread
point where I felt myself being spread
point where I felt myself being spread just too thin my last example would be
just too thin my last example would be
just too thin my last example would be the President’s Commission on diversity
the President’s Commission on diversity
the President’s Commission on diversity and inclusion and within this Commission
and inclusion and within this Commission
and inclusion and within this Commission there are representatives from all those
there are representatives from all those
there are representatives from all those different groups that I told you we’re
different groups that I told you we’re
different groups that I told you we’re taking me in different ways to be able
taking me in different ways to be able
taking me in different ways to be able to speak the different diversity and
to speak the different diversity and
to speak the different diversity and inclusion incidents that happen on this
inclusion incidents that happen on this
inclusion incidents that happen on this campus and how to truly make Eastern
campus and how to truly make Eastern
campus and how to truly make Eastern Michigan University the diverse campus
Michigan University the diverse campus
Michigan University the diverse campus that it really is so my advice to
that it really is so my advice to
that it really is so my advice to universities across the world including
universities across the world including
universities across the world including my own there is African proverb that
my own there is African proverb that
my own there is African proverb that says if you want to go fast go alone but
says if you want to go fast go alone but
says if you want to go fast go alone but if you want to go far go together so if
if you want to go far go together so if
if you want to go far go together so if we want to continue to address these
we want to continue to address these
we want to continue to address these specific issues these are specific
specific issues these are specific
specific issues these are specific attacks then we can continue in our
attacks then we can continue in our
attacks then we can continue in our top-down structure and continue to go
top-down structure and continue to go
top-down structure and continue to go alone but if we truly want to go far and
alone but if we truly want to go far and
alone but if we truly want to go far and we truly want to make change and
we truly want to make change and
we truly want to make change and to tell time and different campus and
to tell time and different campus and
to tell time and different campus and universities across the world we must
universities across the world we must
universities across the world we must address what the real issue is and to be
address what the real issue is and to be
address what the real issue is and to be honest our real issue is
honest our real issue is
honest our real issue is institutionalized racism and we must
institutionalized racism and we must
institutionalized racism and we must address that issue and if we want to
address that issue and if we want to
address that issue and if we want to address that issue and not continue to
address that issue and not continue to
address that issue and not continue to address these end of the individual
address these end of the individual
address these end of the individual situations every time they come up we
situations every time they come up we
situations every time they come up we must work together within these past few
must work together within these past few
must work together within these past few months I can say we have heard together
months I can say we have heard together
months I can say we have heard together we have cried together we have
we have cried together we have
we have cried together we have demonstrated together we have learned
demonstrated together we have learned
demonstrated together we have learned together but most of all we have all
together but most of all we have all
together but most of all we have all came together with one common goal in
came together with one common goal in
came together with one common goal in mind and that is to make sure that
mind and that is to make sure that
mind and that is to make sure that Eastern Michigan University is home for
Eastern Michigan University is home for
Eastern Michigan University is home for all students thank you
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