The University of Maryland, safe space for white students

A counseling group for white students who feel nervous with people who dance on the beat and prefer seasonings was forced to rename themselves after students at the University of Maryland objected to a pamphlet aimed at

… but only for the whites.

"Do you want to improve your ability to communicate and communicate with people other than yourself? "Do you sometimes feel uncomfortable and confused before, during or after interactions with racial minorities?"

The group, called "White Awake", who seems to be doing trips to Charlottesville and teaching students how to ask a black woman if you could touch her braids, was presented as a "safe space for white students to explore their experiences. , questions, reactions and feelings, "reports the Diamondback, the school's campus newspaper.

CBS Philly reports that the group was created by the school's psychology department to help students "learn how to integrate into a diverse world." But the students immediately opposed the program of the Student Affairs Division:

In response, the school promised to make radical changes.

"We agree with the comments that the pamphlet was not clear enough that the purpose of this group is to promote anti-racism and become a better ally," the university said in a statement. communicated to the Baltimore Sun. "We did not pick the right words for the flyer and we will incorporate the comments received into a review of it. Again, we will stop using the current pamphlet.

"The goal of this group is to help white students become more culturally competent, so that they can better participate in creating a more inclusive environment at the university." 39, University of Maryland. This group is based on research and best practices, and we believe in it, "said the University of Maryland Council Center.

The university stood behind the group in a statement and the council center renamed it "Anti-Racism and Alliance Group," according to the school's website. Although they did not say if they wanted to put a "Whites" sign outside the door or allow people of color to drink in the room fountain during Thursday's meetings, the Negro- Free White Tears Weekly will continue.

I do not understand why it's so controversial. I believe it is a very important initiative to help whites understand different people from themselves. If not for the University of Maryland support group, where else could whites talk about race with other whites?

Well, to be fair, I know a secret place where whites can talk about difficult topics and how they feel about other races and ethnicities. If this support group fails, there is only one place where I can know where to go to feel comfortable in a relatively safe space for whites.

It's called "Everywhere".