Students gather outside Sargent, James Halls to protest racist incidents
Students write positive messages on the sidewalk outside of Sargent Hall. Photo credit Zach Zimmerman.
Students gathered outside of Sargent and James Halls Monday evening to protest racist incidents that had occured on campus housing. The New Political reported Monday that racially motivated incidents have occured in Sargent Hall throughout this academic school year. Students spread out around the area and taped pieces of paper that read “Black Lives Matter” and “All colors are beautiful” to the dorm buildings’ walls and light poles. Signs with messages about combating racism were taped with flowers to nearby benches, while students drew messages in chalk on the sidewalks.
Signs with messages combatting racism are taped with flowers to benches around Sargent and James Halls. Photo credit Zach Zimmerman.
“Just spreading good vibes. A lot of bad shit happened these past couple days, and I just can’t really stand for it, so we’re just doing what we can to help.”
Pieces of paper with messages like “Black Lives Matter” and “All colors are beautiful” were taped to the walls of Sargent and James Halls as well as light poles. Photo credit Zach Zimmerman.
“I think it’s about time we stop seeing other people as not equal to us, and as a whole I think there should be more peace on Earth.”
As part of the protest, students write messages in chalk on the sidewalks in between Sargent and James Halls. Messages included those of positivity, as well as attacking racism and white privilege. Photo credit Zach Zimmerman.
“I came here to help spread the word about what’s been going on. I feel like, yeah the university made a statement but, a lot of people don’t know what’s really been happening in our dorms. I wouldn’t have known about it unless my friend ever told me. I feel like we have to have more events like this, and show out to them, just so more people can know about what’s going on behind closed doors”
Photo credit Zach Zimmerman.
“I think it’s good that we just keep putting the word out there. I don’t think we should be burning down the halls or doing anything like that, I just think it’s good that we just come out here, maybe write on the sidewalk, put a couple signs to just know that, people of color, unlike myself, that they have the support of a lot of people around here, even when it doesn’t feel like it most of the time. I’ve seen a lot of, a couple of tweets saying certain things about how people of color feel here, they go to a predominantly white university, and they feel lonely, and I think that’s really sad. I think that we should probably voice it more that we’re all on the same side. We all chose Ohio University because it’s a beautiful school with a lot of very progressive and fun ideas towards the future of the world.”
