An Open Forum On Injustice

On Thursday, June 4, LIM College held an open forum Zoom call in light of what is happening throughout the country. The Black Lives Matter movement has taken on a renewed urgency recently due to the death of George Floyd and many others. This forum was held for LIM students, faculty, and staff to have a conversation and share their struggles with issues like police brutality and racism.

Many shared personal stories of lamentable experiences because of the presence of racism in our everyday lives. Through this conversation, colleagues were able to hear each other out and further understand what people of color have to face on a daily basis. I personally appreciated that LIM held this call, because it educated me further on this topic and showed me what it is that I can do to help within and outside of my LIM community.

My fellow students also shared their ideas about what we can and should do to stop injustice. Almost all said that the first step is acknowledging systemic racism, and then continuously speaking about it even if it's an uncomfortable issue. I believe all colleges have the responsibility as higher education institutions to educate their students about race, culture, and racism, as well as promoting inclusivity.

I also believe that is one of the best traits about LIM. It is very diverse. In the Zoom call, there were students of every race and many different ethnicities sharing their stories. LIM also offers clubs where students can celebrate diversity and cultures, like BRAG (formerly known as the Black Retail Action Group) and the Global Students Club.

After the forum, our Assistant Dean of Student Affairs sent a follow-up email to the community containing links to the many supportive resources and enlightening pieces of content that were discussed during the forum.

I truly believe that education can save the world, and I thank LIM for being diverse and intolerant of racism and injustice.