A defense of diversity recruitment weekends

The Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., commented on the merits of the civil rights movement by saying, "Human progress is neither automatic nor inevitable. every step towards the goal of justice requires sacrifice, suffering and struggle." This quote when juxtaposed to Professor Karla Holloway's column "Producing Difference" (April 5, 2007) brings to light an important point that Holloway fails to acknowledge. In her column Holloway promotes what can best be described as a utopian worldview of a "color-blind society." While such a view sounds good in theory, the reality of the matter is that race is still a very real, though socially constructed, part of our society. Thus it is important that we not misinterpret inclusion with assimilation. Duke cannot "produce difference" as that very difference exists pre-Duke. In her reassessment of Duke's diversity programs and policies, Holloway presents four recommendations. While each deserves considerable attention, given space constraints we will focus on those that deal with Black Student Alliance Invitational Weekend. First, to say "recruitment weekends force institutional ideologies of race onto students" is short-sighted as it fails to acknowledge the inherent diversity that the weekend showcases. At no time during the weekend does anyone purport there to be a monolithic Duke experience. We are intentionally showcasing the diversity the within the black community, moreover, the activities of BSAI are free of charge and open to all students on campus in addition to this the fact that the author of the column was conspicuously absent at this year's events, leads one to ask the question of who is being exclusive and who is being excluded? Moving to the fourth recommendation of "asking why administrators would turn over the major activities of one weekend to a group of students.," the simple answer is rooted in a deeper philosophical issue when talking about diversity on Duke's campus. It is fundamentally difficult for a group of administrators to plan a weekend for a diverse group of people when that body of administrators lacks diversity itself. Overall weekends like BSAI are not institutional attempts at "producing difference," rather they are methods through which we celebrate and recognize diversity at this institution. But as with all issues dealing with race and diversity, there is a perpetual difference of opinion. It goes to show that the struggle continues.

Malik Burnett

Trinity '07

President, Black Student Alliance