OPINION
Be vulnerable, like a joey
By Mihir Bellamkonda | February 12, 2018If to be human is to speak an opinion and to hear the opinions of others, then we are now, more than ever, vulnerable.
If to be human is to speak an opinion and to hear the opinions of others, then we are now, more than ever, vulnerable.
In the end, the vote within The Chronicle was split relatively evenly between Liz Brown and Amy Kramer. Given the recent discussions over the lack of female representation among Young Trustees, we believe that students this year should pay particular attention to gender when casting their votes for their next Young Trustee.
Bryce has proven his commitment to preserving spaces for minority students on campus with a successful track record of advocacy against hate, racism, and bias.
Bryce’s platform, which emphasizes diversity and inclusion, housing and residence life, investing in our environment, and curbing sexual assault, is emblematic of the issues that need to be addressed in our Duke community.
Bryce shows an unique willingness to engage with and listen to Duke student voices from across all communities, and we believe he will continue to exercise this strength well after he graduates.
Her secure sense of moral direction and high standard for integrity in all aspects of life make her the strongest candidate for Young Trustee.
I came to Duke with a bucket list of things I wanted to do while I was here. But the more time I spend here, meeting new people and becoming acquainted with activities I hadn’t known about before, the longer and more demanding my bucket list becomes.
Amy’s pledge to support students beyond O-week academically, financially and emotionally stood out to us during our meeting.
The aftermath of Young Trustee elections is often very much like a disappearing act—while trustees are elected with a great deal of fanfare, students know very little about their roles on the Board after their representatives assume their positions.
Perhaps the best way to celebrate the life of one our university’s great leaders would be to remember his most “outrageous ambition” for Duke students–to “be drawn together by some additional honor code embracing more than just a prohibition against cheating and violating specified rules of conduct.”
Upon stepping through the glass doors, one is greeted by a single word, “black.”—in lower-case, not taunting or privileging any definitive blackness. And yet, the title bears a period; it’s a statement.
Discussion fuels progress, and America needs a lot of that right now.
The #MeToo movement demands equal respect; it is far past time for women and their work to be treated and valued equally to men.
We were most impressed by the depth and scope of Bryce’s experiences in advocating for feasible and necessary change on campus.
She stood out as the authority on the ways Duke might better itself by looking to peer institutions, and we are confident that her ability to deliver in organizations resistant to progressive change is critical to the position of Young Trustee.
As we all tune into watch our American athletes for the gold in figure skating, ice curling, bobsledding and other winter favorites at the Pyeongchang Olympics, we should appreciate both the athletic showcase and the political tensions that are coming to a head.
Amy recognizes the lack of disability resources at Duke and has tangible examples for reform and a perspective that has been sorely lacking from the Board.
Chinmay acknowledges Duke as a community of diverse students and actively reaches out to different populations to understand their perspectives.
So instead of simply protesting in silence, consider how collective action can make Duke listen to student concerns.
In a nation as polarized as ours, enabling politicians to choose their voters, as opposed to voters choosing their politicians, is profoundly problematic.