[380] in Discussion of MIT-community interests
Re: Segregation on Campus
daemon@ATHENA.MIT.EDU (Aisha D Stroman)
Tue May 1 01:24:26 2001
Message-Id: <200105010524.BAA13695@w20-575-82.mit.edu>
To: Zhelinrentice L Scott <zlscott@MIT.EDU>
cc: Alex Coventry <alex_c@MIT.EDU>, mit-talk@MIT.EDU, adstrom@MIT.EDU
In-Reply-To: Your message of "Tue, 01 May 2001 00:54:37 EDT."
<200105010454.AAA24250@all-night-tool.mit.edu>
Mime-Version: 1.0
Content-Type: text/plain; charset=us-ascii
Date: Tue, 01 May 2001 01:24:01 -0400
From: Aisha D Stroman <adstrom@MIT.EDU>
First, Zhe, you've expressed a lot of stereotypes that are just that:
stereotypes. People often choose to live where they are comfortable. It
happens here, and it happens anytime you let people choose where they live.
Look at Boston and Cambridge. There are Italian areas, Black areas, etc. That
being said, I don't see it as a problem. It's on you to get to know people of
other races and cultures, and it's not MIT's responsibility to make you do so.
If you don't do it, it's your loss, though it could be seen as a loss to the
community as a whole because we end up with people coming in ignorant (lacking
knowledge) and leaving the same way.
I chose the place where I live b/c it's where I'm comfortable. I like living
in the CC suburbs. As a matter of fact, I'm proud of it. We are social,
sometimes we're loud, and that's how I like it. I get into CC parties free,
and I'm in the center of all the action. I live with people who have similar
interests to me, many of which are based on our culture, but most of which are
not. I have 2 house tutors who I know can identify with me on issues of
racism and other things I face as a black woman. And b/c they have experienced
what I am going through, they are more likely to know who I should approach to
deal with particular issues. They don't just sympathize, they empathize, and
so do my housemates.
It's a common misbelief that the people who live in House 2 or CC or Next
House or any place house that is viewed as "segregated" are all of one race
and one common mind. This is untrue and anyone who visits New House, CC, Next
House, or any other dorm/living group will see that. I know in NH2 alone we
actually have representation of Native American, Indian, East Asian, African,
African-American, and Carribbean. And CC is not all Black, and really never
has been. However, I don't want to sit and tick off the numbers just to
satisfy people who don't visit and know nothing about where I live. Even if
we were all black, that doesn't mean we are all the same. We have diverse
interests and diverse backgrounds. We also have a lot in common, which is why
we all live together. This is true of EVERY community at MIT, and what makes
the communities is much deeper than something as simple as a race.
Life at MIT is what you make of it. If you feel you have to live in a house
that may be a hostile environment to meet people of different races and
cultures, you do that, but I prefer to have the choice to live where I want,
and I'll go out and meet other kinds of people (which includes other kinds of
Black people) on my own.
that's my 2 cents.
aisha
>> Segregation on Campus is a big issue. Next House is known
>> for being predominately Asian. Particularly Chinese.
>>
>> New House is viewed as Chocolate City and the suburbs that surround
>> it.
>>
>> Baker House is definitely seen as the "white" dorm and East Campus
>> and Senior house are just themselves.
>>
>> I don't know what the word is about MacGregor, but the fact of the matter
>> is that racial segregation exists on this campus to some extent.
>>
>> Why is that? Why do a large percentage of the white, asian, and black
>> people cluster together apart? Why don't they want to have anything to
>> do with each other?
>>
>> As a black woman living in New House 4 (one of the many suburbs of
>> chocolate city) I often get asked the question: Oh, you live in New
>> House...do you live in Chocolate City? Then I have to tell them
>> no. I live in New House 4. New House 4 is multiethnic we have
>> Chinese, Malaysian, African American,American White, Thai, and
>> puerto rican.
>>
>> When I came to MIT I chose to live in a house that was diverse and
>> NOT too close to chocolate city. I wanted to be exposed to other
>> folk.
>>
>> so let's talk about why people choose the place they do to live, and
>> how we as a community can foster more interactions cross culturally.
>>
>> Cheers,
>>
>> Zhe
Aisha Stroman
MIT
Computer Science and Engineering
------------------------------------
It's not our responsibility to prove to people who we are.
Our job and responsibility is to "be."
What you do is proof of who you are; manifestation is realization.
People have a right to think whatever they choose to think.
Just because they think it does not make it right.
--Iyanla Vanzant
