Nothing is as simple as black and white.
Close to 100 students, professors and faculty gathered at the Levine Science Research Center dining hall in order to discuss Beyond the White/Black Binary, the topic of the sixth annual Unity Through Diversity Forum organized by the Center for Race Relations.
Four faculty members-Michaeline Crichlow, visiting associate professor of African and African American Studies; Sarah Deutsch, chair of the history department; Pedro Lasch, interim director of the Latino Studies Initiative; and Sean Metzger, assistant professor in the English department-offered their views on the topic at the faculty roundtable.
"The focus on the black/white binary ignores, denies or overshadows the existence of others," Crichlow said. "The tricky question is recognizing how to advance an agenda that recognizes the different struggles and stereotyping of others and at the same time realizes that we have not advanced past the black/white binary."
Lasch, on the other hand, said that if society never takes the time to acknowledge the problem, there will never be an opportunity to solve it.
"A lot of the times people have things right in front of their nose but don't want to see them," Lasch said. "We must confront our habits, which are our worst enemies."
Attendees also participated in "Take A Stand," an activity that examined how their views of the world fit with the black and white binary. Center for Race Relations members asked participants to place themselves on a spectrum of black, white and beyond black/white regarding different social issues ranging from privilege to Duke-Durham relations.
Participants found it difficult to identify the issues with one specific group.
"Nothing is completely apart from each other," said Brad Labez-Tapang, Trinity '05. "[This problem] affects every group differently."
The issue of identity and being proud of one's heritage was brought up in a question-and-answer session. Lasch suggested that individuals embrace being a minority.
"I think no one needs to be afraid of being the minority," he said. "I think more white Americans have to give up that fear."
Metzger-who is half German and half Asian-found that being a minority had its privileges too.
"I find my Asian identity as the one that's different and that's so interesting," he said. "I am able to discover so much more through it."
Christina Chia, program coordinator for the Multicultural Center, said the event was a great success. She noted that the issue being discussed is an open-ended question.
"[The black/white binary issue] doesn't have an answer or an action plan," Chia said. "Going beyond is not an end in itself, it means to do something different."
Although senior Shannon Kunath said the event was "great," she added that it needs to reach out to a more diverse body.
"I feel like we're preaching to the choir, I think it would be great if different people came to these events," she said.
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