“It’s always odd having a room full of white people talking about this stuff.”
Dr. Kevin Ewert, director of the theater program and professor of theater at the University of Pittsburgh at Bradford, uttered those words at a “Real Talk” Series titled “Non-racists vs. Anti-racists” held on Tuesday at the campus. Such a topic has been in the headlines for several months –– alleged racially-charged police shootings, for example.
“What we’re talking about is a system, and when you have glimmers of that system you have a couple of choices. One is to self-doubt and to self-censor,” Ewert told those who attended the nearly hour-long session.
However, one of the first aspects one can do about addressing racism is sparking a conversation, Ewert said.
“That’s not as photogenic as taking down the Berlin Wall,” he said.
But YWCA Bradford Executive Director Vanessa Castano said she wanted to know how to go about standing against individuals who refute facts, such as those who believe that the Holocaust didn’t happen.
Dr. Ronald Binder, associate dean of student affairs of Pitt-Bradford, said the difficulty comes in the form of people who minimize facts.
“We need to remember our place in this has a couple of advantages. For me I may think that is just the stupidest thing. But I also learned this stuff,” Ewert said.
Ewert said he learned about slavery, among other topics. If work is to be done, folks, such as him, need to use patience, he said. The knowledge can also be passed on, Ewert said.
“We all know there is no helping some people. That is sad and that is harsh,” he said.
Dr. Tracee Howell, assistant professor of English at Pitt-Bradford, said that being armed with a few resources such as websites that the person would be able to relate to is helpful.
“Google is my best friend,” she said.
One of the biggest stumbling blocks in addressing racism is that the dominant population doesn’t want to comment on the matter, Binder said.
For the YWCA Bradford, Castano said the organization fulfills its mission to empower women while it is tough eliminating racism. What’s more, she said the YWCA board is made up of all white women.
But one has to move ahead, and just say it, said Sharlene Alden of Bradford. And if there is a failing in that effort, be rest assured that correction will come, she added.
“I think we need to have another civil rights movement,” Alden said.
Ewert said one of most difficult tasks for someone to do is put down their defenses, which can include defending white supremacy.
“The challenge is to find out what is appropriate and drop that in a conversation,” Binder said.
Alden said individuals can learn just as much by talking with one another as by reading a textbook.
A challenge for white America is that people are limiting themselves with the flow of information in their lives, Binder said.
“I wish there were some black people here to contribute. We would probably learn a lot more,” Alden said.
Other Real Talk discussions will be held from noon to 1 p.m. in Room 218 of the Frame-Westerberg Commons and from 9 to 10 p.m. in Dining Rooms A&B off of the café in the Commons on Feb. 14 (“Exploitation of Black Youth Ideas and Culture”), Feb. 21 (“Black Activism Past and Present”) and Feb. 28 (“Post-election – Now What?”).
