I showed up late to table for the Activities Fair. I thought it was just bad news, but it turned out to be a stroke of luck: All the choice spots on the open patio were taken, so I tucked myself and the Daily sign-up sheets into a little nook under the bookstore awning.
Though initially a little mopey about my spot in the back corner, it soon became obvious I'd gotten the best seat in the house.
There was Bhangra music blaring, step rhythms thudding on the pavement and Thai cooking recipes shouted across the aisle.
My first thought: all these groups, all their activities - this is awesome!
My second thought: Why do I see so few of them in the paper?
Shelby Steele took the stage yesterday afternoon to address enduring divisions of race and class.
Much has changed in the past century to expand the racial, ethnic and gender scope of institutions of higher learning. But even at a diverse school like Tufts, divisions still exist.
I don't have to look any further than this paper to see this: Our staff is predominantly white. And the Daily is certainly not the only paper that could be more diverse.
Everyone works very hard, and certain beats get a lot of focus. But there are stories out there we're not covering, tensions we're not getting to, untold problems and victories that are not making it into our pages.
And this is a problem. We're passionate about creating a space for free speech and open debate on campus. But the Daily shouldn't just be for the usual suspects (the TCU Senate, the J, the administration, etc.).
The Office of Student Activities says there are 39 cultural/religious organizations on campus, from the African Student Organization (ASO) to the Puerto Rican Association, to the Vietnamese Student Club (VSC). We want to hear what the Hong Kong Students Association and the Ba'hai students think, too.
We'll be brainstorming ideas to do better on our end, but you have to meet us halfway. So, consider this a special invitation to put yourself out there.
Write a Viewpoint. Tell us about your upcoming events. Pitch us a story idea. Join our staff.
We can't afford any blindness to the realities of race and culture on campus. Give us a hand in expanding our coverage of Tufts' complex and diverse student body.
