As an institution, Syracuse University boasts its acceptance of diversity. SU describes our campus as “an environment of inclusion and diversity, providing opportunity for anyone and everyone who seek it.”

While I commend this progressive stance, it’s important SU understands the difference between accepting and understanding. There is beauty in our differences. Diversity of race, ethnicity, gender, sexual orientation and other identities is what makes us who we are.

Despite its status as a popular search term, culture seems simplistic to me. Complications arise when we create labels for lifestyles and identities different than our own, placing both ourselves and others in exclusive boxes. Culture is made up of attitudes, beliefs, characteristics and values that create someone or something. And regardless of whether we identify with these principles, learning how to not only live with diversity — but embrace it — is important now more than ever.

In The New Yorker’s “The Meaning of ‘Culture,’” Raymond Williams describes culture as having three meanings. That is, “culture as a process of individual enrichment, as when we say that someone is ‘cultured,’” “culture as a group’s ‘particular way of life’” and “culture as an activity … that might be encouraged by a Ministry of Culture.”

We must talk about culture and what it encompasses at SU so it doesn’t get erased. The way we interpret culture is changing as we become more cognizant of the identities in the American melting pot, and we must address the erasure and belittlement of minority populations. This country is ridden with tense cultural relations that could be traced to the 2016 presidential election, but this tension has always been churning in the background of our democracy.

Either way, it’s become acceptable in the U.S. to state one’s prejudice or racism without any consequences. We’ve reduced ignorance and hate speech as privileges under the First Amendment, which our “politically correct” culture has made us too sensitive about. But what people need to remember is the future is the now, and we’re the next leaders.

As SU students, we should take pride in our diverse and accepting community. But we can’t begin to let our comfort make us complacent and unaware. There are racial undertones and microaggressions on campus, and the only way to move forward is to decide to confront them.

My goal as a Student Life columnist is to make sure everything I write about is relevant to members of the SU community. From topics as seemingly mundane as fashion to weightier topics like race, I want this column to be an exploration of everything that comprises our identities.

And by talking about our differences, maybe we’ll realize just how similar we truly are.

Camryn Simon is a freshman dual magazine journalism and Spanish major. Her column appears biweekly. She can be reached at csimon01@syr.edu.

Published on January 28, 2018 at 7:27 pm