The bets are high, and in the next round you can pass or play the card. Which will you choose?
Senior Brittanie Pearson is trying to educate students on the concepts of white privilege and race relations through “The Race Card: Who holds the privileged hand?”
Pearson said the conference is a platform for students to evaluate how race influences societal relationships. It will be held this Saturday, Nov. 7, from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. at the Drake Legal Clinic.
“The race card” is an informal term referring to the use of one’s race to gain an advantage in a conversation or debate. O.J. Simpson, Naomi Campbell and even President Obama have been accused of using race to their advantage.
Conversely, the white population in America has access to opportunities not available to other races. Pearson asks, “Who holds the privileged hand?” Attendees will be asked to analyze the possibility that there are inherent societal norms and practices that exclusively benefit one race of people. Pearson said she saw a need for a forum on Drake’s campus to discuss the issue of race. What began as a personal endeavor soon turned into a project for her Honor’s program capstone.
“I was introduced to white privilege by Professor Harvey in Liberation Theology (class),” Pearson said.
She said she began to notice a variety of seemingly race-related arrests and the use of race as a descriptor of suspected criminals involved in crimes in the Drake neighborhood.
“Race tensions seem to be rising on campus and no one wanted to talk about it,” Pearson said.
The conference will offer a series of activities to address modern conceptions of race. Round table discussion groups of students and faculty will allow for open conversation of these topics. Workshop sessions will address the social construction of race and provide tools to combat institutionalized racial hierarchies.
Pearson said the highlight of the conference is keynote speaker Peggy McIntosh. The author is the associate director of the Wellesley Center for Women at Wellesley College in Boston, Mass. McIntosh’s lecture will focus on her 1988 essay, “White Privilege: Unpacking the Invisible Knapsack.” Many scholars consider the article a timeless example of how race can impact societal position.
“Peggy is a recognized name in academia and among the top five recognized speakers over white privilege, so she seemed like a logical choice,” Pearson said.
Pearson said that raising money to sponsor the speaker was a challenge in organizing the event. Pearson reached out to campus or ganizations for assistance, and the Donald V. Adams Leadership Institute, the Center for Global Citizenship, the Engaged Citizen program, the Women’s Studies program and Students for Women’s Issues all donated resources and funds.
Student Senate passed a motion allocating $1,058.50 to the conference. Student Senate Treasurer Kyle Lewandowski said the conference would address campus diversity issues.
“Additionally, SFAC noted Ms. Pearson’s personal passion for these issues, as well as the thorough steps she has taken to organize and publicize the conference,” Lewandowski said.
Students have already expressed interest in the conference. First-year student Mario Sinclair said he plans to attend the event to increase his knowledge on the issue.
“I want to hear Peggy McIntosh speak,” Sinclair said. “And, I want to learn more about the racial effects on society.”
The conference will feature McIntosh’s speech, round table discussions and workshops throughout the day. Registration is free, and lunch is provided. Students must register in advance if they would like to attend any part of the conference. E-mail brittanie.pearson@drake.edu for more information or to register for the event.
