"No matter what anybody tells you, words and ideas can change the world." This line from one of my favorite movies, "Dead Poets Society," is my constant motivation when I'm working with my team from week to week. In the film, a spirited English teacher played by Robin Williams, uses poetry to motivate a group of adolescent boys into reaching their full potential. John Keating, the teacher in question wants his students to understand that what they think and what they say can make a difference.
We at Spelman fully understand the power of ideas. The notion that women, even women of color, could have access to a fair education was unheard of in 1881. And yet our founders believed that an institution that served women's educational needs could be created. Here we are over 130 years later with a new mission; "A Choice to Change the World". It's something my team and I hope to do with the words and ideas that we produce on The Odyssey each week. We understand that words have the power to shift perspective.
There are words and phrases in the English language that many would call outdated and offensive, and understandably so. In "Ni**er Is What Ni**a Is" Ca'Teama Sanders explores the "N" word, a topic that has sparked controversy nationwide. Historically, this term was used to demean people of African descent. The current generation, however, has chosen to reclaim it in hopes of changing its meaning. Meanwhile, we still debate whether the connotation has changed. Whether or not this is true remains to be seen. Having had this racial slur hurled at me at least once, I'm partial to the old school of thought. But it begs the question, can the meaning of a word change if the idea behind it does?
One of our newest staff members, Ava Greene highlights a relatively new candidate in the race for the White House, Bernie Sanders. While Sanders isn't a stranger to politics, his views are pretty revolutionary, and he's one of the few politicians who has fearlessly acknowledged the racial inequalities still plaguing our nation. He could be the candidate this country needs -- no offense, Hillary. He's making headway in the polls and is proving to be a truly viable candidate. He wants to change the idea that people of color have contributed little and have minimal worth in this country. We're looking forward to seeing how he does against his conservative opponents.
Speaking of racial inequalities, the source of many of them is perception. Often people of color, black men in particular, are given the short end of the stick simply because they are perceived as dangerous, or lazy, or less than. Our brothers at Morehouse are seeking to change that idea with The Top10AUC, an organization geared towards highlighting the best and brightest our AUC students have to offer. Their new hashtag, #TheNewStereotype, is shifting the idea that first comes to mind when the general public conjures the image of the black male.
So here we are, my staff and I, standing on our desks so that we may look at things through fresh eyes and new perspectives. Like Keating and his students, we want to live life and change what we see for the better. We are fortunate in that we attend an institution that cultivates some of the boldest and most brilliant young black minds in the country. In this age, we are charged with picking up the mantle our predecessors have left behind.I hope what we have to say will inspire you to think a little differently.
Signed,
Karys S. Belger
