I am an ally of my peers; and as an adult white female, I understand that all my peers don't think, look, or act like me, and that's okay. I have gone through second-tier safe-zone training at my university, and I have learned to recognize the needs and diversity in my own community: primarily through service and engagement with several Asheville area organizations. Most of this service has been a component of my liberal arts education.
Safe zones act as places for free speech and foster the development of vast groups of people who can practice effective communication and critical inquiry. During my time at UNC Asheville, I have read many different primary sources spanning from the ancient to modern world, written papers and participated in dozens of class discussions on what it means to be human, how spirituality and nature are expressed throughout history and within our world cultures, and similarities among peoples through spaces of cognitive, emotional, and sociocultural differences. I have concluded that knowledge is of infinite depth, and individual capacities for interacting with the world are unique.
I elected to do safe-zone training when our Honors program committed to becoming a safe place for our students. Again, this includes: safety from judgement, offering of resources, and respect for persons in all ways. I am an Honors mentor, and I want the students I mentor to feel like they can trust in the respect that I give them. I am a campus security authority, and I look to be sure that all of my fellow students feel that their values, personal liberties, and rights as individuals are protected and respected in our academic, personal, and professional spaces.
I start each day with the goal of practicing compassion, mindfulness, respect, and responsibility. I recognize that I am privileged in many ways. I have been disappointed in much of the conversations and actions following recent events; many of them are unpatriotic and do not represent the beliefs and ideas that I have developed in my young life. I think that many of the stigmatizing labels involving "entitled millennials" and vulgar language that have been tacked onto college communities and safe-zones are the result of miscommunication and passion from all parties involved.
My purpose in this article is to clarify the purpose and importance of safe zones within our communities, and discuss my own way of interacting with others in a meaningful way. As we move forward together, look to understand the people surrounding you, do not be afraid to challenge your own and others opinions/ideas in a productive, respectful way, and do not expect of others what you do not offer to them. To my peers and friends: practice compassion, practice inquiry and effective communication, hold fast to your beliefs, and face the world with curiosity, wonder, and respect.
Community engagement through service and meaningful conversations can be a better way of exacting the change you would like to see in the world. Some great UNCA community partners include: Bounty and Soul (Black Mtn.), FEAST Asheville, Campus Gardens (UNCA SEC), Food Connection, Green Opportunities Kitchen, YMCA Nutrition Program, UNCA HAPI Lab, YMCA Healthy Aging, In Real Life, Americorps, Girls on the Run, and many more. The UNCA Key Center can help you develop connections with organizations that resonate with your interests, and you can earn a designation at graduation for excellence in community engagement.
