On any given Wednesday night during the summer in Tallahassee, you are bound to see guys in cut-off denim shorts and girls rocking flannels. Chances are that these people are going to White Trash Wednesday (WTW), one of the most popular and anticipated summer parties that takes place every Wednesday night at The Strip.
Some may find it strange that there is a party that solely mocks one subgroup of a race, but it has come to my attention that this party is groundbreaking to the Tallahassee community in terms of promoting diversity and inclusion. For the first time ever, students from Florida A&M University, Florida State University and Tallahassee Community College are coming together to not only dress like rednecks, but to have a good time. Who knew that the solution to the lack of intermingling was y-bombs, mixed drinks and cut off jorts?
As an African-American student at Florida State University, I am constantly faced with having to choose which crowd I would like to party with. I can either go to "urban night" or a party with a crowd in which the majority is Caucasian. Before my first WTW, I was nervous that if I went I would be called derogatory names or treated like chopped liver. Instead, I was welcomed with open arms and made a ton of great memories. I am happy that there is finally somewhere that I can go with a mixed crowd and music that suits all audiences.
The lack of diversity and inclusion at colleges and universities is a rising problem with few solutions. At Florida State University, the minority population is quite small. Outside of football season, students seldom mingle with one another. In the United States, there have been many recent events in which minority students have been rejected or neglected on their own college campus or within their school's community and there is a shared fear among these students that they may be targeted or excluded because of their race. While university faculty and student leaders struggle to come up with ways to promote diversity and inclusion, The Strip has already created their own fix.
I am hoping that White Trash Wednesday can set a trend for the Tallahassee party scene and the future students from a variety of backgrounds will be able to connect on a new level. I also hope that the phrases "urban night," "black night" and "white night" can be erased from the local jargon. I feel that the best times are had when everyone is included and can comfortably mingle with one another. Because of the inclusive setting and geniality at The Strip, it will always be a staple of Tallahassee nightlife.
