Well, friends, it’s been a turbulent month. There’s no denying that. We’ve seen tragedy after tragedy, brutality after brutality. We’ve seen businesses burn and people from all over the world crying out for lasting change. With no reasonable end in sight, all we can do now is pray that those cries would not fall on deaf ears or hardened hearts.
But, these televised protests aren’t the only ones fighting the good fight. Black people everywhere are banding together and standing firm against established systems that have lied unchecked and unchallenged for far too long. Chief among them is Education.
Syreeta Briggs, an African-American Dramatic Writing M.F.A. student from West Louisville, KY serves as the founding leader of SCAD’s first ever Poetry Slam club, the Elephant in the Room. The original goal of the club was to be a creative outlet for poets, particularly poets of color, to showcase their art to their classmates and bring light to a unique perspective that SCAD hadn’t yet seen before. The club debuted to a packed crowd at their first SLAM back in November 2019 and solidified their position among SCAD’s plethora of artistic clubs and organizations. Recently, however, Ms. Briggs has masterfully repurposed her platform as a virtual meeting ground for Black students who have been categorically ostracized and/or ignored by SCAD’s administration.
“For me personally, being at SCAD while black is exhausting most of the time,” writes Briggs. "I actually haven’t had any black professors since being at SCAD. There aren’t any that I know of within my department. I’m not sure if my non-black classmates really understand how disheartening it is not to have any professors that look like you within your department...to represent you in a collegiate setting for an art form you love so much. Or, to be asked in one way or another for ‘the black perspective’ on a topic. OR to be expected to perform this emotional labor for an instructor who isn’t equipped to have classroom conversations about race. It’s a lot... It’s exhausting.”
SCAD Writing alumni Stephanie @verleah_ shared her experience as well. “I was a sophomore when I finally saw another black person in one of my major classes. I NEVER had a major class with a black professor, but my professors constantly taught using materials from black artists, especially black femmes. Not to mention having discussions on race, privilege, etc, in predominately white classes while I (or ONE other black person) defended the entire black population. I look at my black peers in the writing department, and I know we fight twice, if not three times as hard for opportunities we deserve. However, non-black students, and especially white writing students, are often handed opportunities. I personally watched a white writing student skip classes (more than five), show up late for class, and completely disregard assignments but somehow managed to graduate with the rest of my class. Also, had a professor tell me the world would judge my work differently because I’m a black woman.”
The isolation of African-American students and the underlying current of racial bias has permeated SCAD’s infrastructure for years. Only now, in the wake of this radical movement, are these students’ voices and their stories finally reaching the surface. On June 2nd, in protest of the murder of George Floyd by Minneapolis Police and the ongoing fight against police brutality in this country, many people, celebrities and organizations decided to stand in solidarity through social media with the #BlackoutTuesday post. The movement was intended to be a moment of reflection for the country to take a break from the minutia of social media in reverence for a larger cause. SCAD President Paula Wallace (@paulaswallace) also participated, posting “The SCAD community abhors racism in any form. Let’s continue to learn and love with an open heart.”
Despite President Wallace’s valiant effort, the responses to her post were less than favorable as Black students, current and alumni, took time to voice their experiences at the school and what should be done to help foster a more inclusive environment.
“We do not need people to simply share a black square as to no look bad or have their institutions look bad, but to take action,” wrote @justinemattox. “In my time at SCAD I witnessed professors first hand treat myself and fellow black students differently. In fact, one of my professors said to my classmate that the chair of my department was prejudice against black people. His actions held her and another black student back from graduating on time. You have a huge platform and don’t mind taking our black dollars—please give black SCAD students + alum more than just a post. Please also examine your leadership and faculty and see where you can start from within to build a better, more accepting community. Please SHOW us that SCAD ‘abhors racism in any form.’”
“A professor recently made a stereotypical comment about one of my family members after I presented a project about black culture,” wrote aspiring fashion designer Kearra K. (@kearrak) “It made me, and the other minorities in the classroom, very uncomfortable. Literally the entire class gasped, and one student defended me. Anytime I make a complaint about a professor the school tries to blame it on me.”
Graphic Designer and 2018 graduate @cydvolution had this to say in response to Ms. Wallace’s post. “As a SCAD alum and former BSA president, it’s imperative that I speak on this. SCAD has a large platform and a diverse body of students. The Black community at SCAD deserves more support. Consider actively connecting with both Black Student Associations and hearing their voices. Contribute to bail and freedom funds. Educate yourselves, faculty and students on the death sentence that is racism and the institutional racism that exists behind SCAD walls. Go beyond your black square and short caption. Your Black students deserve more.”
As a recent graduate of the Savannah College of Art & Design’s Savannah campus, I too am well aware of the great privilege it is to attend such a prestigious university with a multitude of resources, an established and well-placed alumni base, and the willingness to allow its students to express their creativity in whatever manner they see fit. Under the direction of President Wallace, SCAD’s reputation has flourished. But, I am not blind to the evident biases that are inherent within SCAD’s current culture. To be clear, the intent behind this article is not to bash President Wallace or all the good that SCAD has done for its students of color. However, I would be doing myself and my fellow students a disservice if I did not use my platform to elevate their concerns. After all, the only way to fix a problem is to first acknowledge its existence.
Now, there is no clear cut and comprehensive solution to the issue of racism, as made evident by the world we’re living in. It’s an ongoing battle that only time, open communication, and understanding will solve. However, there are steps that institutions like SCAD can take to help ensure that Black voices are heard and our identities are not lost in the corporate sauce of “inclusion and diversity.” One that Ms. Briggs and her poets are adamant about is the establishment of an Office for Black Student Affairs.
“It would create a university-funded safe space for black students,” she writes. "It would enable the development of programs and services advocating for the success of black students.” I for one would have definitely benefited from such a space during my time at SCAD with access to like-minded individuals and resources designed to help me achieve my goals. Now that I’ve graduated, I can only hope that articles like this, and organizations like Elephant in the Room can put SCAD and its Black students on the path toward peace of mind.
-The Noble Negro