It’s obvious that I’m passionate about raising awareness about social justice and equality. While looking through sources for this project in particular I became discouraged. BUT not because I wasn’t finding good things! I found essays that talked about racial and gendered discrimination. I was able to broaden my timeline by finding an essay that talked about the disadvantages minority students face before entering the world of higher education. My own experiences were written eloquently and succinctly and I was excited about the wealth of information.
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But then I stumbled upon a source entitled “Breathing Space” by Alex Mikulich. His essay explains and critiques the role that Jesuit universities play in issues of discrimination. He emphasizes that while Jesuit universities broadcast anti-racist activism, unequal treatment of Black and Mexican students still persist. Mixed emotions filled my mind as I looked over this source. I was happy to know that other people were interested in this topic and had something to say about it, but I worried that now my voice was less important. Where would I fit in a conversation that looked like it had been talked about enough? Would I add SCU to the conversation about Jesuit universities or try to involve myself in the conversation about discrimination on college campuses more generally?
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In short, this project has proven to be much more stressful than I expected.