Students of color at Brown University reclaim white spaces, draft list of demands for the university

Today is probably not the best day to attract publicity to or sympathy for your cause, but students of color at Brown University are holding a #DayOfReclamation Thursday, occupying university buildings to draft their demands for the institution.

POC DISRUPTING #PWI SPACES TO READ WORKING LIST OF DEMANDS #DayOfReclamation #BrownTogether #BuildingOnOppression pic.twitter.com/xiNR7dlIO5

— chrysanthemum trans ? (@chrysanthemvm_) December 3, 2015

(For those unfamiliar with the current college climate, a #PWI is a predominantly white institution; POC are people of color.)

#BrownTogether are neither happy that a two-week window for collecting feedback on the school’s “illegitimate and insufficient” Diversity and Inclusion Action Plan is closing, nor that they’ve been treated as uncompensated labor in providing “diversity consultation.” Therefore, they planned to present the university’s president, Christina Paxson (aka CPax), with their demands and an invoice for their time and labor.

https://twitter.com/ablackscream/status/672498193498841088

WE DID THE WORK WE NEEDED TO DO IN U. HALL. HOW MUCH IS 3 HRS OF DIVERSITY CONSULTING ON A PWI PAYROLL? #DayOfReclamation #BrownTogether

— chrysanthemum trans ? (@chrysanthemvm_) December 3, 2015

This alumna tweeted her support for the #BrownTogether group:

We see you. We hear you, #BrownTogether. Thank you for your work and witness. (Class of '87 alum, here.) pic.twitter.com/LptU0RUHhH

— Shelley Krause (Call your reps! 202-224-3121) (@butwait) December 3, 2015

A student commenting on the anti-semitism in the document on the “Day of Reclamation” event page on Facebook was reminded: “Please, white people, do not comment or edit this document, or make your own demands of students of color. This is not our space and we are not entitled to inclusion or explanations.”

"Create one hiring line for Pacific Islander Studies professor focused on scholarship with an intersectional framework." #BrownTogether

— SAPIC (@AgainstThePIC) December 3, 2015

"Earmark fundraising within the integrative themes in the Operational Plan to hire faculty and researchers of color." #BrownTogether

— SAPIC (@AgainstThePIC) December 3, 2015

#Browntogether is what it sounds like. All members of Brown's community, incl. privileged should be working toward an inclusive university

— V. Kain (@burn_flags) December 3, 2015

It wasn’t one of the group’s demands, but many suggest they’d appreciate not being used as props by certain white liberals running for president.

https://twitter.com/ablackscream/status/671806011611684864