Gen Z Leaders Demand Institutional Change Through #NotAgainSU Movement

It started on November 7 when two floors in freshman residence Day Hall were vandalized with hateful and traumatic language directed towards black and Asian studentsI was proud of how quickly students mobilized I chose to attack the problem from a different angle and immediately started emailing administrators alumni and faculty I have personal relationships with My goal was to ensure that we all properly pursued tangible actions to support our students of colorAlthough the word of NotAgainSU had spread around campus there was a great deal of confusion as to why the administration failed to properly inform the student body about the hate crime Worse it was reported that the Department of Public Safety instructed students in Day Hall to put away their phones and stay quiet about the incidentStudents then felt they couldn39t trust the officers placed on campus to protect them so they took matters into their own hands and organized a sitin at the new Barnes Center They refused to leave until Syracuse University Chancellor Kent Syverud met their list of demands including mandatory diversity training for staffers and a zerotolerance policy for harassmentOnce I saw the NotAgainSU movement publish their list of demands I knew that our community was tighter than ever tackling administration from every angle while being tactful in our approachesGovernor Cuomo released a statement earlier this week that aligns with the sentiments of the NotAgainSU protestors Syracuse University alum Sam Shapiro told me that he supports the Governor39s comments amp8212 but added that after reading the university39s 11page quotResponse to Specific Student Concernsquot he thinks the school won39t be committed enough to the students39 urgencyquotI do commend the University on its apparent desire to address concerns in regard to topics such as Code of Conduct diversity and inclusion training for students and faculty student living and morequot he explained quotThe problem is amp8230 these seem to be longterm futureoriented resolutions with most of the demands set to be implemented in the back half of 2020 and 2021 I understand that you cannot change a culture overnight but there are more as Governor Cuomo put it 39strong swift just and immediate39 actionable ways to ensure that the student body feels safequotOver the past few years the black community at Syracuse University has been systematically disenfranchised and no one is publicly talking about it Although the NotAgainSU movement shouldn39t need to exist its presence has ignited mobilized and strengthened our community in a way that I39ve never seen before in my four years on this campus amp8212 and for that I39m gratefulCourtney Jiggetts a student on campus and Forbes Under 30 Scholar believes that this longstanding issue affects students nationwide quotThis is not the first time in my five years here that my colleagues and I have been subject to raciallymotivated attacks actions language that are always met with direct opposition and immediate outcryquot Jiggetts said quotAs a student who recognizes the deeply woven and ingrained racism that lies throughout amp8230 our nation the graffiti was abhorrent but in my opinion not threatening What I am surprised about however is the manner and pace at which these incidents are increasing amp8212 directly placing students in the face of what I personally perceive to be imminent dangerquotSyracuse University has a history of highlighting itself as a leading school for diversity yet seems to lack the infrastructure to recruit support or sustain a diverse student body Kady Phillips a recent alum hopes that the university will implement the changes necessary to deliver on its promises quotChanging the Student Code of Conduct doesn39t stop a student whose mind is inundated with racist beliefs and white supremacist ideologies from acting on them in their interactions with peers from diverse backgroundsquot Phillips says quotAlso change isn39t achieved by putting photos of diverse students in marketing materials or by hosting community forums The university needs to think about what it can do on a curriculumbased level and beyond that will help embed a commitment to diversity and inclusion across the campusquotI attended the forum held on Wednesday night in Hendricks chapel where Chancellor Syverud and students representing NotAgainSU negotiated the students39 demands Initially willing to move forward with only 16 out of 19 demands by 3 am he agreed to all demands Although our university leader chose to be on the right side of history only time will tell if the current administration has the capacity to effectively meet the needs of its diverse studentsWhat can brands and marketers learn from Syracuse University and NotAgainSU Brands that are more concerned about preserving their ego than supporting their customers risk upending their business It happened to Gucci Pepsi and Syracuse University amp8212 and it will happen to your brand as well if you don39t properly understand your customers39 identities pain points and values then provide solutions that cater to their growthquotIncidents like these amp8230 show us the value and the dollar sign placed on black and brown bodiesquot Jiggetts said quotThey demonstrate what true allyship looks like between individuals of color and those who are not of color And they foster a greater sense of comradery between students and colleagues of various backgroundsquotStories like NotAgainSU also show us the importance of making sure your brand externally and your organization internally focus not only on diversity but also on inclusionLearn more about NotAgainSU from Renegade Magazine and The Daily OrangeClick the social buttons to share this story with your friends and colleaguesThe opinions and points of view expressed in this content are exclusively the views of the author andor subjects and do not necessarily represent the views of MediaVillagecomMyersBizNet Inc management or associated writers

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Gen Z Leaders Demand Institutional Change Through #NotAgainSU Movement

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Kelsey Davis

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Gen Z Leaders Demand Institutional Change Through #NotAgainSU Movement

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