Recent demonstrations aimed at shedding light onto issues of race and discrimination at Dickinson have sparked conversations amongst many students, including first-years. Members of the Class of 2019 said that the demonstrations have changed the ways they see the college’s student body and  issues of race in general.

The recent events sparking conversation include a poster display hung in the HUB on Nov. 17 revealing anonymous student experiences with discrimination on campus, the “blackout” demonstration on Wednesday, Nov. 18 in the Dining Hall and the Diversity Dialogue on Nov. 19 in ATS.

Although he has only been on campus for three months, Samuel Bañuelos Jr. ’19 claims to have observed problems like those described in the demonstrations since the first day he arrived on campus.

“Dickinson praises itself on diversity, but once I got here, it was completely different,” stated Bañuelos.

Bañuelos noted that the posters hit home for him.

“When I got the chance to read the stories and personal experiences people have been going through, I was able to relate and realized I was not alone,” he explained.

For other first-years, the recent events helped them to see the possible diversity problems at Dickinson which were previously not as visible for them.

“I’m glad the issues were brought to my attention,” said Alyssa Colbert ’19, after attending the Thursday, Nov. 19 Diversity Dialogue. “I liked how at the meeting, we didn’t focus on just one issue, but we touched upon every single issue affecting the community. It made people aware of all the situations that need to be addressed.”

Bella Agostini ’19, who witnessed the demonstrations and attended the Diversity Dialogue, agreed that all of the recent events made her view the student body differently.

“I didn’t really consider them problems before,” Agostini said. “Of course I saw the racial divide within the student population, but I never really considered that to be a problem before. I can now see it in everything, like classes, social events and sports.”

Overall, first-years agreed that the demonstrations and Dialogue were necessary for any change to begin.

“It makes the problems more apparent,” added Agostini. “[The demonstrators] seem to be a little aggressive but I don’t think there is a very passive way that is as effective as this method is.”

“I feel proud that I go to a school where students take the initiative to talk about and make change for the issues they care about,” said Courtney Gistaro ’19.