Diversity Affairs Council Looking to Make "Words Matter"

BY JAKE STANLEY

MIAMI UNIVERSITY JOURNALISM STUDENT

In an effort to build understanding of cultural diversity on its campus, the Miami University Diversity Affairs Council announced the creation of “Words Matter,” a student-run newsletter that will feature submissions from the students.

The newsletter is expected to begin publication at the beginning of the spring semester. Submissions can be sent to submit.miami.dac.newsletter@gmail.com and council leaders are hoping for a variety of pieces. “Words Matter” will be web-based and available for sharing on social media, but there are also an archival website and potential print efforts.

Coordinating Communication

“The newsletter is supposed to be an open forum,” said senior Nicole Anselmo, a vice president of creative programming for the council. “Anything that might be interesting to convey to the wider public.”

Anselmo is one of eight students on the council, which serves as the umbrella organization to all diversity organizations on campus. These groups include the African Students’ Union, Asian American Association and Hillel: Association of Jewish Students. She said much of their work is related to coordinating communication among the organizations and preventing any overlap.

The council is overseen by Kelley Kimple, the director of the office of diversity affairs and is one of nine councils housed under Associated Student Government. It holds ambassador meetings with liaisons to the various groups in order to receive feedback on current issues and discuss events and movements on campus. In November, it hosted a Global Holiday Party and will present a campus-wide Diversity Week during the next semester.

Sparked By Current Events

Anselmo said that she proposed the newsletter at the beginning of the semester and was motivated by recent events, such as protests and the presidential election.

“I had the idea shortly after the Missouri protests, where there was a campus-wide effect,” said Anselmo. “I think the election sparked the launch of the newsletter because it had similar, if not more extreme and wide-ranging effects.”

The initial announcement for “Words Matter” was posted on Facebook on Nov. 9, the day after the election of Donald J. Trump. In the announcement, DAC wrote that “through the mere power and force of words, [they want] to create change, spread awareness, and foster companionship between ideologies and people on campus.”

Fulfilling A Need

This mission statement is welcome for many students at Miami, who feel that there is a lack of appreciation between cultures.

“I think the biggest issue we face on our campus is that we take for granted our people of color, international students, people from varying levels of socioeconomic status, LGBTQ+ communities, non-traditional students and others I might have neglected to mention,” said a current graduate student who asked Patch for anonymity.

“It seems as if our campus tries to pick the things we like and disregard everything else, including the people. What some don’t realize is how much those disregarded people have contributed to not only our campus, but to society as a whole.”

Anselmo agreed that it was important for the newsletter to address differences in a respectful and thoughtful manner.

“The original idea of the newsletter was to lay out finer points in a way that clarifies the issues to a conservative base,” explained Anselmo. “When that happens, the conversation they have among themselves can be taken in a new direction, even when people who study these narratives are not around to help. It’s also a way to negotiate without hard feelings—especially after the election, people are looking for ways to say what they mean in a way that is not hurtful, but helpful. The newsletter can eventually be a way for us to share stories and experiences.”

In terms of content, Anselmo and her fellow members are looking for “digestible pieces” that will not be categorized by style, including traditional op-eds, identity poetry and recommendations of activists and literature. The Facebook announcement said that submissions could “be as fun and lighthearted as you wish it to be.” She said that the initial submissions have been mostly lengthy and similar in topic.

“I think it’s a product of our post-election anxiety,” said Anselmo.

Listening To Voices

The graduate student believed that the newsletter would have a positive effect on Miami, but he offered one suggestion to bolster its effectiveness.

“I think it has the potential to do great things for our campus’ understanding of various cultures,” he said. “This newsletter can be successful if it not only showcases culture as a demonstration of race, but rather an appreciation of the people our peers often forget. It should absolutely include issues of race, but it should not be limited to that alone.”

With the current political climate, Anselmo and the DAC are hopeful that their publication will “elevate the level of conversation on campus.”

“This newsletter can eventually be a way for us to share stories and experiences,” said Anselmo. “It’ll be a way to listen to student voices.”

Photo: The DAC announced the introduction of “Words Matter” in a Facebook post on Nov. 9, the day after the presidential election. (Credit: Provided)