The Undergraduate Commuters Association (UCA) at the University of Hartford hopes to bring awareness and to begin a conversation of what privileges people have in this world. People come from all different walks of life and many times, they may not recognize or realize the privileges they may or may not have.
UCA is hoping to help facilitate that discussion by hosting “The Privilege Walk” for students and faculty at the University of Hartford.
“We’d like students to recognize or acknowledge what position they are or how privileged they feel like they are. Just see how society pretty much has put them at certain standpoints,” UCA president Patrice Pinnock said. “It’s supposed to be really informative to get to have a better understanding of yourself and how you’re placed in a so-called ‘free country.’”
The event will involve active participation from those who attend.
The main activity will call for the participants to stand in a single line where statements will be read and they will decide to either take a step forward if they feel it is a privilege, or to take a step backward if they feel it is a disadvantage.
Following the activity, Hillyer associate dean and chair of the department of social sciences Woody Doane will lead an open discussion on the topic of privilege.
“There’s a lot of talk about these diverse issues that relate to race, religion and class,” UCA treasurer Kharla Colon said. “There’s a lot of hate being spewed. A lot of it comes from ignorance or not having enough knowledge on other people’s positions.”
“We are different but we’re also similar too,” Pinnock said. “There’s so much struggles that everyone goes through, but at the same time don’t always jump the gun and stereotype someone all the time.”
Nick Pinkerton, director of the University of Hartford’s Counseling and Psychological Services will also be at the event.
The hope is that the discussion will cause participants to reflect on themselves, as it might serve as an eye-opening experience that may result in an emotional reaction.
In that case, Pinkerton will be on hand and available to anyone who feels they need his services.
“When you see someone that’s maybe not part of your culture, race or religion, you kind of just make an assumption. Maybe they think a certain way or act different because we grew up with a certain privilege and they didn’t,” Colon said. “Just think twice about it.”
UCA began planning for the event in Nov. 2015, led by graduate adviser Michael Daley.
UCA felt that with recent events like the legalization of gay marriage, Donald Trump’s comments on immigration and the U.S.-Muslim refugee situation, it was an optimal time to have a discussion about these heightened issues.
Similar events have been done at other colleges and university across the country.
Some of those schools have been the University at Albany, University of Arizona, Colorado College, Union College, Wagner College and Azusa Pacific University among others.
A video depicting the activity was also featured on the BuzzFeedYellow YouTube channel.
The video titled “What is Privilege?” was uploaded in July 2015 and currently has garnered over 1.4 million views.
The Privilege Walk will be held Tuesday, Feb. 9, from 7:30–10 p.m. in the Gengras Student Union North Café.
Door prizes and light refreshments will be available.
For questions or for more information on the event, you can contact the Undergraduate Commuters Association at uca@hartford.edu.