The OU chapter of the National Association of Black Journalists hosted an event Tuesday evening where it unveiled a new student organization and campaign to combat racist incidents at OU.
The event, titled “Words. Voices. Action,” was organized after Gaylord College of Journalism and Mass Communication professor and director of graduate studies, Peter Gade, compared a racial slur to the phrase “OK, boomer” in class Feb. 11.
Journalism senior Jericka Handie said Tuesday’s event was vital as a platform for students to voice their concerns and ideas for what actions they want Gaylord administrators to take moving forward.
Handie was present in Gade’s class when the incident occurred and said it was “a blessing and a curse” to witness it herself — for the first time, Handie said, she saw people who did not look like her stand up and call out offensive language.
OU NABJ President Isiah Irby gave the event’s first announcement, unveiling Gaylord Strong, a new social media campaign and student organization aimed at emphasizing an inclusive culture to help Gaylord students “grow into their fullest potential,” and to work with Gaylord administration to further transparency on the hiring process and other administrative functions.
Part of the campaign will include wristbands printed with the Gaylord Strong hashtag — Irby said he gave the first wristband to Gade during a conversation on Monday.
“When we help each other learn, when we guide each other towards education,” Irby said, “that is when we grow.”
The OU NABJ also announced that Cynthia Frisby, currently a professor at the University of Missouri, will join Gaylord’s faculty in August. Frisby has conducted research on the media portrayal of minorities, women in power, minorities in sports and various other diversity-related fields of study, according to the University of Missouri website.
Frisby submitted a written statement, which was read at the event. In the statement, Frisby praised the willingness from Gaylord’s leadership to meet with students following the incident and allow them a place to voice their frustrations to a college leader.
“Often, it takes conflict for progress to take place,” Frisby wrote. “In order to move forward and reduce the anger felt following a racist conflict, it is important that leaders address those feelings of anger immediately.”
Public relations senior Michael Washington said he first met Frisby when she spoke at OU regarding minority representation in athletics.
“When I say she was just one of the most incredible individuals I’ve ever met,” Washington said, “I genuinely believe that — she is so passionate about making sure this world is inclusive and prepared for everyone.”
Anthony Sanders, OU NABJ historian, also announced the addition of a community page to the OU NABJ website. The page will function similarly to a forum, where minority students can showcase journalistic or creative work, connect with others in the community and talk about “whatever drives or frustrates them.”
A website will soon be available to allow students to join the Gaylord Strong organization, Washington said, and freshmen in particular are encouraged to get involved, as many of Gaylord Strong's founders are seniors.
“We really want this opportunity to provide students with the understanding that their words carry weight,” Washington said. “We’re building a team now, we’ve done all that we can on our own. We’re building a team to inspire a change in culture at Gaylord that has longevity and a legacy that means something to others.”
While Gaylord College Dean Ed Kelley “respectfully declined” to attend Tuesday’s event, Washington said that Kelley’s willingness to collaborate with students following the incident has been a key part of working towards addressing diversity and racism in Gaylord.
“The efforts of Dean Kelley over the past few days have been absolutely incredible,” Washington said. “He has been willing to meet with us — literally we walk into his office and say ‘we need to talk with you,’ and he’s there. … He has given everything he possibly can at this moment.”
Washington said Kelley has provided student leaders opportunities to be involved in Gaylord hiring processes in the future, part of the demand for increased administrative transparency OU NABJ outlined in the organization’s statement on the incident.
Washington said talks with Kelley and Gaylord administration will continue to determine the extent to which student leaders will be involved in hiring processes and the specific steps the administration will take to meet increased demands for transparency.
While first steps have been productive, Handie said there is still more the OU NABJ and Gaylord Strong leaders are hoping to accomplish, like the implementation of implicit bias testing for Gaylord faculty and staff and annual diversity training.
In Kelley’s Friday statement indicating Gade would no longer teach the capstone class and would go through OU’s program on culturally competent communication, Kelley also said Gaylord faculty and staff will participate in a training directed by the Office of Diversity and Inclusion.
“I find it troubling to know that in some spaces in our communities there has not been enough emphasis on implicit bias training,” Handie said. “I find that a lot of colleges on campus have decided they no longer need to educate themselves, and that is a big issue.”
Gaylord has a unique opportunity to provide a roadmap for other colleges at OU on how to effectively address diversity within their college and change their culture, Handie said.
“That is my goal for the future,” Handie said. “That Gaylord can get themselves together enough that Gaylord can become a great reflection of the change that can occur for all colleges on campus.”
