Race/Related: Unwanted Guests: Dealing With Racism in College Dorm Rooms

2019年9月28日星期六

Race/Related: Unwanted Guests: Dealing With Racism in College Dorm Rooms

SEPTEMBER 28, 2019

By Pierre-Antoine Louis

A few weeks ago, the writer Nicole Cliffe shared a fascinating thread on Twitter about her time working in the dean's office at Harvard University. Ms. Cliffe described taking calls from white parents who tried to get their sons or daughters a different roommate after learning they had been assigned to live in a dormitory with a black student.

Nicole Cliffe

The parents would rarely admit their request had to do with race, Ms. Cliffe wrote. They would tell her the match just wasn't a "good fit." In one case she described parents who offered a black freshman $10,000 to move out.

He didn't take the money.

Ms. Cliffe's story made me think about the college admission scandal, in which wealthy parents paid hundreds of thousands of dollars to cheat their sons and daughters into college; the current debate around affirmative action; and how we decide who belongs in elite institutions. It reminded me that even if you're deserving, you may not be welcome.

The full account by Nicole Cliffe is well worth your time. You can read it here. And we want to hear from you. Did you encounter racism in your college dorm room? Do you believe your roommate was racist? How did you respond? Email us at racerelated@nytimes.com. Your story may be featured in an upcoming newsletter.

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Race/Related is a newsletter focused on race, identity and culture. It is published weekly on Saturday mornings at 7 a.m. and edited by Lauretta Charlton.