Boxes & Walls: The Oppression Experience runs October 23-27
October 20, 2016
Written by Alyssa Langer
Boxes & Walls, an interactive "haunted house" where students can experience firsthand the oppression that some students face on a daily basis, will take place in Esker Hall beginning Sunday, Oct. 23, from 1 to 5 p.m., and continuing Monday, Oct. 24, through Thursday, Oct. 27, from 6 to 10 p.m.
“Boxes & Walls is an interactive, experiential diversity and social justice awareness program that is designed to let the participant experience a few different social justice issues and put them in the shoes of students on our campus that identify with those experiences on a daily basis,” said Boxes & Walls coordinator Terry Tumbarello.
With multiple themed rooms that serve as experiences of oppression, there is extensive planning that takes place in order to make the experiences authentic. Tumbarello said those who plan Boxes & Walls meet with various student organizations on campus, such as IMPACT and Latinos Unidos, as reference.
The event is an opportunity for students to make a difference on campus and in their own lives.
“I want students to put themselves in a position of, ‘How can I make a difference? How can I change our culture on campus? What contribution can I do to make this better?’ I think it’s really important and everywhere we turn we know that we still have so much work to do for all of our students to feel included and valued,” said Tumbarello.