Hey Tigers! You know that feeling when you wake up, go about your day, and then feel a tiny itch in your throat? Deep down in your subconscious you know that you’re getting sick, but admitting it makes it too real. Suddenly, you’re lying in bed two days later with a fever, longing for the days when you didn’t take swallowing food for granted. A few days pass. You start spending time outside of bed, and you can finally eat whole foods again. Then, out of nowhere, you sneeze. Without warning, that sneeze turns into a stuffy, runny nose. It has not even been a week yet, and you are wondering when this sickness will subside. I’m sure you expected this sentence to be about taking medicine and finally getting better, but that would mean disregarding the most important aspect of illness: healing.
Let’s face it. There is no hiding the fact that 2020 has been one of the most life-changing years in history. Every day comes with new, uncharted territory that we are expected to weather. For the past few months, the pandemic was the talk of the town. We started to see bans lifted and businesses reopened. There was an air of progress. Then, acts of racial injustice extended a period of national pain that clearly goes beyond a virus.
Time and Tylenol are not enough to heal from this hurt. We cannot passively wait for the pain to stop; instead, we must all be present and proactive - we must take action.
As a member of the Mizzou community, take the time to help our nation through its healing, and lead the life of integrity expected of all Tigers;.
1. Listen with the intent of learning and not to argue. It is impossible to have lived the life of someone who has experienced every single form of acceptance or discrimination that exists. As a result, we have a duty to learn from others’ stories and become more socially aware of the people and experiences that make up our community.
2. Use your voice. Not everyone can protest for days on end, but if you as a student find it in your heart to voice your opinions or speak on behalf of a marginalized group, by all means, do so. On campus, Mizzou has multiple student organizations that allow for such vocalization, but in your respective hometown or city, you have the right to write to your government leaders, sign a petition online, donate to a trusted organization, or peacefully protest on issues that you deem necessary. Social media is another great tool that allows for your voice to reach millions of people through a like, comment, or share.
3. Use your privilege. One of the most enriching experiences I had on Mizzou’s campus this semester was hearing from the Diversity Peer Educators about privilege. I did not realize that as a young black woman, I still have privilege like ability and a stable socio-economic status that gives me the platform to intervene and advocate on someone else’s behalf. Take some time to analyze your identity and see where there are gaps for you to take charge and open the door for those behind you.
4. Know that knowledge is power. Educating yourself on things like your rights as a citizen gives you the greatest and most effective tool of all to combat any form of hatred or injustice. You are already taking the important step of getting a quality education at an accredited institution, but taking even more time to invest in informing yourself about issues that you care about can get you closer to achieving the goals you want.
5. Spread love and promote positivity. One of the easiest ways to promote healing is to extinguish fires of anger, disgust, and intolerance with love. This does not mean turning a blind eye to the problems at hand, but it does mean creating a safe and proactive space to address such problems. This task can be as easy as reaching out to someone who you know may be going through a difficult time, being a shoulder to cry on, or even just doing random acts of kindness for people you barely know. Take away politics and any other beliefs, and we are simply human beings. And all human beings need love.
A lot is happening right now to make us want to forget the present, but one of the best things you can do is to make the present as meaningful as possible. If nothing else, 2020 has taught us that we have more control over the journey than the destination. As a True Tiger, keep your perspective, and fight for what’s right.
TTN Sophomore
Comments