Written by: Douglass Gavilan / Staff Writer
Though each year Student Programming Council hosts the Tunnel of Oppression, this year they’re keeping the topics that will be featured in the tunnel a secret.
“We want students to go in blind and not really know what they’re going to learn about,” Danielle Hoefeld, graduate assistant for SPC, said to Student Media.
While Tunnel of Oppression is performed at schools across the nation, the fact that the topics are being kept a secret sets the University’s adaptation apart.
The Tunnel of oppression will take place Feb. 28 at the Biscayne Bay Campus from 12 p.m. until 5 p.m., with tours starting every 30 minutes.
The event starts with a tour guide that walks students through dark rooms with the only light coming from flashlights given to guides. Each room is different and could feature videos, pictures or actors that show the oppression that is occurring in the United States.
“On a daily basis, oppression never goes away,” said Shawn Robinson, a junior psychology major. “You’re judged the most by people who don’t know you. I was taught that racism is for weak minded people.”
Though the origins the Tunnel of Oppression are not clear the experience is based on the Museum of Tolerance located in Los Angeles.
According to Missouri State University, another university that hosts the event, 83 percent of attendees agreed that the tunnel made an impression on their life and 82 percent felt empowered to go out and make a difference.
Oppression is the unjust use of power or authority.
Hispanics, who may be the majority-minority in Miami, can face cruelty and judgement from non-hispanics. The Associated Press reported that in 2011, 52 percent of non-hispanic whites showed some form of anti-hispanic attitudes.
In 2012, the AP stated that 51 percent of Americans expressed anti-black sentiments, a 3 percent increase from 2008.
There has also been an increase in crime against people of different religious views. Jewish community centers have been under attack; the J.C.C. of America confirms that 53 centers received a bomb threat since the start of 2017.
“I understand that racial oppression isn’t a reason to not get up and reach you goals,” said Robinson. “The road will have nonsensical bumps and trials but the character and drive of a person always wins. No matter what color or creed they are.”
The event is free and pre-registration is optional on Eventbrite for students who may want to be the first to go through the tunnel. Any additional concern or inquiries can always visit SPC at the office of student life in the Wolfe University Center room 141 on the Biscayne Bay campus.
Photo courtesy of Flickr
