Real Life of an MSW

In 1996, I was a sophomore at Purdue University. As a member of student government, I was invited to an event at the Black Cultural Center. I was the only white person in a room of more than 100 Black students. Initially, I felt uneasy, and then it hit me: The discomfort I was experiencing was likely how many Black students felt daily on campus. I finally recognized my own privilege of being a part of the dominant culture. Today we can no longer deny the inequality the Black community is experiencing, particularly at the hands of law enforcement. My parents’ generation has always given the benefit of the doubt to law enforcement. Their mentality was that people don’t get into predicaments with police unless they do something wrong. While I believe most police are good people who want to help others, society will no longer give them the benefit of the doubt, because of the actions of a few bad cops. We must actively identify racist behavior and remove those officers when found. -Jennifer Jones, 43, Indianapolis