Question 4

[Vanessa]

On pages 292-293 Suskind describes the groups at Brown University as divisions throughout the school community. The cliques being racial and ethnic. Groups elaborated on for example were the La Fuerza Latina for students of Hispanic/Latin background which was not the sole cultural event gathering for them they had their version of salsa club and eating traditional latin food. Other groups mentioned were the Korean Students Association and the American-Arab Anti-Discrimination Committee. Cedric was even invited to go the the Harambee House for African American students. In the book it seemed as if the system of cliques was basically “cheating” off the students from the real world, as stated in the book about going to the Harambee House “disappearing into that huge clique would represent some sort of defeat, a retreat from what originally brought him to Brown” (293). In a way I do believe the negative division to be true but it can also be positive not as a “retreat” as mentioned but as a piece of home. The cliques do put a sense of belonging on campus which can really help those who families are far away. The divisions for the most part are negative because a community is to strive for excellence together and fight for equality especially on a college campus and isolation should not exist in order to do so.

[La'Tonya]

Hi Vanessa and thank you for bringing up this topic of supposed "self segregation" among students of color at college campuses. One of the themes in this book is Cedric's evolving view on this matter. As you point out, he initially does see culturally or ethnically specific groups as "cliques," and something to be avoided. But by the end, he changes his mind somewhat. WHY do you think Cedric's perspective changes? What role do YOU think groups like MeCHA play on the LMU campus? Would love to get your thoughts.