Editorials have been written this year about racist, rude and entitled Karens who have been arrested due to their behaviors. From dog parks and subway rides to school board meetings and school board debates – Karens have been caught red-handed in some of the most shocking moments this year.
1. A Black Student at Yale University
Over the past year, there have been an increasing number of instances in which white people have called police on black people who were conducting their own business. One such incident occurred at Yale University, which has become more racially charged over the past year following a dining hall employee breaking a window pane depicting slaves in the antebellum South and a graduate student renaming Calhoun College after an avowedly racist slaveholder.
This incident involved a Yale graduate student taking a nap in her dorm common room when a white student noticed her and called the police. The video of this encounter has amassed over 600,000 views on social media platforms.
Although students often take naps in dormitories or other buildings on campus, the incident at Yale raises serious concerns about police accountability. After all, this type of behavior led to the recent arrests of two black men at a Starbucks in Philadelphia and questioning of an Airbnb guest belonging to a black family in California.
This pattern is unfortunate and disturbing, indicative of a larger systemic issue: that blacks and other people of color often believe they must act a certain way in order to be accepted or even tolerated. This belief lies at the root of many incidents of harassment and discrimination against students – which explains why it’s so important for campuses to address these matters head-on.
After this incident, Yale administrators and the Yale police department are organizing listening sessions to seek solutions to racial discrimination and harassment on campus. Furthermore, the university intends to extend more outreach to black students; its first African American student body president Kahlil Greene has already declared his willingness to collaborate with administrators on initiatives designed to enhance racial sensitivity.
2. A Black Student at Harvard University
Harvard University is renowned for its diversity. Its mission statement states that they “fully embrace students from all backgrounds and races.” Unfortunately, Black students have not seen enough representation within the faculty at Harvard – which many feel is one of the primary reasons why Black students feel unwelcomed there.
The University has made strides to recruit Black students, but more must be done to support this population. It needs to hire more Black faculty members and create more spaces on campus for Black students.
On campus, several Black groups have formed to address this issue. These associations strive to provide a platform for Black students to connect and socialize while learning from one another. Popular clubs include Nigerian Students Association, Caribbean Club and African Students Association.
These clubs are excellent at aiding Black students in finding their place at Harvard. With a large number of members, these groups also host events like conferences, dance workshops and alumnae talks to foster connections among alumni.
In addition to these student groups, there are numerous Black affinity organizations on campus. There is a Nigerian students association, Caribbean club and many others that strive to assist Black students.
This year, a group of Black students created a Tumblr page dedicated to combatting institutional racism on campus. This initiative stems from a play written by one of their sophomore writers that seeks to shed light on this problem and empower Black students to speak out.
Harvard Black Law Students Association has issued a statement on their website demanding accountability for the officers involved in this incident. They contend that their behavior does not reflect well on Harvard and needs to be investigated for police brutality.
3. A Black Student at Boston University
Racism is a serious issue in the United States. It’s one of the primary reasons why many people hesitate to leave their homes and relocate, particularly Black people who are often targeted by whites and disproportionately criminalized.
To combat this, many Black communities have devised creative solutions such as creating their own social media accounts where they can share stories about racial injustices within their groups. One such example is “Black at Boston College,” which documents the discrimination experienced by Black students and their friends on campus.
This account, run by a student, has become highly sought-after among BU students. In addition to covering racial issues, it also posts about political and cultural events within the local community.
Although some of these stories may be controversial, they are necessary to bring to light the challenges Black students in college face. They can educate them about their rights and responsibilities as well as develop effective communication techniques with classmates and staff members.
Another way for Black students at BU to be engaged in the conversation is by reading “The Daily Free Press,” a student-run news outlet available on campus and other buildings frequented by BU students. This newspaper has been around since 1970 and serves as an important source of news for the university.
Every day, The Times-Herald publishes a variety of campus and local news stories, sports coverage, editorials, arts & entertainment articles for students to choose from. Furthermore, it serves as an excellent resource for those wanting to get involved on campus but may not know where to begin.
4. A Black Student at New York University
Last month, a Black student at New York University was arrested for allegedly tackling and assaulting a white boy in the lobby of a hotel. This incident was captured on video and ignited outrage across the nation.
Miya Ponsetto, an NYU student, was charged with battery for allegedly grabbing the throat of 14-year-old Jazz musician Keyon Harrold’s son and pushing him to the ground in Arlo Soho hotel’s lobby. Ponsetto later claimed she was just “traumatized” by the situation and that no racism existed within her personality.
Another NYU black student was arrested after being found to have harassed a White woman in a dog park. He was eventually convicted of aggravated harassment, according to reports.
One of the primary challenges black students at NYU face is racism, which often takes the form of racial slurs and microaggressions. Though many of these incidents go undetected, they still occur and can have devastating effects on both mental health and academic success.
These issues can impact both undergraduate and graduate students at the school, which enrolls 52,775 undergraduates and 18,193 grad students – a substantial portion of its student body.
Though NYU offers numerous clubs and associations for Black students, these groups often lack resources or support. To address this need, two students at NYU’s College of Arts & Science created the student-run task force “Black Violets,” led by an activist student group.
At first, the group was focused on combatting student housing discrimination against Black students. But their efforts soon expanded into a larger campaign advocating for measures designed to enhance black students’ success at the university.
5. A Black Student at Stanford University
Following an incident on Stanford’s campus where a white police officer pulled gun on a Black man, one Twitter thread has amassed millions of views. Posting by a graduate student sparked reviews by Stanford’s Community Board on Public Safety and Santa Clara County Sheriff’s office.
On Saturday night, a student listening to an audiobook reported the incident. Video of the event has sparked outrage on social media platforms; Jessica Stovall (PhD Race Inequality and Language in Education) wrote a tweet saying she saw an officer pull his gun on a man with his hands up while he was walking around campus.
She described the incident as a “horrible experience.” She expressed concern that campus isn’t doing enough to aid Black students and that police response was disproportionate. Additionally, she called on police department to reconsider their policies and procedures.
Other Stanford students have spoken out against police violence against Black people, such as the recent incident involving a black woman being assaulted by two white men on campus. This video went viral and ignited national conversations about police use of force.
Stanford has made some strides toward racial diversity, yet many still face discrimination and a lack of resources. For instance, according to a 2021 report from the university, Black people make up only 4% of Stanford’s population but account for 9% of arrests and 15% of field interviews.
