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As racial tensions throughout the country are heightened, the concept of oppression has been pushed to the forefront of a national conversation. California State University San Marcos recently held a forum that brought attention to the ways that individuals of color feel oppressed by white people in America, the College Fix reported.

The event, called “Whiteness Forum,” has taken place annually for more than a decade and was created by Professor Dreama Moon who teaches a course entitled “Communication of Whiteness” at the institution, the news outlet writes.

The Whiteness Forum, which lasts for nearly two hours, explores how racism and white privilege are intertwined and the negative effect that it has on people from diverse backgrounds. During the event, students examine and engage in discussion about how white privilege is used in different arenas, including the media, healthcare, Hollywood, real estate, the military and other areas, reports the source.

The forum featured spoken word pieces by two poets. One poet—a young African American woman—recited a piece that unveiled the struggles that Black people deal with on a daily basis. “On a daily basis I am seen as a threat, but you get a pass because you’re white,” she recited, according to the news outlet. “I am an African American and by my people and country I stand. I identify not with the equality of America, but with the ‘We The People.’”

The event went beyond verbal exchanges and featured visual representations of white oppression. There were poster boards that bared statements like “White Supremacy in Government Representatives,” “#MentalHealthTooWhite,” and “Writing It White” which was created to bring attention to racially skewed media coverage.

Social and political movements have spilled onto college campuses nationwide. In October, there were anti-racism protests at the University of Florida after it was announced that white supremacist Richard Spencer would deliver a speech at the institution.

SOURCE: College Fix

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California State University Event Explores White Privilege  was originally published on newsone.com