WARC Statement in Response to Racist Basketball Graphic
WARC Statement in Response to Racist Basketball Graphic
On Tuesday, December 15, 2020, a graphic was shared on the Wofford men’s basketball Instagram account after their game against Coastal Carolina University. The graphic featured a Black student-athlete who had been photoshopped to have fried chicken in each of his hands. The post was racist, blatantly offensive, and utilized a stereotype that is well known for its racist undertones. There is no excuse for the creation of this graphic, and the fact that it was created, approved, and posted for thousands to see, exemplifies Wofford’s lack of anti-racism education and action. The post is an alarming signal that there has been no real campus-wide address of the issues, concerns, and trauma of BIPOC students at Wofford College.
Following the post, the responses issued by both President Samhat and the Athletic Director, Richard Johnson, only grazed the surface of Wofford’s deep-rooted systemic racism. In President Samhat’s statement to the Wofford community, the post was described as “insensitive and offensive,” greatly reducing the impact of the blatant racism uploaded for all to see. His message also emphasized that the “college community has been working hard and with great seriousness to address issues of diversity, equity, and inclusion on our campus.” However, members of the “college community” felt it was acceptable to post this racist depiction of a student. In Richard Johnson’s ‘apology’, he made it clear that the Department of Athletics has minimally and ineffectually participated in the work being done to actualize an anti-racist environment at Wofford. This is just one of many incidents highlighting Wofford’s trend of inexcusable actions and surface-level commitments to change. It is clear the College’s leadership has failed to emphasize the importance of this work or ensure the mandate of making Wofford more just, equitable, and inclusive.
In efforts to ignore and silence The Wofford Anti-Racism Coalition, Wofford has missed opportunities to meaningfully address the pervasive issue of racism. Wofford has wasted far too much time acting as if these problems do not exist and thinking of anti-racism as a trend to be taken lightly. This post magnifies the College’s need for change and action. We have met with President Samhat and his Cabinet repeatedly with our list of grievances, demands, and student testimonies only to have encountered resistance. We are told to ‘trust the process’– a process created by those who do not hold themselves accountable for perpetuating racism and a process built to silence BIPOC students. This is the same process that told students Wofford could not change the names of existing buildings that glorify slave owners, yet recently renamed a building after a donor of the College. We cannot rely on a process when there is a palpable lack of transparency, accountability, and consideration for students.
The Wofford Anti-Racism Coalition does not believe Wofford can make any meaningful change or reparations without, first, taking responsibility and apologizing for sustaining an environment conducive to systemic racism. We implore Wofford College to implement unmet demands, such as having mandatory anti-bias and anti-racism training for faculty, staff, and administration and updating their policies and procedures for reporting bias incidents. Sincerely addressing racism serves to, not only improve the lives of Wofford students but preserve the integrity and secure the future of the College.
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Wofford Anti-Racism Coalition
https://linktr.ee/woffordantiracism
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