Tunnel of Oppression

Excerpt. Published: http://www.thecurrentonline.net/campus/hiv-racism-and-wheelchair-basketball-diversity-week-1.2105430

A sign in the LC that reads "Tunnel of Oppression" points you to an innocent-looking door, Before entering it, however, you must sign in and read a disclaimer.

"The materials in this room are offensive in nature. At times some participants may feel uncomfortable. Participants can choose to step out of the experience at any time and there is someone in the room to guide you to the exit."

Upon entering, you are swallowed by darkness. The only things visible at first are the papers, lighted by black light, that hang on the black walls all around you. "Skinny b***h," they read. "Milf." "Cracker." "Jap."

Meanwhile, speakers blast racist slurs and other insults through the room. "Seriously, just go kill yourself already," it echoes.

Once the eyes adjust, one is able to observe the setting; walls covered with dark material from top to bottom, cards bearing insults hanging from the chandeliers. It feels a little like a haunted house - except here, the nightmare seems rather real.

After walking through the room, one ends up in its positive counterpart, dubbed the "hope room." As the name suggests, it's the exact opposite �" instead of profanity, one finds himself surrounded by words like "friendship," "hope" and "love."

Here, staffers sat with crayons and post-its for students to leave their thoughts on, which were then put up on the hope wall. There was also a counselor available for anyone that needed it, which, according to Amber Miller, student life events coordinator, was the case more than once �" several people had broken down crying in the tunnel, she said.

Roughly 100 people participated on the first day (the tunnel was open for a few hours on both Wednesday and Thursday). This is the first time such an event has been held at Green River, but the idea of a Tunnel of Oppression came from several other universities.

"We were trying to get people to start thinking about how silence of oppression begets oppression and how silencing oppression can be," said Miller.

The wall of hope will be hung in the Student Life office as a keepsake.