Black in the BrooKKK
While many people call Stony Brook's campus home, not everyone feels welcome. Below are the accounts of students across campus - in their dorms, in the classroom, in the libraries, etc - who have felt belittled, harassed or downright disrespected by other members of the Stony Brook community based on the color of their skin. We, the Black Student Union do not stand for the the unfair treatment of any human being and take an active stance to highlight any such injustices.
BLACK IN THE BROOKKK
I was the only woman of color in a physics recitation. The professor told me I must be in the wrong class on the first day and asked me to check my solar to make sure I was in the course. They didn't ask anyone else in the classroom of about 40 people.
As a first year student at the time I was embarrassed to be called out because I seem I didn't belong in a class with white males.
Submitted December 2018
BLACK IN THE BROOKKK
Me and 7 other Black students got the police called on us because we were talking in the discussion area of Central Reading Room. 4 police officers escorted us out due to Donna Darling’s lies (staff member) she told the police that she told us multiple times to be quiet when she only told us once.
I felt like a criminal. I felt angry, confused, and I wanted to know how Stony could claim diversity, but have racist staff/falculty.
Submitted by Oreoluwa - October 31, 2018 - Central Reading Room
BLACK IN THE BROOKKK
I was told my “reading level was impressive for a black”
Submitted Fall Semester, 2017
BLACK IN THE BROOKKK
I was in West side dining with my man (this detail is important) it was late night and usually I have no issues when I go in there. We go in and one of the male staff members decided to follow us all the way to the back where the pizza is. Giving him the benefit of the doubt, I had us walk back to where the Asian cuisine usually is and ole boy follows us there too! Casually looking around to make it seem like he’s not following us! The whole time I’m SEETHING because I KNOW for a holy fact he’s only following us around because my man fits “the description.”
Submitted by Tamika - November 2018
BLACK IN THE BROOKKK
The dining area was filled with people so I sat next in a table with a group of Asian students but I sat about 2 seats away from them. The group of students looked at me as I prepared myself to sit down. As soon as they realized I was about to sit down, they stopped their conversation (initially in English) and asked me to not sit there. I assumed someone was already sitting there so I asked the specific individual who spoke to me if someone was already sitting there. He said no we just prefer for you to not sit down. I continued to ask him okay for what reason? They all stayed quiet then started to speak to each other in their language as they stared at me. They were expecting me to actually leave because they did not prefer me sitting there. I ended up sitting down and telling them you have lost your mind if you think you have more “power” over a seat that you have absolutely no ownership toward and continued to eat my meal.
I was angry because people need to understand that no one is superior to anyone else. As a women of color I felt as those another minority group truly believed they were superior to me. The fact that the group expressed their desire of not having me sit there for no apparent reason disgust me. This was my freshmen year of college.
East Side Dining, Fall Semester 2016
BLACK IN THE BROOKKK
The management staff in East Side Dine-In called four UPD officers on me after reporting that I was "Fighting". There was literally no disturbance at all. The staff members were just annoyed by the fact that I did not want to exit the dine in, despite the fact that I swiped my ID card. Everyone in the dining hall was confused when the police showed up. At the time I had unlimited dine in meals and the staff that swiped me in knew me very well because I ate there everyday.
I felt embarrassed and targeted because it was two white staff members following me around East Side dine in even AFTER I swiped in.
Submitted by Tyler - Spring Semester 2017
BLACK IN THE BROOKKK
I was kicked out of the library by UPD because the librarian didn’t want any confrontation with my friends and I. We had been studying in the library late at night/early morning. She came to us once and we complied but then UPD was called out of nowhere.
I felt disrespected because I was being taken out of the library for no concrete or valid reason besides the fact that this librarian felt a way about a group of black students studying in the library.
October 31, 2018 - Central Reading Room
BLACK IN THE BROOKKK
My friends and I were being followed around and watched in the store. We were even with a faculty member of the school, but we were still being treated as if we were going to steal something.
I felt harassed, annoyed, and confused honestly.
October 2018 - Shop Red West campus store
BLACK IN THE BROOKKK
A friend told me that her teacher expressed distress, trying to identify her because she “changed her hair so much”
Hair, to her, was a big part of her culture and her identity, so the idea that something as simple as hair could impact her education - and how the Professor treated her - was hurtful. These policies - and the policing of hair among people of color more generally - is a common narrative that disproportionally affects communities of color. The truth of the matter is, if white kids can salute Hitler during prom without punishment, black students should be able to wear their hair as they please. But this argument aims to equalize these “offenders” when the reality of the situation is that hate speech is not synonymous with bodily expression and to align the two - as our given freedom - is to dilute hatred perpetuated by white folk. This is dangerous and we must recognize these narratives, for they normalize acts of violence.
Submitted by Annalisa - December 2018