The Black Student Union of IU has turned into a monarchy. Well, they’re voting for their own Homecoming queen and king, at least.
According to an Indiana Daily Student article published Oct. 6, the BSU started Mr. and Mrs. BSU this year, with the hope that it becomes a steadfast homecoming tradition.
The two students selected will represent BSU in order to create a more identifiable minority representation on campus, and they will be announced Oct. 16.
We applaud this new tradition, and we, too, hope that it becomes an important tradition on campus.
We are a broad and diverse student body and we represent different racial groups, philosophical and religious beliefs, and IU needs more awareness of just how big the range of students on campus is.
Students tend to gravitate toward people who are like them, be it racially or sharing of similar thoughts and ideas.
It’s easy to occasionally have blinders on. Creating non-administrative roles such as BSU Homecoming queen and king puts faces to groups that can sometimes be polarized or hard to identify on campus.
Moreover, much like the Homecoming court for IU essentially acts as a representation of the values IU students hold dear, Mr. and Mrs. BSU will act as ambassadors for the Black Student Union, abolishing stereotypes and overcoming ?discrimination and prejudice.
The BSU’s goal is to “enhance the education and social experience of minority students on campus,” according to the group’s Facebook page.
Mr. and Mrs. BSU will shed positive light on the group and, as stated before, create identifiable representation on campus.
We want to see this expand outward.
There are a variety of minority groups on campus, and if you’re in one of them it is easy to feel alone.
Not all groups have an organization attached to them where students can network and socialize with people who are like-minded.
Positive representation on campus can do wonders for the individual experiences of the students who identify with a certain group of students, be it race or belief system.
If we can create opportunities for students from minority groups across campus, we can expand our Hoosier identity.
We could actively work to elect a variety of minority leaders to represent groups at philanthropy events, such as the IU Dance Marathon or Little 500.
We can see what we already know, that there are different and diverse ways of being a student that embody IU’s values.
It would allow arenas for cross-cultural sharing and discussion.
It would encourage all IU students as a whole to support diversity and raise awareness of marginalized or polarized minority groups on campus, giving the members voices and allowing students to fully appreciate the ?entirety of the student body.
We applaud the BSU for what we hope is one of many steps toward creating a more tolerant and culturally aware student body, faculty and atmosphere overall.
We encourage more representative roles such as this, where students can encounter other cultures and ways of being in environments that are prejudice-free.
And the IDS Editorial Board wishes Mr. and Mrs. BSU the best of luck in their new positions.
