CAS CONNECT 2015

PHOTO / THE OSU ETHICS CENTER 13 “Obviously OSU is not OK with racism,” Ware says. “But when events [like the SAE chant] happen, people ask questions. If you pretend like these questions are not being asked, people are going to walk away with their own assumptions. No one hears everything they want to hear, but it gets people talk- ing and listening.” Similar to Wingate, Ware works hard to ensure that his panelists are chosen based on what they can bring to the discussion, not necessarily to the panel’s racial composition. Through his atten- dance of the National Conference of Race and Ethnicity, he has met a wide variety Act ivist Ayah Abo-Basha (from left), Dr. Charles Hughes and Dr. Jason Kirksey part icipate on the panel discussing Murray Hal l ’s name. PHOTO / THE OSU ETHICS CENTER of scholars of all races and academic backgrounds who have been willing to contribute their expertise to the series. With the Critical Conversations series gaining serious momentum in its first year, Ware is ready to continue the series and promote open and informed conversations about race at OSU. This fall, he plans to host a discussion about the Confederate flag and the “n” word and their places in modern society. He also wants to expand the discus- sions to include issues of gender and class. By forming relationships with student groups, campus organizations, OSU branch campuses and Langston University, he wants to establish a pattern of outreach and “allyship” with the community that will encourage more people of all backgrounds to participate. “Racism is not just the problem of the victims,” Ware says. “The work doesn’t need to just happen from the oppressed. This is bigger than one person and one race, and these are the conversations everyone is saying we need to have. We’re having them at OSU.” Students gather during a Cri t ical Conversat ions event to discuss Murray Hal l ’s name.