Staff at the Center for Multicultural Initiatives Speak on Diversity, Equity and Inclusion on Oakland University’s campus

By: Makaila Gaston

Staff at Oakland University’s Center for Multicultural initiatives share information on their office as well as their thoughts about how diversity, equity and inclusion is being handled on OU’s campus. 

Pontiac community ‘so grateful’ to be welcomed to Oakland men’s basketball game

Brock Heilig

On Saturday, February 25, the Oakland University men’s basketball team hosted the Northern Kentucky Norse for senior day at the O’rena. 

The Norse weren’t the only visitors in the O’rena on Saturday, though, as the Golden Grizzlies also hosted the Pontiac Community. Members of the community flocked to Oakland University to see a competitive basketball game but, more importantly, to feel a sense of belonging.

All Pontiac residents were given free entry into the O’rena for the final home game of the regular season for Oakland men’s basketball. 

How Oakland University is encouraging civil discourse on campus

Evelyn Gandarilla

While polarizing hot topics invade most mass media headlines, the right to participate in conversations to help understand one another must not be forgotten. College campuses allow students to learn and engage with diverse values and opinions.

The Center for Civil Engagement was launched in 2018 by Political Science professor David Dulio. Since then, the organization has hosted many events that invite civil discourse on various political and social topics. 

“To get involved is completely up to the students, there is no forced or coerced participation,” Professor Dulio said. “We will provide resources, opportunities, and information and they can become involved if they want to.” 

Students from low income households persevere

By Taylour Patterson

Many students had to be uprooted and sent home due to the pandemic, and they were forced to learn virtually. 

Students who were back home had lost more than just an on campus college experience. Many were in a place where they lost their form of income as campuses were shut down, and their families at home had lost their sources of income as well. 

This combined with learning in a virtual format was overwhelming for many students across the nation. We learn from this graph how most hardships hit low-income families, and that most had experienced anxiety, depression and food and housing insecurity, during the pandemic. 

Online classroom camera anxiety

By Tony Dombrowski

Oakland University senior Jaylen Horne attends a Zoom call while sitting inside the Oakland Center in Oakland University’s campus in Rochester, MI, Saturday, March 27, 2021. Horne is one of many students who deal with anxiety while having their cameras on in class. (Photo/Anthony Dombrowski)

It has been more than a year since the COVID-19 pandemic suddenly pushed many classes online, causing additional stress for some students. Specifically, some students have dealt with anxiety while having their cameras on during an online class. 

One of those students is Oakland University senior Jaylen Horne. 

When the pandemic first started and classes went online, Horne initially did not have any issues with virtual learning. Recently, though, he acknowledged his current semester has been “a little difficult,” partly because he does not like keeping his camera on during his classes. 

A Look into Gentrification in Detroit.

By Brian Colding

Gentrification and diversity have an interesting dynamic. A common narrative is that gentrification brings in new populations of people as it revitalizes whatever area is being gentrified. A lot of residents hold opposing views on the subject. 

Bobby Askew Jr, 18, of Highland Park has lived in the city of Detroit, went to school downtown, and has seen the effects of gentrification quite well.  The location of his former high school sits directly in the heart of Detroit gentrification, Midtown. Bobby has lived with and around the onset of gentrification in Detroit.

“Gentrification isn’t something you want to be known for in terms of equities”, Bobby said when asked about gentrification in his area. “It serves the few and not the many.”

‘Okay’, what do ‘Boomers’ know about diversity?

By Bridget Janis

Baby Boomer (born in 1946 – 1964)

By now everyone knows the ‘okay, boomer’ jokes that have been floating around the past year. This generation is claimed to be the ones that know nothing about technology, and are out of touch with the current times. and are always too opinionated, usually in the worst ways. This generation was born after the end of World War II and they were the hippies in the 60s and 70s. Baby Boomers were impacted with events like the Civil Rights Movement, the Space Race, and the Beatles craze while they were young. 

In Brighton, MI, Robert J sits in his home answering questions about the baby boomers. Courtesy of Bridget Janis.

Baby Boomer, Robert J, was raised in Brighton, Michigan and currently lives In Howell, Michigan. He received his degree at Michigan Technological University works as a Quality Manager at Rivian. Robert provides an insight into how his generation may have not been the most accepting or welcoming. As he describes himself as one of the more lucky boomers that was raised with a sense of awareness when it comes to diversity, he feels our society is heading in the right direction.

Oakland University’s Neurodiversity Resources

By Jeremy Curtis

Throughout the years, people have become much more tolerant of various differences in diversity issues.

Skin color, religious beliefs, and varying genders are the most common issues of what most people would automatically think when they hear the term ‘diversity.’ However, there is another form of diversity, one that does not get as much attention as the others: neurodiversity. In other words, how some people have their brains ‘wired’ differently than others.

April is National Autism Awareness Month.

Many people, from all walks of life, have been diagnosed with various mental illnesses and disabilities, including: Tourette’s syndrome, dyslexia, attention deficit disorder, and perhaps the most infamous of which, autism spectrum disorder (ASD).

Survey Shows That Social Media Affects Our Body Image

By Hannah Lewis

Perhaps not on purpose, but do you ever find yourself comparing your life and body to the people you follow? Has there been a time where a post or a person on social media has made you feel inadvertently bad about yourself?

Social media plays a large role in the lives of most young adults. Facebook, Snapchat, Instagram, Tumblr, etc. are all forums that can be used to post about your life, and see what others post about theirs. Though social media is a great way to stay connected to the people in your life, could it also be unhealthy in some regard?

Avon’s Body Shaming Ad

By Jada Martin

Avon sparks controversy with new ad that body shames women. Smooth Moves Naked Proof anti-cellulite cream. Photo by Avon.

In a recent advertisement, North American beauty and cosmetics company Avon quoted that “dimples are cute on your face, not your thighs,” while promoting their Smooth Moves Naked Proof anti cellulite cream.

The advertisement sparked a lot of controversy and was criticized for body shaming women.  

Body shaming women has been an act since the beginning of time. Society’s standard of beauty is so restricted, it stands as a prejudice to all women.