UMD 'Believes' In 'Safe Space' For White Students To Discuss Race, Despite Pushback
COLLEGE PARK, Md. (WJZ) -- The University of Maryland's Counseling Center has created a new group to serve as "a safe space for white students" to discuss race, but a promotional flyer for the group has some questioning the intentions of this group.
The group, called White Awake, "is to promote anti-racism" and to "to help White students become more culturally competent," according to a release from the UMD Counseling Center.
But some are questioning what the group is actually being used for after seeing a promotional flyer.
"Do you sometimes feel uncomfortable and confused before, during, or after interactions with racial and ethnic minorities?" a promotional flyer read.
The flyer was posted on social media, and some were questioning the intentions of the group and how a group that was supposed to be about diversity and anti-racism can only be open to white students.
UMD's Counseling Center announced they are discontinuing the flyer, but will continue with the group.
The counseling center released the following response to the flyer:
"We have received helpful feedback on a promotional flyer for a new group at our Counseling Center, and we are discontinuing use of this flyer. We are also open to changing the name of the group.
"We agree with the feedback that the flyer was not clear enough in conveying the fact that the purpose of this group is to promote anti-racism and becoming a better ally. We didn't choose the right words for the flyer, and we are going to incorporate the feedback we have received into a revision of it. Again, we will discontinue use of the current flyer.
"This is an incredibly difficult, nuanced issue, and that's the reason we need to discuss it. The aim of this group is to help White students become more culturally competent, so they can better participate in creating a more inclusive environment at the University of Maryland. This group is based on research and best practices, and we believe in it."
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