Winona State University's Newspaper since 1919

The Winonan

Winona State University's Newspaper since 1919

The Winonan

Winona State University's Newspaper since 1919

The Winonan

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Letter: a response to the Winonan Sept. 3 cover photo

CONTRIBUTED BY SUE HANG

Dear Winonan Staff and Faculty Advisor,

When your newspaper published the August issue on Community Safety, a great number of students, staff, and faculty were highly disturb by the sensationalist cover.  In reaction, many of us, including President Olson, Student Senator Christopher Veeder, the Director of Inclusion and Diversity, Alexander Hines, and Chuck Ripley, the Chair of the Human Rights Commission, began a conversation about journalistic integrity and how the media perpetuates stereotypes.  We wanted to educate others who are unaware of the impact of media and pictures.

The outcome of these discussions was a presentation and student panel on October 7 entitled “What’s Race got to do with This?:  Media Management of Minority Images.”

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President Olson and Dr. Bryan Smith were the key note speakers of the night, and they educated the audience about history of mass media and the tactics that media uses to excite prejudices and misrepresentation of people of color.  In his session, for example, Dr. Smith presented how paintings had portrayed African Americans during the founding of the country and the similarities of these depictions to how they are still portrayed in today’s media.  He pointed out examples of the media would purposely make African Americans darker to portray them as unimportant or a threat to society.  This then allows others who have little knowledge of African Americans, and their history, to be prejudiced and to stereotype them.

But the main focus of the night was to have an open dialogue with students who were impacted by the cover as well as students who were not aware and wanted to be educated more on the situation. Some students were able to share their personal experiences with others regarding stereotypes and their experience with racial inequality here on campus.  White students who spoke shared how they had been made aware of how pervasive these images were.  After learning about the history of African Americans and how they have always been portrayed in the media, others have more insight as to why this cover of the newspaper is so offensive.

This is an important issue for community members and students of our university to be educated on. There will be another educational session and panel on this issue in our community in November, and it would be beneficial for students and staffs to attend.  I believe that these sessions and student panels will give insights on how the use of media and pictures impacts our students and reinforcing stereotypes. This is a place to have an open dialogue between students and staffs and a way to help us as a community of learners to empathize the important of the media.

Sincerely,

 

Sue Hang

 

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