For several weeks, I woke up at 5:30 am to go t the local diner and chat with folks.
I got to know people who I had never met, despite having lived in the area for 3 years.
There was no one as young as me, and certainly no college students at the diner at the time.
I asked people about their perception of Bard College, where I was enrolled at the time.
Some people felt excluded by the college, while others were grateful for the opportunities it brought to the area.
We discussed issues of race, class, and elitism.
Then, I reached out to other students at my school.
What is your relationship to the people 'in town'? How do you feel connected or driven away?
Inevitable racism was at the forefront of peoples experiences.
People wrote poems, took photos, sang songs about their experience on campus.
We conducted an anti-racism workshop for students and staff and a publication of our recommendations for the college.
