For several weeks, I woke up at 5:30 am to go t the local diner and chat with folks.
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I got to know people who I had never met, despite having lived in the area for 3 years.
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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.
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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?
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Inevitable racism was at the forefront of peoples experiences.
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People wrote poems, took photos, sang songs about their experience on campus.
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We conducted an anti-racism workshop for students and staff and a publication of our recommendations for the college.
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