The Tunnel of Oppression will take place in the Student Center Ballroom Jan. 21 from 7-9 p.m.
Some of the topics that will be exhibited in the program include religious intolerance, homophobia, cyberbullying, racism and intimate partner violence, said Michael Wayne, LaFollette residence hall director.
“The program is designed to give participants a closer perspective surrounding oppression,” Wayne said. “Some students might feel discomfort, some might feel the urge to take action and some might feel moved; in all honesty, students might feel some blend of all of these.”
The exhibit will be comprised of eight interactive booths, led by a tour guide who will help students stop and observe the simulation of some form of contemporary oppression, Wayne said.
The tunnel will also include representatives from the Counseling Center who will be available to help students debrief.
Bobby Steele, assistant director of the Multicultural Center, said this program will give participants the opportunity to expose themselves to something new and learn from those experiences.
“Tunnel of Oppression will give people the opportunity to actually witness some of the micro-aggressions and structural issues that are still happening today in our society that we might not even know exist,” Steele said. “It’s one thing to learn about something in a classroom sitting in a lecture or a presentation, but when you actually get to witness and see the things happen up front, it’s an eye-opening experience.”
The overall goal of the program is to educate and encourage students to make change.
“The tunnel is an opportunity to be silent together, to witness oppression with mouths closed and ears open. It's an opportunity to tune into the world for a few minutes, to try and make sense of what's going on,” Wayne said. “Hopefully, if it accomplishes what it's meant to, it will open students' minds and hearts and embolden them to take positive action.”
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