Students Build Wall to Help Campus Community Tear Down Hate

FAYETTEVILLE, Ark. – The University of Arkansas community will confront oppression and hate speech this week with the Writing on the Wall Project.

The project consists of a wall on the Maple South lawn of the Northwest Quad where students, staff and faculty are encouraged to paint any oppressive or derogatory words or phrases that have either been used towards them or they have heard being used towards another individual or group.

The wall will stand from Monday, Sept. 28, to Friday, Oct. 2. Painting supplies will be available from 10 a.m. to 8 p.m. each day. The wall will be torn down during a ceremony starting at 11 a.m. Friday, Oct. 2. There will be comments from Lisa Corrigan, associate professor of communication in African and African American studies, and performances by the Inspirational Chorale.

Whitney Jones, assistant director of New Student and Family Programs, said the Writing on the Wall Project allows students, staff and faculty to come together and confront and process oppressive and derogatory language.

“The wall will be up all week for painting and at the end of the week the campus community will come together to break the wall down, thereby symbolically breaking down the barriers that separate us,” Jones said.

Jones said the wall is a representation of the power of language.

“One of the goals of the project is to create a dialogue about the language used and the impact that language has on others. Furthermore, we hope that participants will recognize their power to be an advocate for positive change and acceptance for current and future Razorbacks.”

The project is sponsored by New Student and Family Programs and brings together University Housing, The Associated Student Government, Residents’ Interhall Congress and The Center for Multicultural and Diversity Education under the Division of Student Affairs.

Laurell King, a student who works with New Student and Family Programs, said this project shines a light on issues the campus community is going through right now.

“This project is important to me because I believe in unity,” King said. “I believe we are a family here at the University and sometimes families just need to talk to one another. I think now is a perfect time for us to stop for a minute and actually listen to those who are hurting.  We need to respect one another and become more knowledgeable about each other’s issues.”

While the project will involve sensitive material, King said the discussions that will start from the Writing on the Wall project are extremely important to confronting oppression and hate speech on campus.

“I think this project will open lots of doors for actual conversations to happen,” King said. “I think the wall will remind the surrounding community that we are a very diverse campus. We have issues that plague us and keep us from communicating, and this is a chance for the campus to come together as a unified front to face these issues head on.”

King said she hopes students participate and take pride in the community building the Writing on the Wall fosters.

“Students should participate in this project because it will assist in reducing the barriers that continue to divide our campus,” King said. “It’s a way for students who are afraid, ashamed, fed-up or maybe just opinionated to have a voice without being put in the spotlight. By participating, students can gain awareness about the people around them.”

To King, there hasn’t been a better time for the Writing on the Wall project.

“I honestly believe the time for this project is long overdue,” King said. “Our University is in dire need of up-close and personal reality checks, not to create an even greater divide but to assist in strengthening the community. I believe with everything going on in the world, this project will help solidify that we are one big Razorback family and if one of us is hurting, we’re all hurting.”