A simple room with a big goal has opened on the USC-Aiken campus.
Called “The Intersection”, the room is dedicated to diversity, equity and inclusion.
Jamel Hodges, director of Diversity Initiatives, said the campus is recognized for its diversity and inclusion, but did not have a space dedicated as a DEI hub.
He said the name comes from the term “intersectionality”, coined by Kimberle’ Crenshaw, a professor at the UCLA School of Law and Columbia Law School.
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Crenshaw defines intersectionality as a framework for understanding how facets of an individual’s social and political identities can merge to create different forms of discrimination and privilege.
“We’ve experienced things and understanding that there are individuals from marginalized populations and diverse underrepresented populations that haven’t always started out at the same spot. They were kind of 10 steps behind,” said Hodges. “So, one of the things that we want to do is talk about these issues, talk about why these things have happened, but then also seek solutions about how we get everyone to be at the same point in the race when they start, as opposed to individuals starting in one place, and other individuals start in another place.”
USC-Aiken Chancellor Daniel Heimmermann participated in the April 12 opening committing the room to diversity, equity and inclusion.
“We cannot accomplish our mission at the university, nor can our state achieve the educational attainment goals that it has before, unless we embrace a diverse and inclusive place, Heimmermann said. “There’s a practicality of embracing diversity. In a state with a very diverse population, we will only achieve 60% of South Carolinians with a degree by the year 2030, unless we make this a place in which everyone feels validated and has a sense of belonging. Additionally, it’s not only part of our academic mission, but it is also the heart of our democracy.”
Hodges said the room can be used to schedule a guest lecture or watch a documentary or to hold an event that revolves around supporting a specific group of people.
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“Our goal was not to create another space on campus that individuals can reserve at any point in time throughout the day,” he said. “Our goal was to offer this space as a reservable space, but with the intention of ensuring that everything that happens within this space revolves around diversity, equity and inclusion, whether it be a lecture, a movie, a conversation, a TED talk, whatever it is. We want to make sure that that is what this space is being used for.”
Hodges said the purpose of the room goes beyond just black and white. He said it includes all people of color and Indigenous populations. He added it is also to embrace underserved populations, such as women and the LGBTQ populations.
The Intersection is in the Student Activity Center, directly behind the Starbucks.
Dana Lynn McIntyre is a general assignment reporter for The Augusta Press. Reach her at dana@theaugustapress.com
