Video produced by Scott Allison, Online Editor
Thursday, April 22 members of the Miami University community made it clear there's one thing they do not want to see on campus: hate.
Around 7 p.m. approximately 250 students gathered outside of the Shriver Center to rally against recent events that displayed discriminatory actions.
Members of Spectrum teamed up with those hosting the town hall meeting to plan a rally following the discussion on themed parties.
Wende Nichols, a graduate student, was happy supporters of the gay community and attendees at the town hall meeting worked together.
"I think both groups are oppressed groups in society and Miami University, we go through the same things," Nichols said. "We need to support each other so we can show, together that we have similar issues that need to be addressed by the university."
The rally was a reaction to recent discrimination acts, including an alleged hate bias assault outside of Stadium Bar & Grille that took place after a Spectrum drag show, Saturday, April 17.
Senior Jane Williamson attended the drag show Saturday night.
"I was stunned," Williamson said. "I was really ashamed this would happen in our community."
Enjoy what you're reading?
Signup for our newsletter
Brian Rice, who helped organize the event, said the alleged hate bias was a main reason for the rally.
"Unfortunately a big reason why this whole thing is put together is because lately there have been a lot of very noticeable incidents of hates on this campus," Rice said. "First with the naming of Ghetto Fest, which regardless of what the events are, is a very racist term and then also with the events on Saturday with the drag show, also there have been a lot of incidents of increased hateful things written on bathroom walls."
Rice said he needed to organize an event to take a stand against these recent actions.
"Enough is enough," Rice said. "Eventually we have to get something done about it."
Madelyn Detloff, director of women's studies, rallied students to change the community.
"I'm glad to see you here because you've made the commitment to say, when these things happen I will not stand by and doing nothing," Detloff said. "We happen to be for a long time, the silent majority … what I want to say is we will be silent not longer."
Following speeches from the Miami community rally attendees carried pickets and chanted down Spring Street and past Roudebush Hall, back to the starting point at the Shriver Center.
"No hate on my campus," Miami members chanted around the campus.
"People show up and spew their hate, we don't tolerate it," Detloff said.
In 1963, The Miami Student reported on a $25 increase in fees for all Miami University students. This increased a semester of in-state tuition to $125 and out-of-state tuition to $200. Summer fees increased to $30 for three credit hours or less.
Read More
How one professor and her classes are preserving Oxford’s Black history
By Sean Scott | March 20, 2024Jazma Sutton, an assistant professor of history, teaches The Black Midwest (HST 350Q) and Black Women in America (HST 450D) classes. In both courses, she has students working with the Smith Library of Regional History and Miami’s archives to document and preserve Black history in Oxford.
Miami faculty members recount Freedom Summer in new documentary
By Luke Macy | February 25, 2022After seven years of work, “Training for Freedom,” a documentary highlighting Oxford’s involvement in the Freedom Summer of 1964, premiered on PBS Western Reserve on Valentine’s Day.
“Documenting the COVID-19 Pandemic”: History in the making
By Alice Momany | August 29, 2021In March 2020, Miami University’s archives launched “Documenting the COVID-19 Pandemic,” a collection focused on life during the COVID-19 pandemic.