Ha works against racism on campus
Amie Ha knows enough about racism to help others.
Amie Ha, 21, a junior studying political science, works for the center of multicultural affairs as a peer counselor.
“I work with the Asian Pacific Islander-American community in regards to anything that comes up, as in campus climate and social issues,” Ha said.
According to Ha there are different subsets within the center, and peer counselors work against racism, provide support for the different communities they represent, and provide cultural awareness.
“Everyone needs a good shoulder to cry on,” Ha said.
Amie Ha grew up in the suburbs. She said she did not really connect with her culture and heritage at that time. She said that since she was so young at the time that she did not comprehend racism. It was at CU where she became more involved and culturally aware.
“I think once you are provided with educational opportunities you do come to realize your surroundings and social environment. It was actually here (at CU) that I was most disturbed by racism incidents, not just to the Asian Pacific Islander-American community,” Ha said.
Ha said there have been blatant accounts of racism here on campus.
“People have been spit on for the color of their skin, we’ve been called derogatory names, I have been just walking around on campus, the campus I’m supposed to be in love with, the campus that I’m supposed to feel most at home at with,” Ha said.
Last year, Ha had her first personal experience of racism. Every morning, Ha walked across the Hill toward Regent Hall to the UMC and Norlin Library at 7 a.m.
“The sun was just barely starting to rise,” Ha said. “Someone from the community was driving (a truck) and he sticks his head out his window and honks at me a number of times because I am the only person on the sidewalk on the street at that early a time in the morning. He sticks his head out the window and he yells at me, he says, ‘you (expletive) chink why don’t you go home, no one wants you here.’ He shouts that a number of times. It’s just so shocking that someone could be filled with that much hate and just doing that. I was in complete shock and I felt uncomfortable. I kept having to look over my shoulder when I crossed the street.”.
Ha said, the Campus Press was the latest issue of racism on our campus. She said that it was not only Max Karson’s “If it’s war the Asians want.” but also Lauren Geary’s “No hablo ingles” that negatively affected and impacted the underrepresented and concerned communities.
“Some people don’t really understand why students are so passionate about fighting against racism and against incidents such as these, so that’s why you have people now giving you looks, or talking about it, or telling you to calm down, or having your email inbox flooded or voicemail flooded,” Ha said.
Ha said she as well as the other student leaders that presented at the public forum wanted to reiterate that they stand strong as to what was said earlier and want to work with the administration in finding solutions as well as adhering to those solutions proposed in order to work against racism on campus.
Ha said that although this incident had a negative affect for the most part, having the concerned community working together is a positive impact.
“By working together I feel we will be able to make change and will be able to progress, as to stop these incidents on campus,” Ha said.
Contact Campus Press Staff Writer Emily Burrows-Poretsky at emily.burrows-poretsky@colorado.edu.
