| << Front page | News | November 16, 2007 |
Third-World Co-op Remains Committed to Safe Space Policy
What exactly are “safe spaces,” and why do we need them? Though many Obies may not be aware of it, this question has sparked debate within Third World Co-op and all of OSCA throughout the past week.
The OSCA board received an anonymous proposal on Thursday, Nov. 8, that called for a caucus regarding the “lack of a need” for TWC to exist as a safe space within OSCA, according to College senior Kelly Lloyd, who serves on the board as an all-OSCA representative. Lloyd is the co-coordinator of the Committee on Privilege and Oppression in OSCA.
A statement issued by TWC explains that the co-op, which was formed in 1993, “exists within OSCA as a safe space for students who identify as: people of color, queer, international, first-generation and/or low income. We define our safe space as a site where students can dine and engage in an empowering community environment that recognizes our differences and our shared experiences as historically disenfranchised communities.”
College first-year and Committee on Privilege and Oppression board member Dea Goblirsch was quick to stress, however, “A person of color won’t automatically be accepted.” The co-op clarified: “The application for TWC has been and will always be open to all students on campus. TWC will never reject any individual based on identity and applications are reviewed on a case-by-case basis.”
Discussions within OSCA and individual co-ops over the past week began with education, focusing on the broad and fluid definition of a safe space. As Goblirsch put it, a safe space is a “place where people can come together without being judged. It can be for any type of people, open or closed.”
Lloyd added that those who belong to safe spaces “don’t have to explain themselves above and beyond normal conversation.”
The proposal questions whether a co-op is the proper setting for a safe space and whether TWC should accept “white allies who share an interest in the cultural discourse.” Though it lauds TWC for promoting “a feeling of safety, acceptance and understanding,” the document also claims that the co-op “isolates itself from the community, making it harder for the community to address these issues.”
TWC maintained that the co-op fosters discussion, saying, “it is important to note that it is not an exclusive space; students participating within the same political discussions that are central to our mission are welcomed to dine within TWC.”
TWC’s original mission statement calls for political dialogue, both internal and with other co-ops, but makes the caveat that “it is not the responsibility of the Third World Co-op members to ‘educate’ the rest of OSCA about themselves.”
Lloyd explained why a place like TWC is necessary in the Oberlin community: “The College isn’t a safe space, even though we’d like it to be.” She added, “It’s not like one day Third World just popped up… Because there are [TWC] members and people have been drawn to this community…it needs to exist.”
Goblirsch agreed, saying that discarding TWC’s application process “takes away all the value. It makes it just another co-op.”
Lloyd went on to say that some OSCA members might view Kosher-Halal Co-op, which accommodates Jewish and Muslim dietary needs and holidays, and Old Barrows, whose members vote on including only those who identify as female, as safe spaces, though no one has questioned their existence.
Though OSCA has overwhelmingly decided not to interfere with TWC’s status as a safe space, Lloyd explained, “Third World is looking in on itself and…how to have more clear statements of its intent.”
Though Third World Co-op will not be changing its status any time soon, last week’s proposal has unearthed difficult issues for OSCA and Oberlin. The co-op closed its statement with the hopeful idea that, “TWC’s decisions, goals and policies are in the best interest of marginalized communities, OSCA, and the campus as a whole.”
The OSCA board received an anonymous proposal on Thursday, Nov. 8, that called for a caucus regarding the “lack of a need” for TWC to exist as a safe space within OSCA, according to College senior Kelly Lloyd, who serves on the board as an all-OSCA representative. Lloyd is the co-coordinator of the Committee on Privilege and Oppression in OSCA.
A statement issued by TWC explains that the co-op, which was formed in 1993, “exists within OSCA as a safe space for students who identify as: people of color, queer, international, first-generation and/or low income. We define our safe space as a site where students can dine and engage in an empowering community environment that recognizes our differences and our shared experiences as historically disenfranchised communities.”
College first-year and Committee on Privilege and Oppression board member Dea Goblirsch was quick to stress, however, “A person of color won’t automatically be accepted.” The co-op clarified: “The application for TWC has been and will always be open to all students on campus. TWC will never reject any individual based on identity and applications are reviewed on a case-by-case basis.”
Discussions within OSCA and individual co-ops over the past week began with education, focusing on the broad and fluid definition of a safe space. As Goblirsch put it, a safe space is a “place where people can come together without being judged. It can be for any type of people, open or closed.”
Lloyd added that those who belong to safe spaces “don’t have to explain themselves above and beyond normal conversation.”
The proposal questions whether a co-op is the proper setting for a safe space and whether TWC should accept “white allies who share an interest in the cultural discourse.” Though it lauds TWC for promoting “a feeling of safety, acceptance and understanding,” the document also claims that the co-op “isolates itself from the community, making it harder for the community to address these issues.”
TWC maintained that the co-op fosters discussion, saying, “it is important to note that it is not an exclusive space; students participating within the same political discussions that are central to our mission are welcomed to dine within TWC.”
TWC’s original mission statement calls for political dialogue, both internal and with other co-ops, but makes the caveat that “it is not the responsibility of the Third World Co-op members to ‘educate’ the rest of OSCA about themselves.”
Lloyd explained why a place like TWC is necessary in the Oberlin community: “The College isn’t a safe space, even though we’d like it to be.” She added, “It’s not like one day Third World just popped up… Because there are [TWC] members and people have been drawn to this community…it needs to exist.”
Goblirsch agreed, saying that discarding TWC’s application process “takes away all the value. It makes it just another co-op.”
Lloyd went on to say that some OSCA members might view Kosher-Halal Co-op, which accommodates Jewish and Muslim dietary needs and holidays, and Old Barrows, whose members vote on including only those who identify as female, as safe spaces, though no one has questioned their existence.
Though OSCA has overwhelmingly decided not to interfere with TWC’s status as a safe space, Lloyd explained, “Third World is looking in on itself and…how to have more clear statements of its intent.”
Though Third World Co-op will not be changing its status any time soon, last week’s proposal has unearthed difficult issues for OSCA and Oberlin. The co-op closed its statement with the hopeful idea that, “TWC’s decisions, goals and policies are in the best interest of marginalized communities, OSCA, and the campus as a whole.”
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