A Decolonial Dialogue

     In the spirit of Dr. Martin Luther King week here at GW, a crucially important panel discussion was held concerning the harmful effects our school's moniker, the Colonials, has on Native Americans, African Americans, and international members alike. In addition to that specific name being exposed for its historically violent, racist meaning, other institutional titles, symbols, and policies were called out for their apparent lack of real inclusion as well as diversity. This eye-opening event was organized by the Anything But Colonial Coalition, which was responsible for uniting the GW student body to pass a referendum demanding the removal of our Colonial moniker last spring. Just as impressive, this group collaboration for change has forced the University to establish an official task force entrusted with the renaming of buildings and symbols across campus. This activist organization invited four qualified, knowledgeable women whose lines of work involve assisting those discriminated against and or experience it firsthand here at GW to host the event.  Dr. Jordan West, the Director of Diversity & Inclusion Education, made an appearance, along with Dr. Elizabeth Rule, the Assistant Director for Indigenous Politics & Policy. They were accompanied by Breya Johnson, a graduate research assistant for Women's, Gender, & Sexuality Studies, as well as Georgie Britcher, a sophomore who identifies as part of the Iroquois tribe.

Although this event was framed around merely changing words, the four, passionate panelists advocated for something much more profound: revealing GW's colonialistic culture from the head down. An information sheet that outlined the arguments against keeping the moniker asserts that "[t]he colonial identity is complicit in colonialism, an ideology based on racist and sexist violence and oppression," which the panelists extensively elaborate on with shocking, contemporary anecdotes. For example, Breya Johnson shares that President LeBlanc, who she also declares is a perfect representation of a colonial, greenlighted the disinvestment of two million dollars towards a graduate assistant office for budget cuts, which not only funded her essential scholarship but was also utilized primarily by students of color. Now that vital resource for those in need academically and financially no longer have that opportunity. Furthermore, Dr. Jordan West displayed that when kids enter her office, they are thoroughly surprised by how safe and accepted they feel there — proving that people identifying with minority communities here at GW, unfortunately, have very few locations where they genuinely feel welcomed.