Oregon State U. Establishes Therapist Position Specifically for Black Students
“Being one of a few Black students on a campus this large or in a classroom where likely their professor is White, and either being tokenized or micro-aggressed wears away at the well-being of Black students as well.”
Oregon State University’s Counseling and Psychological Services added a position specifically for black students after a student criticized the school’s former president’s response to the death of George Floyd.
From Campus Reform:
OSU Counseling and Psychological Services (CAPS) staff Counselor Sahana Prasad and Black Cultural Center Assistant Director Terrance Harris were chosen to assist in selecting the person to fulfill the new position.
Harris told the student newspaper why she feels the position is needed for students on campus.
“There is also a lack of trust when a student is speaking to a counselor. Historically, Black/African-Americans have had concerns when speaking to counselors (specifically white counselors) due to mistrust and misdiagnosis,” said Harris.
Michele Ribeiro, one of the CAPS licensed psychologists, also showed her support for the Black and African-American therapist specialist by suggesting that it is a hardship for Black students to attend a university that runs off “White supremacy cultural norms.”
“Several students I have worked with have experienced trauma as a result of working with advisors and/or faculty who were racially biased and oppressive and learning how not to internalize their struggles but rather see them as part of a larger system that isn’t supporting their success,” Ribeiro said in an email to The Daily Barometer. “Being one of a few Black students on a campus this large or in a classroom where likely their professor is White, and either being tokenized or micro-aggressed wears away at the well-being of Black students as well.”
Third-year student Destiny Franklin also told The Daily Barometer about an experience with previous counseling services at the school and how pushing for a separate position for Black students only is needed, especially extra support specifically for Black students.
“I went in for one session and never went back. There was a disconnect between me as a Black queer woman and this white woman sitting across from me crying at my struggles. I tried to go to Portland and even Northwest Albany but without me having a car it felt more stressful to get to my appointments,” said Franklin. “I can’t imagine what other Black students like myself have gone through. We have Black graduate students that are there temporarily for CAPS, but Black students having mental health issues isn’t a temporary thing.”
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Comments
“Oregon State believes our black, er, Black, students are not mature enough to put up with the knocks and bumps of daily life. So, we are offering councelling. Just… For… Them. In the meantime, we invite our White, er, white and Asian students, and those whose heritage included or includes, speakers of the Spanish languages, to continue going to class as usual.”
Segregation now, segregation forever. Is that what we’re hearing from universities?
I’m stsrting to think, “Faster, please.”
I believe if any of these students were white they would be loudly condemned as racist.