Mikalah, Class of 2022

I wouldn’t call Bard segregated, but I do think it can be cliquey. There is the Office of Equity and Inclusion. It is generally for students of color but primarily used by black and brown students. I feel represented, but only to a certain extent. For example, in the classroom, I often don’t feel represented since I am sometimes the only black and brown student. Bard supports students of color through clubs such as the Black Students Organization and also the Dean of Inclusive Excellence and his office. I wish that the school would not exploit students of color, especially in the workforce. I have found that students of color are overworked and underpaid in addition to generally being asked to do a lot. For instance, I have seen Black students who give so much to their schools by having multiple jobs, running clubs, and volunteering. However, these students easily exhaust themselves by giving to an institution that willingly continues to take their time, energy, and labor from them as well as continuing to ask for more from them. The first piece of advice is to never trust an institution. All colleges and universities are businesses. Yes, they want you to trust them and feel safe, but you cannot put your own safety and wellbeing in their hands. You cannot trust an institution to protect you because it will most likely fail you. At the end of the day, money is what matters most to these institutions. My second piece of advice is to never give too much of yourself to an institution. Stay focused on your classes and what you are passionate about because it is so easy to be exploited without even realizing it.