This week, VCU had a discussion forum regarding the topics of diversity and inclusion within the school’s community. The discussion was led by school president Michael Rao and many students and teachers made powerful statements about the various issues that reside within the system. Issues such as lack of minority professors, lower pay for minority faculty members, religious safety, and more were placed on the table for acknowledgment and most importantly, change.

Meetings like this show the power that students have when they are able to rise as one and speak out for positive change. Many schools and organizations dismiss the opportunity for an intelligent discussion due to fears and false concepts that something negative will happen during such gatherings.

This is simply not the case, as discussion provides a moment for people to lay out whatever thoughts and ideas they have for a common good. This discussion showed many great individuals providing their voices on issues that desperately needed to be addressed. Knowing that there’s a low amount of non-white professors is extremely disheartening, especially in a diverse university such as this one. Knowing that some students feel oppressed or thrown to the sidelines in favor of others is also something that needs dramatic change. This is one of the many steps that helps push for that change.

No one knows for certain what the future holds, but the most that people can do is to keep speaking out and keep fighting for what’s right - not just for the students and teachers of now, but for the students and teachers of the future.