Ethnic-Specific Program Houses
Ethnic/Race specific dormitories have been created and are still being created at various Predominately White Institutions (PWIs). In this section I highlight Brown University's Harambee House and efforts to create a similar space at the University of Southern California.
Brown University
With Recent Growth, Harambee House Poised for New Era - Take a look at a recent article about Brown's Harambee House
"Harambee House carried a certain symbolism. It's like a black family moving into a white neighborhood and people having to deal with your presence there. The bastion of white male-dom was being integrated."
- Kevin Webb '92
"Harambee has become a focal point for many black students at Brown that offers a safe space on campus,"
- E. Boutte '15, Co-Head of Harambee House
In 1994, this article was published soon after the creation of Harambee:
"Educators question whether these specialized living arrangements are bringing people together, as the name 'Harambee' suggests, or driving them further apart."
"Although separate housing is perhaps the most controversial part of recent demands from student groups, it is not the only one. On many campuses, African Americans, Asians, Latinos, gay students, and others have demanded their own lounges, activities, even their own curriculum."
- (Seriously, who wrote this?)
"All of a sudden I can talk to people going through the same things. It feels more like home."
- Abigail Ramsay, student at Brown
"Because there are so few minority students on major campuses, every dormitory is essentially a 'white dorm'"
- apparent sentiment of Black students at Brown
University of Southern California
USC's Black House Proposal Raises Questions About Racial Tensions - LA Times Article about USC's Efforts
"Of USC's nearly 19,000 undergraduates, about 720--or 4%-- are black, according to the school. Some black students report feeling isolated, saying they are often the only African American in their classrooms."
"We didn't have a defined space, so we'd hang out on the bookstore steps, which was problematic." - alumna of USC
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