As a biracial woman who has resided mostly in Atlanta and North Atlanta (a city of transplants), it surprises me that Emory University would still portray the old Southern views of racial ignorance.  I looked up to Emory University to represent Georgia, and to push forth the multi-cultural, well-educated residents of Atlanta. I looked up to Emory University to represent Georgia in the national arena of academia. However with the recent controversy, it makes me question the University’s image in the circles of academia.

Let me reiterate, I love Emory because of the opportunities it can provide for its students, its great international law clinics and programs, its amazing financial capacity to provide amazing  exhibits of Carlo’s Museum (King Tut Exhibit), its academic excellence, and its attraction from students all over the world. However, President James Wagner’s poorly articulated article in Emory Magazine: Winter 2013 about the 3/5 count of the Slave population to change Congressional State representation was just bizarrely utilized to describe compromise. He further describes this compromise as “differing views,” and continues to state, “part of the messy inefficiency of university life arises from the intention to include as many points of view as possible, and to be open to the expectation that new ideas will emerge. The important thing to keep in view is that this process works so long as every new idea points the way toward a higher shared ideal.” This article makes me believe the President of Emory still thinks of the liberal arts education system as academic de-segregation instead of the multi-faceted, multi-cultural perspectives of education that question status quo and are allowed to let new ideas emerge and flourish.

As I look to Atlanta to represent the liberal minds of Georgia and as I submit my law school applications, it is just a shocker that this embarrassing media spread of Emory’s President (from NY Times)
 makes me question if the rest of the US Universities are looking down at Georgia as an ignorant bunch of Southerners. I made a decision a while back that although I’m very much different from Southern Georgia, I will stay true to representing Atlanta wherever I go. Atlanta is and always has been a city of transplants. My family and I moved here back in 1994 and although I hated it then, I will still believe Atlanta to be my home as I have grown and resided here for most of my life. I cannot say that some politicians, Southern groups, or highly influential or well-funded organizations and their leaders or Presidents have not said insensitive racially biased comments. However, times are changing.

I can only look forward and know that in the future, urban universities like Georgia State University that has represented an ever-growing and impressive array of courses, feminist theory, liberal political and social perspectives, and with it leading Georgia’s law programs along side UGA and Emory, I now look to Georgia State University to represent Atlanta. If only Georgia State University had the funding of Robert Woodruff (of Coca Cola) to give us an impressive exhibit and representation of Atlanta’s Universities, I feel like Georgia State University could be the next well-known liberal arts university.

There is amazing staff there that I had the pleasure of learning from - Dr. Julie Kubala, Dr. Amira Jarmakani, Dr. Akinyele Umoja, Dr. Syed Naim, Dr. Charles Hankla, and Dr. Henry (Chip) Carey. I will never forget the opportunities I had at that university, and these professors that I will always look up to when I think of this university. Julie Kubala inspired me to start the Faces of Feminism, taught me Intro to Women’s Studies and the Feminism and Foucault class, influenced me in my decision to minor in Women’s Studies, Dr. Amira Jarmakani who really made me evaluate the representation of information or news in her Cultural Studies class and transnational feminism. Dr. Akinyele Umoja taught me in Black Studies about the local civil rights movement and about the historical references to all the leaders of the Black community starting the revolutionary change in Atlanta. Dr. Syed Naim, whom Dr. Hankla introduced me to, advised the Model UN Team and led me to address my public speaking fears and strengthen my ability to negotiate and be a leader in a UN committee. Dr. Hankla who always believed in my abilities to go above and beyond Georgia State’s coursework and who was my Advisor for my internship at the International Rescue Committee, and allowed me to shadow one of his Graduate courses after I graduated. Dr. Carey who brought challenging coursework including a new course to undergraduate students who were interested in International Law. 

I can only hope in the future Georgia State University will have the resources and ties Emory University has and to be the university that I enjoyed it as an undergrad and the future of Georgia’s education system.

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