A Higher Glyphic

"Faggot," "Nigger," "Honky" and "Queer" are just a few of the graffitied words that covered the black walls in the first room of the Tunnel of Oppression.

The event, which was hosted by BTO (Black Togetherness Organization), was held in the lower level of Grinnell Dinning Hall, April 9th through the 12th from 6-9pm. Many students and faculty members came out to support the event and participated by acting in the exhibit or being a tour guide.

Those who were not able to experience the powerful messages demonstrated by the Tunnel of Oppression, missed out on the chance to view the day-to-day struggles from another person's perspective. Those who participated and guests who came to view the exhibit, experienced firsthand: racism, discrimination, prejudices, poverty, homelessness and the death of those who were not able to overcome the struggles they were continuously presented with every day of their lives.

In the first room of the Tunnel of Oppression, guest experience graffitied walls that were covered from top to bottom with derogatory terms used to describe people of different races, genders, ethnicity groups, economic statuses and sexual orientations. The second room showed how devastating the AIDS epidemic is in Africa. The information provided explained to guests what it is and the importance of preventing it from spreading.

There were also statistics and percentages pertaining to AIDS as well as HIV, and how they affect people not only in Africa, but also around the world. The third room addressed the problem of homelessness. A gentleman, acting as a homeless man, pushed an old grocery cart and explained to guests how it is to be homeless. He had a house made of old cardboard boxes and pieces of trash, which conveniently had important pieces of information, showing guests facts on homelessness.

The fourth room addressed issues concerning Hispanic people, like the popular topic of immigration and other issues they face here in the United States, such as racism, discrimination and prejudices. Poster boards showed important information about some of the culture and accomplishments of Hispanics. The fifth room was attributed to African Americans, showing important dates and achievements. There was also and projection of Martin Luther King Jr. giving his infamous "I Have A Dream Speech."

The sixth room showed the impact of segregation by having guests interact with the actors. The room was transformed into a classroom. A professor, teaching assistant and student insisted that blacks sit in the back of the room and whites sit in the front. After a few minutes, the roles switched and blacks were allowed to sit in the front and whites where made to go to the back so that one could experience both ends of the spectrum.

The seventh room showed the effects of poverty here in the United States and around the world. This room had an overhead that showed a short film clip on poverty, its effects and possible solutions to the many problems it causes. Guests were given important statistics and other information on poverty as well as disturbing facts about how poverty affects so many. The eighth room was another interactive room that allow guest to engage with the actors.

Upon entering this room, one's gender role was immediately switched and you were made to think you were transgender. Then guests were made to exit the room out of the door they felt that best represented them-a door that read "men," but had a picture of a woman, or a door that read "women," but had a picture of a man. This was made to confuse guests and make them feel and experience what many transgender people experience everyday.

The ninth room was a graveyard with tombstones of those who have been killed because of their sexual orientation, race, or ethnicity. A couple of the tombstones included Matthew Shepard, who was killed in 1998 because he was gay and Anne Frank, who was killed in the 1940s during the Holocaust because she was Jewish.

The tenth and final room was a place where the guests of the exhibit could come together and talk about the Tunnel of Oppression with each other as well as counselors Letisha Murry and Frances Shen of the Student Health Center. Guests sat around in a circle and talked about the rooms that impacted them the most and also asked any questions and talked about any concerns.

The Tunnel of Oppression was powerful demonstration of the effects of much of the negativity in the world today and brought awareness to many of the students and staff who attended the unforgettable event. "We should never forget, but as a society we can never forgive completely," tour guide Mackenzie Allert said.

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