Residential Student Services brings light to interracial relationships

By Salimah McCullough | Published by Feb. 28, 2018

Residents of Kean University attended the sponsored event called Interracial Love on Feb. 20, 2018 to express their opinions on interracial love as well as learn about some stigmas that go along with the topic.   

The event was run by Resident Assistants (R.A) Abraham Alemoh and Meghan Stillwell. Residents were able to take part in a questionnaire that had many questions regarding interracial relationships for everyone to answer to see how views differed from one another.

Some of those questions varied from how residents feel about interracial relationships acceptance around school to how residents feel about the mistreatment that many interracial couples face in the public eye.   

Many of the people that attended were all on the same page and agreed that interracial love is ok and people that have a problem with it, just have a place of hatred in their hearts and it streams from their own ignorance.

When the question of what you would say to someone who said it was disgusting or an abomination to date or marry someone outside of their race was presented, many of the students commented on how they would either ignore it because those comments come out of ignorance or they would question it.

“People can love whoever they want to love. Don’t let anybody make you feel some type of way about your relationship,” said Mamadou Diallo, a resident. “You get to love who you want to love, and you get to be happy.”

During this event, many people spoke about experiences that either they have gone through or they know of where they were judged for being in an interracial relationship either by strangers or their own families.   

Students also had the chance to discuss their feelings on if they would be open to dating someone outside of their race/ ethnic background.

“I feel as though in a relationship, race doesn’t really play a huge role in whether or not to date that person. It’s more based on their personality,” said Sofia Murillo, Kean junior and biology major said.

Stillwell and Alemoh gave a lot of information about their thoughts on interracial relationships and certain stigmas that are tied to the topic.

“I think it’s silly how someone can form a judgment on somebody they know nothing about just because they are against interracial relationships. To those who say I shouldn’t date outside my race, I’d ask why?” said Stillwell.

Stillwell saw nothing wrong with interracial relationships and thinks that “there is nothing more empowering than learning about someone’s culture, beliefs, and perspectives on life”.  

“I feel as though stigmas, and the people who participate in them, do so in order to hide behind their ignorance and close mindedness in regard to accepting the mingling of different races,” said Alemoh.  

“They envy the fact that the people in that relationship are not limited by the chains of ignorance, fear, and racism,” Alemoh continued.

The event’s purpose was to help bring information to students about interracial relationships and give them a safe space to have a discussion about this topic.

 

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