DEARBORN, MI — The University of Michigan-Dearborn has apologized for hosting two virtual cafe events titled “non-people of color” and “Black, indigenous and people of color” cafes.
In a statement, UM-Dearborn said the Sept. 8 events were virtual open conversations developed to allow students the opportunity to connect and process current events, share their experiences related to race, share knowledge and resources and brainstorm solutions.
“UM-Dearborn sincerely regrets the terms used to describe the ‘cafe’ events held on Sept. 8. The terms used to describe these virtual events and the descriptions themselves were not clear and not reflective of the university’s commitment to diversity, equity and inclusion,” the statement said.
The webpages for the events have been taken down, but according to posts on social media, the “non-POC” event was "a space for students that do not identify as persons of color to gather and discuss their experiences as students on campus and as non-POC in the world.”
The BIPOC cafe was a space for students from marginalized racial, ethical and cultural communities to gather and to relate with one another and to discuss their experience as students on campus and as people of color in the world, according to an Instagram post from UM-Dearborn.
The original intent for the cafes was to provide students from marginalized communities a space that allowed for them to exist freely without having to normalize their lives and experiences, the statement said. It also wanted to provide students who do not identify as persons of color the opportunity to deepen their understanding of race and racism without harming or relying on students of color to educate them, the statement said.
“The events were never intended to be exclusive or exclusionary for individuals of a certain race. Both events were open to all members of the UM-Dearborn campus community,” the statement said.
The full statement can be viewed here.
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