Retreat opens privilege topic

Three years ago, with the help of the Center for Experiential Learning (CEL), students launched a retreat to address issues of inequality, how St. Olaf students are privileged compared to others and how individuals can transform their privilege into social justice.

The students were residents of the Cooperative Justice House and worked with residents of the Diversity Awareness House. The first retreat was held that spring, but last year and this year it is being held in October.

The retreat occurs at the Good Earth Village, an environmental retreat center located south of Rochester. There is no cost to students.

This year, Katie Godfrey, the Lilly Vocational Intern at the CEL, is organizing the retreat. Godfrey was one of the original students who started the program.

The purpose of the two-day retreat is to provide an opportunity for students to “reflect on the many faces of privilege that we encounter in our lives as students, activists, and community members, and the ways we can transform privilege into action for social change,” according to the description. To do this, participants will explore the issues of privilege through art, journaling, personal reflection and working with the rest of the group.

Last year, after the second retreat, students provided reflection. One student, Edmund Babcock ’11 told the CEL, “My favorite part of the retreat was being able to talk about some of the problems that I come across at St. Olaf and hear other people’s points of view on them. It was fun to meet with people  who are involved in some of the issues that I’m interested in and see what they’ve done to make an impact on the community. This retreat was a great chance to reflect back on what is really important to me and how I can take those ideals and make an impact on the community.”

Another student, Irene Lawrence ‘11 said, “On this retreat I learned a lot about the degree to which I am oblivious to my privilege, which was at first sickening, but then motivating. It was motivating because it made me determined to make the most of the privileges I have. On this retreat I learned what things I can rely on when I go into the world that other people can’t because of factors beyond their control, such as race or gender. But, I also came to have greater faith in the power of a small group of people (or one person) to change things, if only because there are people who would take part of their break to talk about important issues like this.”

The facilitator of the event will be Bruce King, Assistant to the President for Institutional Diversity.

southwor@stolaf.edu

 

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