Just as Michael Brown’s death was the thing that called the public’s attention back to police brutality and the systemic, racial inequalities that saturate our national consciousness, “Occupy SLU” was the movement that drew the attention of our student body to those same issues. Spending seven hours a day at the clock tower, I saw so many amazing things happen, but my story was different than most.

I spoke to many, many students who said that walking by the clock tower made them uncomfortable. Some told me that their parents called them every night to make sure they had not been hurt by the demonstrators. And while I recognize those emotions and the struggle they caused (I am not exempt from that), I think that we as students need to start examining where the core of that fear and that anger came from.

The truth is that it did not stem solely from the Ferguson rebellions in August. It did not even stem from what some have termed an “invasion of our campus.” It came from a historic fear: a fear of black rebellion against oppression, and a fear of angry black men and women in the streets shouting, saying what still needs to be said and fighting a fight that still needs to be fought. That fear came from our parents; it came from the way media covers black-on-black violence; it came from Saint Louis and it came from the racism engrained in our society. That fear came from a kind of xenophobia that only exists because America does not recognize black people as fully American – a xenophobia that exists because to many Americans, blackness is still the other.

Occupy was so terrifying to some because often, black voices are still oppressed and denied, and when they are heard, structures must change and people must change with them. I have never seen people rally around the flag the way they did that week – as if it were a symbol of all the things wrong with the demonstration, not just a symbol of pride.

To the faculty, parents, administration and students of Saint Louis University, I have something to say. When we ignore institutionalized racism, poverty, sexism and homophobia, we invalidate the humanity of those who live under them every day. When we avoid discussion of oppression, we are not following the Jesuit mission.  When we stop fighting for the rights of our black brothers and sisters, when we treat them as dangerous or lower or lesser than we are, those of us who are Christian are no longer following the message of Christ; those who are Muslim are failing to follow Islam’s core principles; and those who are not religious are failing to understand that the essence of humanity is compassion. And if we do not support the cultural and social education of our students, then we have failed to educate them at all. We have failed to create people who are aware of social issues and inequalities, and we have failed to create the type of people who will be effective in their fields.

Despite the negatives, I personally cannot thank Tribe X, the involved members of the Black Student Alliance, and the rest of “Occupy SLU” enough for what they’ve done. By camping at the clock tower, creating deeply divisive and educational conflict and dialogue and exposing the outright ignorance of many members of our community, “Occupy” gave our university a chance to create change within itself.  I saw so many truly beautiful things happen that week, and met so many people who genuinely cared and were invested in the dialogue it started. I made friendships and connections that I sincerely hope I will never lose. I learned more in a week of sleeping outside, talking, dreaming and arguing and debating than I thought I ever could, and I appreciate those experiences deeply.

I have only one thing left to say.

The departure of Tribe X is in no way the end of this movement to educate. Those who have fought so hard for justice on our campus will continue to fight. We will refuse to be quiet about it. To everyone who is even interested in participating, and especially to faculty and staff, I encourage you to join. Black Student Alliance is just one place to start, but there are many more (and some just beginning). I assure you that you will get just as much as you give – I know I have gotten far more.