On Friday Feb. 26, Moorpark College’s Black Student Union hosted a live discussion on Zoom and live streamed on YouTube with Dr. Cornel West.
Dr. West is an African American philosopher and professor at Harvard and Princeton universities. His written works include “Black Prophetic Fire” and “Race Matters” and his primary focus is on social and racial issues.
The event started off with an opening thanks by Trinity Hooper, director of secretarial affairs and treasury.
Interim President of Moorpark College, Dr. Julius Sokenu, greeted the audience.
“This afternoon’s conversation with Dr. Cornel West is an opportunity to bear witness to love and justice. Equitable access to higher education facilitates social and economic mobility and fosters corrective justice. We are thoughtful in how we pursue student success by designing an ecosystem that promotes justice,” Sokenu stated.
Co-moderators of the event were Gerald Richardson III, president of the Moorpark College Black Student Union and Pauline Nassar, chief director.
West begun the discussion by describing his upbringings and the love that he was given growing up made him the person that he is today.
“I situate myself in a very rich tradition of those who had been willing to attempt to cultivate the best inside of me. And this is very important because every time you talk about race, you don’t begin with name calling and fingerpointing. It begins with trying to understand what has gone into the molding and shaping of who we are so that we can accent the best of who we are,” West stated.
Nassar began the question and answer section by asking what role do intellectuals play in the pandemic and protests.
West responded that being an intellectual means to have a purpose, to make others observe their community, society, government and question them for the truth. He gave examples of Socrates and Jesus, both who had questioned their society and had been put to death for seeking the truth.
Richardson followed asking West’s opinion on color blindness, a term used when someone says they do not see race or skin color.
“People who say ‘I’m color blind’, what they are saying is ‘Well I don’t associate you with inferiority, but I still see your blackness,” West responded.
West offered a different perspective, being lovestruck instead of colorblind allows the ability to accept others for who they are.
West discussed being considered controversial throughout his career. He spoke on the topic of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, though others may see his support as anti- semitic, his purpose is to bring attention to injustice.
To finish off the discussion, attendees were able to send questions they would like answered by West.
“How can we move our nation towards representation that includes a broader range of values?,” Ka Ren MacCalla, director of public affairs and marketing, read from the comment section.
“It’s got to be by example. We have to try to be the kind of persons that we talk about and calling for, what happens is, it’s the great examples that generate the possibility of the great awakening. That’s the key,” West responded.
The recorded event can be watched on You Tube uploaded from the Moorpark College Webinars channel. Past events can be accessed using the Zoom links under the Black History Month section of Moorpark College’s website.
