Dear editor,

“Cuse Can! It Starts With Us!” is the recently announced concert, lecture SA event. The event’s mission is to, “facilitate conversation about community dynamics and social change.” The campus should be talking about the community dynamics that allowed SA to waste student funding with overpaid talent. With a price tag of above $200,000, a community event with this purpose should have world renowned leaders in community development, engagement and social change. Instead of thought-provoking community leaders, SA paid for Flipp Dinero, Tiffany Haddish and Pusha T.

Who is Flipp Dinero? He’s not a Syracuse native or SU alumnus. He’s not a community activist or leader of a social movement. What could he tell us about community dynamics or social change? Nothing. His one hit song is entitled “Leave Me Alone,” which is exactly what SA should have done instead of spending our student fees on him. Tiffany Haddish also has no strong community engagement background. Her standup routine was so bad, her fans walked out in protest. Is that the type of activism she’ll educate our campus on? Finally, Pusha T is a big-time artist. In 2017, he vowed to expose the inequities of mass incarceration. Then he spent 2018 beefing with Drake about the kid he was hiding from the world — but really hiding the world from his kid.

If we just wanted to just have an actress, an unknown rapper and Pusha T come to campus, that would be fine. But it makes no sense to bring those acts in the name of community dynamics and social change. The panels won’t be filled. The concert will. The conversation will be on the theatrics, not the transformational impact the campus could have. SA’s flyer mentions nothing about the panels’ speakers or substance because this event isn’t about substance or the community. Call it exactly what it is — an excuse to pregame.

For the past two years, students have critiqued the chancellor, the administration and DPS for a lack of genuine commitment to community and social change. However, when SA had an opportunity to ignite a meaningful conversation about community dynamics and social change, it decided to throw our money away. Treat others the way you want to be treated.

Sincerely,

Iris Guzman

Co-chair of SA Community Engagement Committee

Published on March 21, 2019 at 8:21 pm