When facing the challenges of hatred, oppression and discrimination society is usually only given two options. They can choose to ignore or they can choose to overcome. At the University of TN at Martin, the Tennessee Kappa Chapter of Sigma Phi Epsilon led an effort to overcome these atrocities by bring the Writing on the Wall Project to their campus.
The “Writing on the Wall” project consisted of erecting a cinder block wall that stood 10 feet high and that was more than 35 feet wide. On Nov. 7, student groups armed with paint and brushes came together to put epitaphs of hatred and inhumanity on the cinder blocks. Five days later, the campus would tear the wall down, symbolically representing the action of tearing down the barriers of inhumanity that exist.
The unique project brought together student groups, faculty and staff in a dramatic experience of taking personal action to confront human rights issues that exist in our society. The SigEp chapter hosted a meeting at their chapter house with other fraternities and sororities to discuss diversity on their campus.
SigEp also partnered with the Office of Multicultural Affairs and the Student Government Association to make the “Writing on the Wall” project one main event of a week long diversity rally. Meetings to explain the project’s purpose were held with other campus organizations and initially a meeting was held with Chancellor Nick Dunagan to get approval for the project.
“When I first learned about the ”Writing on the Wall” project, I wanted my fraternity to bring it to UT Martin,” said Kevin Teets, Sigma Phi Epsilon Vice President of Member Development. “I know that nationally SigEp has been a leader in bridging the diversity gaps that exist in our society and I felt it was time that our chapter did the same on a local level.”
The wall stood on campus between the Boling University Center and the Paul Meek Library for five days. Many students and faculty walked by and took in the words and pictures that were presented. For some people the wall represented pain that they had experienced themselves. For others, the wall opened their eyes to the atrocities that actually exist around us.
After the five days were over, Chancellor Dunagan spoke to the participants in attendance who were ready to personally take action in tearing down this wall of hate.
Dunagan told the crowd that when he was initially approached by SigEp about doing the project that he was a little bit nervous about the project being a risky proposition.
“People could have their feelings hurt in the short run,” he said. “At the end of the day, I was supportive. The words on the wall make us uncomfortable. We would rather not talk about these words or what they represent, but this has served as a very positive educational opportunity,” Dunagan said.
Sigma Phi Epsilon President John Lankford also spoke to the group about the importance of recognizing that these issues are real. “By creating this wall we are facing the facts that these hurtful things do exist. No longer will we ignore them or brush them under the carpet. We have acknowledged their existence and today we are here to overcome them by bringing this wall down,” Lankford said.
Several ropes were tied to the wall allowing many people to take part in its pull down. With a crowd of more than 300 people watching and participating, students and faculty grabbed the ropes and with one mighty pull brought the wall to the ground. The purpose of the wall was very heartfelt. The hate and malice represented on the wall that divided individuals and cultures tumbled to the ground by an act of people coming together to overcome the issues that we so often see. For those participating in the project, choosing to ignore the issues is no longer an option.
But for the groups sponsoring the event, the wall’s falling was only the beginning to a path of understanding and open communication. On Nov. 17, the Writing on the Wall’s sponsors hosted a panel forum that was open to the public to talk about what the project meant for the UT Martin campus. Three students sat on the panel including Teets.
“The goal was to raise awareness and cause everyone to talk about the wall,” said SGA President Dusty Dean. “I believe the wall far exceeded its purpose.”
The “Writing on the Wall” project began in 2001 at the University of Utah with the Human Issues Education Committee (HIEC), which consists of students and staff from residence halls. HIEC was approached with the wall project by author LaDon Roeder.