Berea College students, faculty, and administrators rallied Monday to show support for the college community following harassment aimed at international students, the LGBT community, and students of color. The event, estimated to have attracted some 500 people, was held along Chestnut Street. Vice President for Diversity and Inclusion, Linda Leek says the college community is standing together in solidarity. “We as an administration and a faculty and a community are standing with our students so that we let them know that we are here with them, beside them, and we want them to know that they are not alone,” said Leek.
Leek says there have been multiple incidents of negative verbal and visual messages targeting minorities. She says the incidents have increased. “People have ridden through our community with the confederate flag and have, especially lately, started shouting epithets at our students," Leek said. "This is not new, but it seems to have intensified the last couple of months."
Berea College is considered the South’s first interracial and co-educational college. Berea admits academically promising students, primarily from Appalachia. No student is charged tuition and all students must work at least 10 hours a week.?
