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The Daily Tar Heel

Opinion: To love UNC, we must fight for its reform

Dinesh McCoy 

Dinesh McCoy 

As you read this, the UNC Board of Trustees’ effort to decide on an appropriate response to the proposed renaming of Saunders Hall and contextualization of UNC’s history continues.

This step comes after years of student activism dating back to the 1990s. The reality is that the board was forced to act, pushed by the latest wave of student activism from the Real Silent Sam coalition.

While the board has not yet issued any decisions, the coordinated, clear and consistent activism of Real Silent Sam matters. The effort has become national news, a simultaneously remarkable feat and unfortunate near-necessity in efforts to incite administrative action.

Real Silent Sam is not the only group whose efforts have pushed leaders toward at least contemplating solutions to injustice. Others include the UNC Board of Governors Democracy Coalition, the Sierra Student Coalition and Student Action with Workers.

As a member of the BOG Democracy Coalition, I understand this work is emotionally taxing. And as a soon-to-be graduate, I recognize the impulse to tone down criticism of this place which has been such an important site in developing my understanding of self.

But we must speak out because of our dedication to what the University can be. To all students who have time left at UNC, build upon its legacy of activism in both breadth and intensity; commit to unapologetically addressing the largest challenges within our community. To love this place requires nothing less.

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