CRD - Community Voices - Voices Archive

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Noam Chomsky

Institute Professor
Linguistics

“[These are] issues of enormous significance which must be faced if we hope to live in a civilized society: faced with the integrity and courage demonstrated by those who achieved so much in recent years, with young people often at the forefront.”

Jonathan Clemons

Facilities

“I must applaud my department, Facilities, for proactively participating and implementing several types of diversity workshops.”

Douglas S. J. De Couto

Graduate Student, Electrical Engineering and Computer Science

“When you see someone who looks different, they may have more in common with you than people who look like you.... Two things that everyone at MIT has in common are a culture of disciplined thinking and a desire to find out the real truth of any situation.”

Mildred S. Dresselhaus

Institute Professor
Electrical Engineering and Physics

“I frequently have been involved with advising and mentoring minority students, because I have found that one happy camper brings another.”

Jacob Faber '04

Management

“Race and identity have always been a huge part of my life. It's like that when your skin's a mix of shades; even more so when you're adopted into a white family.”

Zojeila I. Flores '00

Biology

“[T]he truth of the matter is that we must work together to reach the common goal of a better life for our future.”

Jerome I. Friedman

Institute Professor
Physics

“We in the universities, must make the cogent arguments to help persuade the public of the importance of continuing the program. We also must lead by example.”

Shaheer Hussam '03

Mechanical Engineering

“Through the years I've met people at MIT from all over America and all over the world. It has nurtured my curiosity and helped strengthen my understanding of the world.”

Fahad Kajani '05

Management

“I believe that race is not a major issue at MIT because many of the people here act as if there is no difference in our races.”

Steven P. Keller

Graduate Student
Electrical Engineering and Computer Science

“I watch the various groups of students pass by, and I notice how often they consist of a single racial and cultural background. I realize what an excellent opportunity these students are missing to expand their own understanding of the world and, hence, a chance to make themselves better people as well.”

Gurukarm Khalsa

Administrative Assistant, Biology

“It's so hard to have productive or even comfortable conversations about race, but it's something I'd like to do, in an individual or small group setting. Only by getting to know one another and learning about one another's lives will we create change in America's race relations.”

Eddie Kohler

Graduate Student
Electrical Engineering and Computer Science

“I used to be afraid of race. It made me uncomfortable and confused.”

Dharmesh M. Mehta '99

Electrical Engineering and Computer Science/Management

“I truly believe that those individuals who expand and strengthen their own cultural heritage, while simultaneously learning about others, are far more likely to find happiness.”

Mario J. Molina

Institute Professor
Chemistry

“I am convinced that talent can flourish here without regard to color or culture, and we can function best as a society if all of us work together.”

Geeta Nagpal '02

Biology

“Race is beautiful and not something to be afraid of.”

Peter J. Narbonne

Manager of Operations, Development Research and Systems

“Racism, discrimination, and unintentional exclusion are community issues. MIT, as a community, needs to find ways to overcome them. The difficulties I see in recruiting a diverse staff are a part of these larger challenges.”

Eto Otitigbe '99

Mechanical Engineering

“By seeking out new relationships and experiences, I have been able to learn from the diverse array of students, faculty, administrators, and staff [at MIT].”

Steven Pinker

Professor and MacVicar Faculty Fellow
Brain and Cognitive Sciences

“The mind is a complicated organ, with an ability to learn from history, recognize the futility of ethnic prejudice and group conflict, and expand the circle of people who "count" as members of one's community.”

Sandra Sandoval '01

Brain and Cognitive Sciences

“When I first came to MIT, I felt immersed in an environment and culture that were almost foreign to me. As a result of that immersion, I have gained a new degree of strength and trust in myself.”

Terrence Strader '04

Electrical Engineering and Computer Science

“One major problem in our society today is the lack of education in the areas of race, ethnicity, and culture.”

Jaisel Vagdama '02

Chemical Engineering

“...the implication that I automatically will have more in common with someone of the same color bothers me.”

Tamara S. Williams

Graduate Student
Electrical Engineering and Computer Science

“I grew up in the predominantly Black city of East St Louis, IL. I never pondered thoughts of race relations because I had not encountered many people who were not African-American.”

Ling Wong '04

Chemical Engineering

“It was because I looked different from the others that people assumed I could not understand English.”

Yong T. Yoon

Graduate Student
Electrical Engineering and Computer Science

“In graduate schools, it is very noticeable that there is a significant reduction in the diversity of the student ethnic composition.”