Alienation Reinforces Segregation - Final Story 2

Hannah Tucker never thought twice about diversity at the University of Georgia.

“I thought it was 50 percent black and 50 percent white because that’s what’s fair,” Tucker, white a sophomore at UGA, said.

Her freshman year, Tucker roomed with Danielle Cannady, 20, a black sophomore at UGA.

“There is a strong black presence, so people assume we’re even, but it’s only 8 percent black,” Cannady said.

Cannaday, now a resident assistant at Mell Hall, has 48 residents—none of which are black. She said that because there are so few black students on campus, all black people speak to each other.

“Black people definitely seek each other out on campus,” Cannady said. “It’s a courtesy to acknowledge each other.”

Cannady and Tucker grew close during their freshman year, and Tucker frequently ate in the dining halls with Cannady and her black friends.

“The dining halls are very segregated,” Tucker said. “I got stares in the dining hall and on my floor in Brumby for being with my black friends.”

Mike Floyd, Director of Food Services at UGA, said that Food Services does not keep track of the race of customers on the meal plan.

“People don’t look at people and judge them by their skin color,” Floyd said. “Students go to dine with their friends, not specific ethnic groups.”

Tucker said that all the dining halls are segregated and not just into black and white.

“The Asians stick together,” she said.

Food Services does track the race of student employees, with 59 percent being white and 16 percent being black.

Floyd said that student workers share more of a social connection with other student workers than do full time workers.

“I think students socialize with friends and who they pal around with,” Floyd said.

The same goes for black athletes, who are frequently seen dining with their teams, both black and white members.

“If a black athlete was with a group of black people, it's because those were his friends,” Tucker said. “Black athletes have a bond with their whole team because it's not about color, it's about the team and their schedule.”

For black non-athletes, it's harder to make the adjustment to being around white people.

Cannady immediately felt a sense of isolation during her orientation at UGA.

She came to UGA with the mindset that she would make a lot of friends, but by the end of her first day of orientation, the only friend she made was another black girl.

“You don't know them from Adam and Eve, but they're black, you're black, you've got to be going through the same thing,” Cannady said.

Cannady, now best friends with Tucker, doesn't worry about diversity in her life.

“I hang out with diverse people, but I hang out with black people and do black things, too.”