Who Cares?

by Stéphanie Ávalos

I am currently a peer tutor for the First Year Seminar that I took when I was a first year myself. Every class we look into different issues relating to Human Rights and Environmental injustices, and we discuss these issues in order to practice shaping an argument, under the overarching conclusion of “Who cares?”.

Thinking about it with this clear cut approach renders the issues real. Thinking of why the issue matters beyond what we read on a page, and beyond the desensitizing effects of the media, forces one to think of the implications they have on our lives and our accountability in being the change we wish to see in the world.

A few days ago TDC hosted a gathering to educate Trinity students by giving us “an inspiring look at refugees in San Antonio”. Some of the basic questions such as: What is a refugee? Where do they come from? And how do they live? were addressed by the directors of the refugee center, as well as by the refugees who shared their stories. It was very touching to hear about their struggles and their motivation to have a dignified life outside their countries. But there was one presentation that I thought was the most shocking –for lack of a better word to describe it. A refugee from Iraq began his story by directing a grievance against Trinity for not supporting them, as San Antonio community members or as refugees, in continuing their studies.

So, the question is: Who cares? Does Trinity care? Do we?

A private education –and even a public one—in the US, at the university level, is expensive. So it logically follows that if someone cannot afford to go to school, they can have access to loans or they simply cannot by any means afford to go at all. But there is something that seems very wrong about not helping these people who are extremely vulnerable and who have been deprived of their fundamental rights to peace, stability and protection in their own countries.

Trinity is a school that is very unique.  Given its location and size it appeals to students from all around the world and is host to many of the “developing world’s” elite. In the grand scheme of its operations, I believe it could find a way to extend its privileges onto those most in need. Extending a hand to members of its community, particularly those who have already endured so much, would exemplify the excellence it promotes amongst its students.

The Lock by S. Ávalos is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivs 3.0 Unported License.