Andrea Keklak's Georgetown Experience

Dear Georgetown Track and Field,

In light of recent events, I wanted to take a moment to state my intentions with regard to the current situation and the upcoming school year. As a returning 5th year, I feel it is my responsibility to speak out, and it is my hope that what I have written below will be read and considered by the entire Georgetown program, coaches and athletes, both past and present.

I would like to begin by addressing something vital not only to the future of our team, but to the country as a whole: white privilege.

Though this term has come to take on a variety of meanings, depending on the context, the simplest definition of “white privilege”, for me, is this: the advantages that I, as a white person, automatically possess in any given situation when compared to someone of a minority race. That doesn’t mean that being white means your life isn’t hard. It simply means that as a white person, whatever situation - personal, economic, political - you find yourself in, you are automatically better off than a person of color would be in an identical situation.

For example, I have the privilege, if asked to leave a sports team, to not have to wonder if my race was a factor in that decision. I have the privilege, when stating my opinion, not to be stereotyped and brushed off as an “angry Black girl.” I have the privilege of being able to comfortably sit here and write a blog post, utterly removed from (and, in many ways, ignorant of) the discrimination that my fellow minority teammates have been subjected to their whole lives.

I have the privilege to choose to imagine these situations, rather than the misfortune of actually having to experience them in real life, every day.

Accepting the reality of white privilege is, for whatever reason, very hard for many people. It was very hard for me - and often still is. There’s a natural psychological response, usually along the lines of, “Well, I didn’t ask to be white. I’m not doing anything wrong.” It’s a defensive reaction that largely misses the point.

The fact is, no one “asked” to be a minority, either - and yet they face stigma and discrimination that I will never be exposed to. While Baltimore and Ferguson are obvious examples, micro-aggressions of racism occur constantly on an individual level, in a way that we, as non-minorities, have to work very hard to open our eyes to.

Looking at yourself in the mirror and realizing that you have been feeding, however unconsciously, into a system of racial discrimination is a very painful and uncomfortable experience. However - and I want to be very clear - this kind of self-confrontation in NO way compares to the fear, frustration, and blatant injustice that non-white individuals face in this country every day. That is their reality; this is our responsibility.

So, where does this fit into the current discussion?

I firmly believe that any discussion of racial discrimination needs to be rooted in concrete, verifiable fact. Accusations and subsequent defences must not arise from gut reactions and feelings, but rather from calm and careful deliberation. Although it is impossible for me, as a current member of this team, not to be emotionally invested in the future of the Georgetown running program, I will do my best to remain objective and recognize legitimate evidence in regards to the current allegations of racism. Furthermore, I pledge to continue the discussion amongst my teammates concerning white privilege and how to confront it, so that we can truly come together as a team -- celebrating our bonds while recognizing our differences and the challenges that come with them.

In turn, I would ask those who have supported the allegations of racism to examine the situation objectively, as best they can. If there is compelling evidence to support your claims, please bring it to light in a clear and verifiable way, so that we can all benefit from a fuller knowledge of the situation. If concrete evidence cannot be produced, I would ask you to also engage in self-examination, as I have pledged to do, to understand why these claims have been made.

I believe that the truth, whatever it may bring, is the path forward for our program, and the only way that we can come together as a group of united and compassionate team members. It is my hope that our differences will not ultimately divide us, but make us stronger than ever before.

Finally, to everyone involved, I would like to say that I remain, always, your ally and your teammate, no matter what happens. I look forward to seeing many of you in a few weeks and continuing this dialogue in person.

Thank you for reading, and feel free to reach out.

-Andrea Keklak