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Analysis Of My Life

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The small, ethnically decorated room was filled with genuine laughter, echoing through the hallway. It was the first thing I heard when I entered the room. A loud group of friends sat on the dusty, brown couch in the middle of the room. The studs on their distressed jeans reflected the ceiling light that shined into my eyes. The scent of the warm, Turkish coffee they were drinking lingered across the room. Dozens of motivational posters covered the walls. There was a Moroccan-inspired gold and black trim that hung along the ceiling. I heard the mellow beat of a tabla, which is a popular musical instrument all across the Middle East and South Asia. I was introduced to Tamara, who worked at the front desk of the Middle Eastern Student Center …show more content…

She returned a few minutes later, and was ready to continue the interview. “This might be a sensitive subject. Do you know if this facility has ever suffered from hate crimes or violence?” I asked nervously. “I feel like the facility didn’t receive any, but individuals have. I don’t think people intend to attack the Middle Eastern Student Center because it’s just a resource center. It’s just there to provide resources. I’m pretty sure our director faces difficulties in bringing up issues facing Middle Eastern culture and things like that because people don’t really care, and we’re such a small minority,” Tamara said. I already knew that xenophobia and Islamophobia were relevant, but it still surprised me that many individuals had to deal with such hatred. Tamara also brought up how many students of Middle Eastern descent or those who practiced Islam came to the center for counseling and support after the brutal terrorist attack in France in late 2015. Many students reported being taunted by racist comments because they wore a hijab or a beard. Despite this unfortunate event, it did bring the community together, and closer than they were before. It allowed everyone in the community to take a moment and appreciate how lucky they were to be part of an organization that created a supportive atmosphere. “Have there ever been efforts made to close down or expand this facility?” I asked

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