The Paul J. Burgett Intercultural Center (BIC) held a post-election conversation Nov. 6 titled the “One Community Gathering,” the first of many such gatherings around campus following the 2024 election results.
There were two sessions: one in the morning and one in the evening. Both sessions held around 20 participants and involved unstructured, self-guided conversations. University Counseling Center (UCC) interns were present at both sessions.
“In 2016, we had folks who wanted to be in community with each other after the elections. This year, we decided to be proactive and not reactive,” BIC Director Jessica Guzman-Rea said. “Regardless of what the outcome was of the U.S. presidential elections, we wanted to create a space and place for anybody to come and be in community.”
The morning session was mainly attended by University staff, while the evening session was attended largely by undergraduate and graduate students.
Conversations centered mainly around feelings of helplessness and discussions on how to move forward, with some students getting emotional during the event.
“Elections tend to bring up a lot of anxiety with individuals and uncertainty,” Guzman-Rea explained. “For other people, it might bring pride and they might be really happy about the outcome. We just wanted to create a non-partisan space for people.”
This seems to be reflective of a larger demand from UR students for reflection and conversations following the 2024 presidential election. Student-run organizations, including ROCTalks, held a joint Election Results Open Mic the day following the election.
Beyond that, individual academic departments have taken the lead in organizing open conversations or structured events for students. The Public Health Department, for example, will host Dr. Michael Mendoza, the former Director of the Monroe County Health Department, for an event discussing the challenges facing public health in the upcoming Trump administration. Additionally, the Frederick Douglass Institute and the Department of Black Studies will be holding a post-election Town Hall.
Previously, the BIC held a series of more structured conversations called “Election Reflections: A Living Room Conversation,” which is centered around the political issues affecting students. The final of these conversations will be held on Nov. 14.
