DMC seeks to recruit new members

On Tuesday, March 8, a “dinner-time discourse” was held in the seminar room in the basement of Ross by DMC, also known as Deep Meaningful Conversations. Unbeknownst to some of the attendees of the meeting, DMC in fact stands for Distinguished Men of Color.

Using the alias “Deep Meaningful Conversations,” DMC sent an e-mail to students inviting anyone to attend the dinner and discussion. The goal of the alias was to attract members of the College community that would not normally attend a Distinguished Men of Color meeting.

Dane Verret ’12, co-president of DMC, explained that the name of the group should not be a deterrent for anyone who wishes to join the group.

“The work we do focuses on helping Middlebury’s campus sustain and retain men of color,” said Verret. “In terms of our membership, it’s open to everybody.”

The group has existed for a long time, but it was only three years ago that students rekindled the group and it became active again. One of the biggest issues the group faces now is attracting members.

“Most of the work we’ve done has been done by at most ten people, and that’s the problem,” said Verret.

Despite the small numbers, DMC has managed to be host and participate in many events on campus. They host an annual 3-on-3 basketball tournament and block party with a concert and cookout. In October, they hosted a student-led retreat to help first-years adjust to college life. They have petitioned the administration to support the D.R.E.A.M. Act, which rewards non-citizen students with citizenship for graduating high school. The group also tutors children of color through Community Friends and have invited various speakers to discuss race and ethnicity on campus.

“We’ve come a really long way with a really small group of people,” Verret said. “I wish we were seen as a more accessible group. Even though we’ve had some really rough spots, I’m really proud of what we’ve done.”

The next big project DMC is planning to take on will involve a collaboration with Philip Pezeshki, a graduate student at UVM and an intern at the Center for Counseling and Human Relations. Pezeshki wants to start and facilitate a discussion group of six to eight members, who will meet on a weekly basis. The goal is that the group will discuss any topic of their choice, but with a focus on the anxiety of attending the College as a minority student.

“I’m learning [how to teach students to] talk to each other in a way that is open and honest, but also clear and kind,” said Pezeshki. “It’s a matter of sorting assumptions from observations, perceptions from imagination. It’s a way for people to hear each other’s experience of one another while also owning your own stuff.”

The project is a pilot for the moment, but the hope is that the program will become permanent in the counseling center.

The logistics for the group discussions have not been decided yet, and DMC is excited for the many directions the discussion groups can take. Possibilities include having a large discussion group versus a smaller one, multiple groups or inviting different athletic teams and clubs to participate in the discussions with DMC members.

“It will be really good for collaboration between groups on campus,” said Verret.

Kenny Williams ’12, co-president of DMC, thinks that opening the discussion to other members of the College community will benefit the community as a whole, instead of just being a project for DMC.

“We all participate in this game of race and gender,” said Williams.