UW-Superior Produces #YouAreWelcomeHere Video to Help With Anxieties About Discrimination Under President Trump
Temple University in Philadelphia started the #YouAreWelcomeHere campaign and now UW-Superior has released a video in support of the project.
The campaign is aimed at international students who might think twice about studying in the United States after the election of Donald Trump as President.
Jessica Sandberg from Temple told PIE News, “I felt like it was important that US universities come together on this instead of competing, and send a unified message to let international students know that nothing has changed, that we welcome them, that university campuses are progressive, open-minded, friendly places, and that we truly value that here.”
In the video description on YouTube, UW-Superior says, "The University of Wisconsin-Superior values and respects all individuals, and we celebrate the diversity and positive contributions that our international students and employees bring to our learning community."
Over 20 Universities have embraced this campaign and produced similar videos, which are "not envisioned to be a political statement" said Sandberg.
I'm not sure that I agree that they aren't making a political statement or playing into people's fear about the new President. The message is a good, positive one, but I don't think it will do much to help those who are worried about our new President, to me it seems like they are just fanning the flames of paranoia.
What do you think? Will this video calm the fears of incoming international students or is it just another political statement from a liberal/progressive college?