We Can Talk About This

USF students assemble once a month to discuss isolated issues.

Meg Hansen created the open discussion group, ‘Meg Talks,’ which focuses on the topics such as race and gender identity. The purpose of the discussions is to try and get students talking about social issues with the hopes of making the USF campus more inclusive.

Being a senior Communication Studies and Theatre major, Hansen knew from the start she wanted her senior project, Meg Talks, to be over issues she is passionate about.

“I felt that people weren’t talking enough about certain topics that I felt like needed to be talked about. I felt like my identity and who I am wasn’t being expressed in a positive light,” Hansen says.

The last Meg Talks have been topics such as subtle racism, gender identity and the LGBT community. Hansen says that the topics being brought up shouldn’t throw you away from participating in the open discussion.

“Even though we’re discussing things that might have a political agenda to them, I think it’s important to realize it’s a lot more inclusive then you think,” Hansen says.

USF senior Christina Adams agrees that the monthly discussions are inclusive, and so is Hansen.

“It’s not a time for you to get lectured at, it’s more of an open time to talk with each other and learn from each other. Meg is a great facilitator of that open and welcoming environment,” Adams says.

Being a facilitator Hansen gets to choose topics she feels need to be discussed, but is always open to suggestions from others. Anyone in the USF community is welcome to join in the next Meg Talks.

“You can sit, you can listen or you could just participate in discussion if you really want to. It’s really what you want to do,” says Adams.

The next Meg Talks will be held on Thursday March 30th at 7:00pm in the Jones Black Box Theatre. Be sure to check your USF email soon to find out what the next topic will be.

Story by Ellie Herman