No, Ohio State doesn’t believe only white people can be racist

Last week, the Multicultural Center at Ohio State held Ally Week of Action. The center hosted multiple workshops for students throughout the week to demonstrate how to "advocate for people who are of a different race, ethnicity, sexual orientation, religious or spiritual identity, gender identity/expression, socioeconomic class, or other social identity other than their own."

During a workshop called "Interrupting Racism: Tips and Trick for White People", an unnamed student asked workshop leader and associate director of the Multicultural Center, Angie Wellman, if white people are the only ones who can be racist.

According to The College Fix, Wellman allegedly answered in the affirmative, claiming that every non-white race lacks the power aspect, which is why white people can't be victims of racism.

Wellman's answer quickly drew criticism as news circulated about the incident, causing people to call into question the integrity of the university.

However, Wellman's answer does not reflect the beliefs of the Ohio State University.

Ben Johnson, the Director of Media and Public Relations at OSU, told The Tab, "It is not the position of The Ohio State University that only white people can be racist. Nor is it the position of the university that white people cannot be victims of racism."

In a description for the workshop on the Multicultural Center website, the workshop was intended to " increase self-awareness, explore beliefs about race, and examine racism." The description went on to say "Participants will learn tools for allyship, and develop a personal plan of action to interrupt racism."

The events during Ally Week of Action were not mandatory and were open to all students who wanted to participate. The event was intended to create a healthy dialogue between students in the Ohio State community.