so I was never fond of math I found it limiting restricting in heart see math
limiting restricting in heart see math
limiting restricting in heart see math had these derivatives these fractions
had these derivatives these fractions
had these derivatives these fractions these division symbols and
these division symbols and
these division symbols and multiplications X’s and these little
multiplications X’s and these little
multiplications X’s and these little asterisks that were upside down and
asterisks that were upside down and
asterisks that were upside down and curves that made a problem almost
curves that made a problem almost
curves that made a problem almost impossible to solve but when I got to
impossible to solve but when I got to
impossible to solve but when I got to Denison my perception on math changed
Denison my perception on math changed
Denison my perception on math changed see math became a vital part of my life
see math became a vital part of my life
see math became a vital part of my life here at Denison especially with
here at Denison especially with
here at Denison especially with declining see the thing about math was
declining see the thing about math was
declining see the thing about math was it was simple there will always be one
it was simple there will always be one
it was simple there will always be one solution for every answer two plus two
solution for every answer two plus two
solution for every answer two plus two it will always equal four or so I
it will always equal four or so I
it will always equal four or so I thought see so at three plus one so at
thought see so at three plus one so at
thought see so at three plus one so at four plus zero why does this matter I’m
four plus zero why does this matter I’m
four plus zero why does this matter I’m so glad that you asked well I was
so glad that you asked well I was
so glad that you asked well I was studying in bright in London I had a
studying in bright in London I had a
studying in bright in London I had a teacher asked me Breanna explains to the
teacher asked me Breanna explains to the
teacher asked me Breanna explains to the class the woes of being a black woman
class the woes of being a black woman
class the woes of being a black woman from America see I was the common
from America see I was the common
from America see I was the common denominator you know the the black kid
denominator you know the the black kid
denominator you know the the black kid that probably went to a title in high
that probably went to a title in high
that probably went to a title in high school that was from poverty was
school that was from poverty was
school that was from poverty was probably struggling to maintain at
probably struggling to maintain at
probably struggling to maintain at Denison but I didn’t quite fit that
Denison but I didn’t quite fit that
Denison but I didn’t quite fit that equation see I was from the suburbs and
equation see I was from the suburbs and
equation see I was from the suburbs and while I did attend a title in high
while I did attend a title in high
while I did attend a title in high school and I did like to listen to track
school and I did like to listen to track
school and I did like to listen to track music just a little bit I also like to
music just a little bit I also like to
music just a little bit I also like to study the Latin language so I became an
study the Latin language so I became an
study the Latin language so I became an outlier I began to complicate this
outlier I began to complicate this
outlier I began to complicate this equation
I began for complicated this equation
I began for complicated this equation complicating it by not being able to be
complicating it by not being able to be
complicating it by not being able to be confined within this box and see it
confined within this box and see it
confined within this box and see it wasn’t just a London problem it wasn’t
wasn’t just a London problem it wasn’t
wasn’t just a London problem it wasn’t just the international problem it was a
just the international problem it was a
just the international problem it was a problem right here in my home right here
problem right here in my home right here
problem right here in my home right here in America
in America
in America I came back to Denison and in my
I came back to Denison and in my
I came back to Denison and in my literate literary theory class we were
literate literary theory class we were
literate literary theory class we were reading the known world by Edward P
reading the known world by Edward P
reading the known world by Edward P Jones in this book we had a protagonist
Jones in this book we had a protagonist
Jones in this book we had a protagonist who was african-american who also owned
who was african-american who also owned
who was african-american who also owned african-american slaves throughout the
african-american slaves throughout the
african-american slaves throughout the class the words diverse problematic
class the words diverse problematic
class the words diverse problematic integration
integration
integration we’re thrown around like a hot football
we’re thrown around like a hot football
we’re thrown around like a hot football but that’s all they ever were words to
but that’s all they ever were words to
but that’s all they ever were words to be thrown a work around words that were
be thrown a work around words that were
be thrown a work around words that were only paid lip service but no action see
only paid lip service but no action see
only paid lip service but no action see the class will bring up gender and I
the class will bring up gender and I
the class will bring up gender and I will talk about race they will talk
will talk about race they will talk
will talk about race they will talk about economics I will talk about
about economics I will talk about
about economics I will talk about educational inequalities we never agree
educational inequalities we never agree
educational inequalities we never agree and I became a problem within the
and I became a problem within the
and I became a problem within the problem so what do you do with variables
problem so what do you do with variables
problem so what do you do with variables that don’t fit you throw them out you
that don’t fit you throw them out you
that don’t fit you throw them out you plug them in and you plug them out you
plug them in and you plug them out you
plug them in and you plug them out you put them in when they’re beneficial for
put them in when they’re beneficial for
put them in when they’re beneficial for you but when they were getting too
you but when they were getting too
you but when they were getting too complicated equation add those exponents
complicated equation add those exponents
complicated equation add those exponents and those derivatives that I was talking
and those derivatives that I was talking
and those derivatives that I was talking about earlier
about earlier
about earlier you cancel them out you get rid of them
you cancel them out you get rid of them
you cancel them out you get rid of them but see that was the issue we continued
but see that was the issue we continued
but see that was the issue we continued to cancel out equations and never really
to cancel out equations and never really
to cancel out equations and never really solved them so I started to think and I
solved them so I started to think and I
solved them so I started to think and I started to think historically about what
started to think historically about what
started to think historically about what could we do to solve these equations and
could we do to solve these equations and
could we do to solve these equations and I had to think of it in terms outside of
I had to think of it in terms outside of
I had to think of it in terms outside of math like I said I am an English major
math like I said I am an English major
math like I said I am an English major so I started to think back and what I
so I started to think back and what I
so I started to think back and what I noticed was every issue every
noticed was every issue every
noticed was every issue every controversy ever every problem that we
controversy ever every problem that we
controversy ever every problem that we had ever had in the world stemmed from
had ever had in the world stemmed from
had ever had in the world stemmed from difference see the Germans disliked the
difference see the Germans disliked the
difference see the Germans disliked the Jews because they were different
Jews because they were different
Jews because they were different American settlers gentrified Native
American settlers gentrified Native
American settlers gentrified Native Americans because they were different
Americans because they were different
Americans because they were different English settlers colonized India because
English settlers colonized India because
English settlers colonized India because they were different and me I was at
they were different and me I was at
they were different and me I was at Denison because of my difference see my
Denison because of my difference see my
Denison because of my difference see my difference was supposed to add to the
difference was supposed to add to the
difference was supposed to add to the school make it more diverse yeah those
school make it more diverse yeah those
school make it more diverse yeah those words that we were throwing around again
words that we were throwing around again
words that we were throwing around again but did it really do that so I remember
but did it really do that so I remember
but did it really do that so I remember I went to a professor’s office and I
I went to a professor’s office and I
I went to a professor’s office and I started bringing up these concerns to
started bringing up these concerns to
started bringing up these concerns to him and telling him how I never really
him and telling him how I never really
him and telling him how I never really fit in the equation I was tired of being
fit in the equation I was tired of being
fit in the equation I was tired of being canceled out I was tired of being the
canceled out I was tired of being the
canceled out I was tired of being the outlier I wanted to figure out how could
outlier I wanted to figure out how could
outlier I wanted to figure out how could I get plugged back in how could I get
I get plugged back in how could I get
I get plugged back in how could I get solved and I started thinking and I
solved and I started thinking and I
solved and I started thinking and I found an answer from Mohammed Gandhi he
found an answer from Mohammed Gandhi he
found an answer from Mohammed Gandhi he once said our ability to reach unity and
once said our ability to reach unity and
once said our ability to reach unity and diversity would be the beauty and test
diversity would be the beauty and test
diversity would be the beauty and test of our civilization our differences
of our civilization our differences
of our civilization our differences would be what was strengthen us lead us
would be what was strengthen us lead us
would be what was strengthen us lead us to progress lead us to true diversity
to progress lead us to true diversity
to progress lead us to true diversity and then I began to ask myself questions
and then I began to ask myself questions
and then I began to ask myself questions so what does that mean for students here
so what does that mean for students here
so what does that mean for students here at Denison and I begin to think of a
at Denison and I begin to think of a
at Denison and I begin to think of a series of rhetorical questions that I
series of rhetorical questions that I
series of rhetorical questions that I now ask you how many times have you went
now ask you how many times have you went
now ask you how many times have you went to the Black Student Union how many
to the Black Student Union how many
to the Black Student Union how many times have you taken a conversation of
times have you taken a conversation of
times have you taken a conversation of race outside of the academic setting
race outside of the academic setting
race outside of the academic setting outside of those four walls of a
outside of those four walls of a
outside of those four walls of a classroom how many times have you walked
classroom how many times have you walked
classroom how many times have you walked into huffman or Kurtis or Slater and sat
into huffman or Kurtis or Slater and sat
into huffman or Kurtis or Slater and sat with someone who didn’t look like you
with someone who didn’t look like you
with someone who didn’t look like you see the thing about it was what kept
see the thing about it was what kept
see the thing about it was what kept talking about diversity we kept finding
talking about diversity we kept finding
talking about diversity we kept finding people these variables that they were
people these variables that they were
people these variables that they were supposed to use to fit into our
supposed to use to fit into our
supposed to use to fit into our equations but we never really gave them
equations but we never really gave them
equations but we never really gave them a space to exist as outliers and be
a space to exist as outliers and be
a space to exist as outliers and be multiplied and factored in on their own
multiplied and factored in on their own
multiplied and factored in on their own so I came up with a four-step plan it’s
so I came up with a four-step plan it’s
so I came up with a four-step plan it’s quite brilliant and I named it embracing
quite brilliant and I named it embracing
quite brilliant and I named it embracing the spirit of math what does that mean
the spirit of math what does that mean
the spirit of math what does that mean I’m so glad you keep asking all these
I’m so glad you keep asking all these
I’m so glad you keep asking all these questions
questions
questions so embracing the spirit of math means
so embracing the spirit of math means
so embracing the spirit of math means although I think math is hard and
although I think math is hard and
although I think math is hard and complicated
complicated
complicated that’s fair math is diverse because yes
that’s fair math is diverse because yes
that’s fair math is diverse because yes two plus two will always equal four no
two plus two will always equal four no
two plus two will always equal four no matter how you flip it divide it
matter how you flip it divide it
matter how you flip it divide it multiply it and try to make it equal
multiply it and try to make it equal
multiply it and try to make it equal five like me it’s going to equal four
five like me it’s going to equal four
five like me it’s going to equal four but so will three plus one and so a four
but so will three plus one and so a four
but so will three plus one and so a four plus zero so that means there are
plus zero so that means there are
plus zero so that means there are several avenues to reach the same
several avenues to reach the same
several avenues to reach the same destination so get to the same solution
destination so get to the same solution
destination so get to the same solution why is this important it’s important
why is this important it’s important
why is this important it’s important because just like problems people have
because just like problems people have
because just like problems people have several different avenues that they’ve
several different avenues that they’ve
several different avenues that they’ve used and that they’ve traveled to end up
used and that they’ve traveled to end up
used and that they’ve traveled to end up at the same destination just think about
at the same destination just think about
at the same destination just think about yourself sitting in your seats the
yourself sitting in your seats the
yourself sitting in your seats the person on your left and the person on
person on your left and the person on
person on your left and the person on your right
your right
your right they’ve taken very different journeys
they’ve taken very different journeys
they’ve taken very different journeys than yourselves to get to where you are
than yourselves to get to where you are
than yourselves to get to where you are but somehow you all made it to sit in
but somehow you all made it to sit in
but somehow you all made it to sit in front of me so I started thinking what
front of me so I started thinking what
front of me so I started thinking what do we need to do first one we needed to
do we need to do first one we needed to
do we need to do first one we needed to evaluate the entire equation what does
evaluate the entire equation what does
evaluate the entire equation what does that mean that means that we needed to
that mean that means that we needed to
that mean that means that we needed to look at people holistically you know
look at people holistically you know
look at people holistically you know when you apply to a college and they
when you apply to a college and they
when you apply to a college and they don’t just look at your GPA or your SAT
don’t just look at your GPA or your SAT
don’t just look at your GPA or your SAT scores or I probably wouldn’t be here
scores or I probably wouldn’t be here
scores or I probably wouldn’t be here you know how they look at those
you know how they look at those
you know how they look at those extracurriculars that you were involved
extracurriculars that you were involved
extracurriculars that you were involved in they look at that summer job that you
in they look at that summer job that you
in they look at that summer job that you had we need to look at people like that
had we need to look at people like that
had we need to look at people like that holistically too we need to accept
holistically too we need to accept
holistically too we need to accept diverse variables diverse variables
diverse variables diverse variables
diverse variables diverse variables sometimes we’re gonna meet outliers like
sometimes we’re gonna meet outliers like
sometimes we’re gonna meet outliers like myself people that don’t fit that
myself people that don’t fit that
myself people that don’t fit that stereotypical assumption so what do we
stereotypical assumption so what do we
stereotypical assumption so what do we do with them instead of throwing them
do with them instead of throwing them
do with them instead of throwing them out can’t sling them out deeming them as
out can’t sling them out deeming them as
out can’t sling them out deeming them as the outliers that are unsolvable we
the outliers that are unsolvable we
the outliers that are unsolvable we factored them in we complicate our
factored them in we complicate our
factored them in we complicate our equations yes they will become harder to
equations yes they will become harder to
equations yes they will become harder to solve but they’ll be more complete Moho
solve but they’ll be more complete Moho
solve but they’ll be more complete Moho more holistic problems that give a more
more holistic problems that give a more
more holistic problems that give a more accurate description of what we’re
accurate description of what we’re
accurate description of what we’re trying to paint Bert we get rid of the
trying to paint Bert we get rid of the
trying to paint Bert we get rid of the plug in plug out method meaning we stop
plug in plug out method meaning we stop
plug in plug out method meaning we stop using people when it’s easy for us we
using people when it’s easy for us we
using people when it’s easy for us we stop
stop
stop using people for their convenience you
using people for their convenience you
using people for their convenience you fit this stereotype you fit this
fit this stereotype you fit this
fit this stereotype you fit this equation I’m going to use you now I no
equation I’m going to use you now I no
equation I’m going to use you now I no longer need you you don’t work in this
longer need you you don’t work in this
longer need you you don’t work in this problem let’s throw you out for this one
problem let’s throw you out for this one
problem let’s throw you out for this one that doesn’t work we have to create
that doesn’t work we have to create
that doesn’t work we have to create problems that are going to holistically
problems that are going to holistically
problems that are going to holistically evaluate people every time and fourth
evaluate people every time and fourth
evaluate people every time and fourth you don’t remember anything else from
you don’t remember anything else from
you don’t remember anything else from this long talk I need you to remember
this long talk I need you to remember
this long talk I need you to remember there’s one thing yes 2+2 will always
there’s one thing yes 2+2 will always
there’s one thing yes 2+2 will always equal 4 always well so will 3 plus 1 and
equal 4 always well so will 3 plus 1 and
equal 4 always well so will 3 plus 1 and so will 4 plus 0 and so 6 minus 2 and so
so will 4 plus 0 and so 6 minus 2 and so
so will 4 plus 0 and so 6 minus 2 and so will 8 divided by 2 and I say that to
will 8 divided by 2 and I say that to
will 8 divided by 2 and I say that to say this no one can tell you how you
say this no one can tell you how you
say this no one can tell you how you reach your solution and your solution is
reach your solution and your solution is
reach your solution and your solution is just as valuable as everyone else’s the
just as valuable as everyone else’s the
just as valuable as everyone else’s the way that you end it to where you are is
way that you end it to where you are is
way that you end it to where you are is just as important thank you
just as important thank you
just as important thank you [Applause]
”
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