Forms of oppression will be brought to life today to bring awareness to campus about the unjust acts that come with the cruel exercise.

The University Board and the Housing and Dining Services will host the Tunnel of Oppression to allow students to experience oppression from the viewpoint of the victim.

Previously, the event was a museum. Students were able to walk around a room with booths set up to read about different kinds of oppression.

“This year we wanted to bring it to life,” said Zuri Thurman, the resident director of Andrews Hall.

This year, Andrews Hall is the host for the Tunnel of Oppression. The ninth floor, which holds no residents, will be turned into an oppression experience for attendees.

Different organizations around campus have created different experiences within several rooms on the floor.

Groups of six will be escorted through the “tunnel” by a guide.

The rooms, and even the bathrooms, will be used for the displays.

Two groups will be placed within the bathroom, Weller Hall on the shower side and the Panther Ambassador Club on the bathroom side.

Both groups are doing an exhibit on body image; however, each is doing a different side to the issue.

The PAC will have five students acting out different scenes of individuals with a low body image in each stall.

“I did the program as an undergrad when it was just the museum and the strongest display we had that had the most student reaction was the body image table,” said Sam Noblit, a graduate assistant for New Student Organizations and a graduate student for counseling and student development.

Noblit said they began working on the experience when Thanksgiving Break ended, but decided on the theme of the room before leaving.

They made their decision from three choices and made the plans.

“I think we did a great job at incorporating everything everyone had mentioned,” Noblit said. “One student really wanted to incorporate socio-economic status and body image and I think we found a way to portray that well.”

On Weller Hall’s side of the bathroom the guests will walk through and follow stations of directions to improve the body image of the participants.

“Body image is so important on a college campus because there is so much pressure to fit in and look your best,” Noblit said.

The Latin American Student Organization has one of the rooms for the event and they have two rooms set up like an airport to prove that terrorism has no face.

“The goal is basically, violence doesn’t have a nation or religion, we are trying to combat hate crimes against Muslims,” Thurman said.

Other experiences include racism, learning disabilities, and able-ism.

After the tour is complete, students within the master’s counseling program at Eastern will be located in the lobby to talk with students about feelings of oppression.

The Wall of Oppression will also be open for participants to write on.

Kayleigh Zyskowski can be reached at 832-2812 or [email protected].