By Kate Hill
Staff Writer
On July 7, Cazenovia College recorded a “#WeTooStandWithYou & #BlackLivesMatter” campaign video on Christakos Field at the college’s Schneeweiss Athletic Complex.
Filmed using an aerial drone and on the ground camera, the video shows staff and community members holding printed placards spelling out “BLACKLIVESMATTER” and “WETOOSTANDWITHYOU.”
“This project is an actionable step towards uniting our communities during these unprecedented times and advancing our commitment to cultivating a more inclusive and thoughtful society,” said Patrick Camilien, associate director of the Higher Educational Opportunity Program (HEOP) at the college.
Camilien coordinated the project with support from Cazenovia College President Dr. Ronald Chesbrough and staff members Timothy Greene, David Bergh, Dr. Karey Tompkins Pine, Pete Way, and Tiffany Varlaro.
“Our communications department was instrumental in procuring the signs and contacting the local community to come and participate in this campaign,” Camilien said. “It was all hands on deck, and we all did our parts effortlessly.”
Camilien, who is currently pursuing a master’s degree in arts administration from Le Moyne College, developed the drone idea as part of his community engagement course.
“I recently purchased a drone for my birthday and wanted to use the drone to capture individuals holding up signs in support of the recent events while encouraging and promoting social distancing,” he said. “For my final project, I created the proposal and was able to actualize it with the help of my colleagues and the community.”
According to Camilien, the goals of the video are to bring awareness to the current climate in America surrounding social justice issues affecting people of color, specifically Black and Brown people, and to show the college’s support.
“Not only [does] this project show that the college stands with this humanitarian problem, but it also shows that the students of our [institution] are supported by their own college community,” Camilien said.
#WeTooStandWithYou was created by Cazenovia College administrators and student leaders in response to racially motivated slurs and symbols found and reported on campus in early 2019.
According to Camilien, the hashtag signifies the college’s commitment to listening to the stories and needs of its students and to taking proactive measures to cultivate a braver, more inclusive, and safer campus environment.
Camilien also noted that the creation of #WeTooStandWithYou was followed by a “Dinner and Dialogue” series, in which town business owners, store managers, and the chief of police were invited to listen to student stories on racial bias and feelings of discrimination experienced in the Town of Cazenovia.
“These talks launched a multitude of initiatives and projects around the campus with a focus on diversity and inclusion,” he said. “Given the recent events regarding police brutality on Black and Brown people, we felt it was imperative to do and say something to show our students and colleagues that, despite unprecedented times, we are thinking about them and their stories.”
The drone video recording drew 41 supporters/participants.
Camilien said he plans to share the group’s work with the community by posting the video on the college’s social media pages.
“We understand this is a small step in the work that needs to be done, but we are continuing the conversation through our words and actions to ensure we are creating an environment that our students are proud [of],” he said.
