» » Features » City Life » Keeping it real

Keeping it real

March 8, 2010
by Joe Ezaki | Staff Writer

Gerri Scott, Suidah Pires, D.Del Torro, Michelle Williams attend the Real Talk club meeting. Photo by Libby Parenti

To provide City College students with a forum in which to speak frankly about issues that could potentially spark controversy, the introduction of last semester’s Real Talk Club provides students a safe and judgment-free outlet for thoughtful discourse.

With the motto “Keep it real,” club president D. Del Toro and company want to address issues that plague our daily lives.

“[We tried to] create a club where we can have real talk on sensitive issues that people are not comfortable talking about, either one-on-one or in a group session: racism, sexism, homophobia, religion, politics, discrimination, things of that sort,” said second-semester City College student Del Toro.

Del Toro and fellow founders Saidah Pires and Tighearnan Lee, as well as club adviser and City College psychology professor Lisa Gunderson, want to create a safe environment for people to express themselves without fear.

“I think that when people from different backgrounds, from different walks of life, from different perspectives, can sit down in a room and respectfully agree, maybe even to disagree, just to hear each other, that that can help start to slow some of this stuff down,” Gunderson said.

But it doesn’t end there.  Real Talk’s vision is to enact change through example. While other clubs do not return funds to the InterClub Council, according to Del Toro, Real Talk plans to give 5 percent of all of its earnings back to the school.

According to Del Toro, Real Talk wants to reach out to the community to show what it is like to live in harmony.

“We want to build a strong community here on campus,” Del Toro said. “We want to be that model for incoming students to Sac City. We also don’t want to stop just here on campus. We want to reach out to the community and contribute to the community.”

Club members put the desks in a circle and begin to have some real conversations. With a consistent attendance of 20 people, there are plenty of ideas and subjects floating around the room.

“They originally started meeting every other week,” Gunderson said. “They’re now meeting weekly because people want it.  They want to sit and talk about what’s happening in classes and what’s happening in their lives. So we’re filling something, and I’m not quite sure yet what that is.”

“It’s liberating, it’s enlightening [and] ultimately it just educates people,” said Michael Griffen, a sophomore who has attended all Real Talk meetings.