As we live in a climate where simple tasks are becoming increasingly dangerous, how do we maintain our mental health while taking necessary precautions for our safety? This is a concern for Tashya Kyles, a junior finance major at Howard University, who recalls her experiences and feelings towards the bomb threats made at her campus. 

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“Initially, I didn’t know what to think about the bomb threats. I didn’t think we were going to get bombed.”, says Tashya. Throughout our conversation, Tashya referenced today’s climate and how students like herself are becoming more “numb” to receiving threats like the bomb threats received in early February. When asked how she felt about the racial aspect of the threats, she responded, “When deciding to go to an HBCU, I wasn’t looking forward to receiving racially motivated threats, but I am not surprised when I look at the world we live in. There is always a target on black folks that are doing well, so I wasn’t surprised.” 

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As black students at a historically black college, students like Tashya recognize the target they have on their backs. It is increasingly easier for people who want to have a negative impact on the lives of black people to cause disruption through social media and platforms that connect mass amounts of people. These constant threats have caused students to become numb and not always take things seriously. This, however, is not the case for parents. 

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In the interview, Tashya Kyles recalls the reaction of social media users and their parents compared to the reaction of her peers at the time. She says, “The parents were very concerned about their children and the campus overall. It seemed that students were somewhat excited to miss class and continue to enjoy the beginning of the new semester. If, as students, we allowed ourselves to think about the possibility of getting bombed, we would probably go crazy.” This numbness seems to be a common theme in today’s culture in order to protect the sanity and mental health of black students constantly facing adversity.

 

After the conclusion of the bomb threats, Howard University granted students a mental health day to recover. Tashya recalls how she used her mental health day.“It was still the beginning of the semester so I didn’t have much work to do, so I spent time relaxing and enjoying time with my friends.” 

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When asked how she would like to see the school make strives towards preventing bomb threats like these, Tashya said, “I don’t believe this is something Howard can fix. The issue at hand is much larger than a response and is rooted in hatred. In today’s world, anyone with a phone can make a threat. This is why we have become so numb. I think Howard’s response was fine and I enjoyed my mental health day”. With social media so readily accessible to all types of people, threats like these seem to be inevitable. Students have tried to ignore these distractions and focus on their direct peer interactions and school work.

 

In the future, students need to be comfortable going to class and sleeping in the dormitories without fearing for their safety. The hatred behind these attacks that exist in America today needs to be addressed. Black Americans have been on the frontlines fighting against this hatred for far too long. Howard University should be a safe haven for students like Tashya Kyles and should not face the discomfort and danger that racism still causes in the United States.