In a week focused on the recent ‘Time’s Up’ movement, Omega Phi Beta opened discussion regarding sexual assault, using the platform to open up other discussions that are not so easily had.

“In response to the dark truth of ongoing sexual harassment and assault, there has been a lot of talk within the entertainment industry,” said Ashley Escobar, President of the Beta Delta chapter of Omega Phi Beta. “We planned this Week of Illumination because of the Time’s Up movement that celebrities have pushed upon us….I think it’s important for Pace students because we don’t know anybody’s story on campus. At the end of the day, we don’t know if somebody has been sexually abused, we don’t know if it’s happening to somebody on campus right now, and I would like to see if this movement, or even this week can help them [when] thinking to say something or thinking to speak out.”

Student turnout was indicative of the movement’s reach at Pace; over twenty-two students gathered in the Butcher Suite on a Monday night, of all nights, to demonstrate their interest in discussing these difficult issues.

One student expressed his belief that movements often are advanced in the name of more than one motive.

“Why does it take so many people to have the courage to say that, like Oprah is pretty powerful and she’s been pretty powerful for a while, why now?” said one student in response to the discussion that spanned most of the event. “Oprah has a voice, has a TV show, she’s very very powerful- she could’ve said these things [sooner]. There’s pictures of Harvey Weinstein and Oprah sitting next to each other, her hugging and kissing him, but now she’s so against him. Just in a general statement I think a lot of times movements do have the right cause and people should be coming up and saying this things, but also be wary of people who are opportunistic.”

Oprah Winfrey, once a television and media mogul best known for The Oprah Winfrey Show that ran for a total of 25 years, is credited with sparking further advocacy for the Me Too movement where sexual assault victims, usually in the entertainment industry, are encouraged to share stories about oft-times very influential men and women in the industry who are sexual assailants.

As with every argument, the other side responds and points are made on both sides, this time the other side being Keyshana Dupuy, an active member of the SGA and member of other clubs at Pace.

“I agree with you, there are many people who start a movement off of opportunistic chances, but it doesn’t discredit the movement,” said Dupuy. “Regardless of how it started… I don’t care if you were trying to start getting fame for yourself, but the fact that you brought it up and it is in the public eye and the fact that the media is paying attention now means everybody’s story is being heard. It may not be the best moral reason, but you still have to start it.”

Though it is called the Week of Illumination or simply #TimesUp, there are always more issues waiting to come to light,  according to Deija Williams, Vice President of the Beta Delta Chapter of Omega Phi Beta.

“Although we are focusing on the Time’s Up movement we are elaborating on it, breaking down the barriers with all injustices,” said Williams. “In planning the week, I feel like we go off of basically what [ideas] we want to be heard, and I feel like by doing that, even us, we educated ourselves by doing our research, making these PowerPoints – you learn something every day. Even though we thought we knew everything about the Time’s Up movement, through doing this research and doing these events you learn something more, and it’s good, because with what we learn we can educate the community [with that].”

Other events within the Week of Illumination included Color My World, focused on colorism and the unwanted issues that follow colorism, Behind the Lens where students examined economic imbalance and the problems that causes, and ended with a celebratory dinner where diversity was the centerpiece.

“Change can start within yourself,” said Williams on the Week of Enlightenment. ”I feel like you have to change yourself first before you can change anyone else and spread your word.”