"We're a Culture, Not a Costume"

Ohio University's Stars, a student organization dedicated to raising awareness about racism and social justice, has a new campaign called "We're a culture, not a costume. "

I've been seeing their posters pop up on my Tumblr the past few weeks, and thought it deserved a post of its own. They'll be passed around Ohio's Athens campus and other schools are taking notice.

Colorlines  has written a pretty meaty post of its own about the campaign, and why it's not okay to dress up as a geisha or gangster:

Controversy surrounding racially offensive Halloween costumes and theme parties have become a routine part of the holiday on college campuses. Last fall, one Northwestern University dean went so far as to send an advance email to the whole student body, urging them to think carefully before getting decked out. "Halloween is unfortunately a time when the normal thoughtfulness and sensitivity of most NU students can be forgotten and some poor decisions are made," wrote Burgwell Howard. In 2009, Northwestern had drawn unwanted national attention when party pics of two varsity athletes dressed in graphic black face made social media rounds.