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An African-American female student at Washington D.C.’s American University claims that two white male students came into her dorm room and pelted her with rotten bananas.

According to the Washington Post, Black students say this incident, which happened at 1:30 a.m. on Sept. 8, was just one in a series of racial incidents on campus.

Neah Gray, a freshman who lives on that same dorm floor as the victim, told the newspaper that a banana was left outside her door and penises were drawn all over her whiteboard.

“I wouldn’t let people drive me out, but it’s kind of sad that this kind of thing still happens,” Gray said.

The Black Student Alliance recently spoke out about the ongoing problems that AU students of color face including the n-word being wrote on students’ doors and being told to “go back to Africa.” In a statement, they wrote that they want for the school to do more to support vulnerable students on campus.

The feeling that black students carry of being unrepresented, unprotected and unappreciated can no longer be the status quo.The American University administration and students need to step up to the cause. The cause of insuring that racially charged acts of hate like these will no longer be handled with impunity. Then, and only then, will American University be able to say this educational institution prides itself on “Diversity and Inclusion.”

Devontae Torriente, the AU student body president who is also Black, told Buzzeed News the culture on campus isn’t always conducive for students of color, especially in the dorms.

It is completely unacceptable what happened,” Torriente said. “We have black freshman girls, and their introduction to the university is this incident that is so traumatizing.”

People tend to be shocked that these things can happen at a school that’s known to be progressive and liberal and whatnot, but this has to be considered in a larger context. These issues can’t be relegated to one side of the political spectrum. It’s important to recognize that even in these liberal bubbles, these things can still happen,” he added.

Amis the media coverage and protests, on Friday the university released a statement saying they have launched an investigation into the students responsible and have a “President’s Council on Diversity and Inclusion that plans to meet for the first time soon.”

The university hosted a town hall on Friday for students to express their anger about the racial climate, however the Black Student Union plans on leading a protest on Monday.
It’s sad that in 2016, this is the type of treatment that Black students have to endure for having the audacity to attain a higher education.
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Black Woman Pelted With Rotten Bananas On Campus By White Male Students  was originally published on hellobeautiful.com