Trigger warning: These are stories shared by BIPOC individuals and their allies regarding their time at Antioch University. Many of the stories include racial prejudice and trauma. CEDI collected these stories using an anonymous form. We support individuals who choose to share and we support those who choose not to share. Sharing can be empowering and healing, but can also cause retraumatization. CEDI thanks you for your courage and care when considering what choice feels the most nourishing and in alignment for you.

“On the second day of my group therapy residency, a leader in our department made a statement to the group residency cohort about students who had been wearing and disseminating pins calling for Palestinian liberation, specifically with the phrase "From the river to the sea, Palestine will be free." In the announcement, she stated that the phrase was a call for violence and had made other students feel unsafe. She asked everyone to take off the pins for the remainder of residency. I was the one who made the pins, and while I was willing to take off the pins while in mock-therapy sessions, in more general spaces, I would not compromise on a statement that does not call for violence but rather for Palestinian liberation in the face of occupation and genocide. After the professor’s public condemnation, we spoke one-on-one for hours while morning small groups met. Throughout the conversation, I was framed as an aggressor who was making other students feel unsafe by wearing a pin. She referred to me “forcing her hand” and repeatedly asked me what my motives for coming to residency with this “agenda” was. I sat in limbo for the rest of the day, while the administration decided whether it would be safe for me to continue eating lunch and attending morning orientation with my dangerous pins. Although I was eventually allowed to stay at residency, the schedule was changed so drastically that by Thursday, all of our meals took place inside Towers Hall, where the pin had been banned. No thought was given to my safety or the safety of any students wearing the pins, the majority of whom were students of color. I was not spoken to before this public announcement was made. I had to sit, alone, sobbing, and be asked over and over by the leaders of my program to justify how my small resistance to a genocide made other students feel. I had to go into group skills practice knowing I might not be able to continue with residency and pretend everything was fine. Every other student at residency was also left without resolution of the day's events, and no explanation moving forward.”

-Antioch University, Clinical Mental Health Counseling Masters Student, 2024

“As a BIPOC person, there is a general awareness or instinct that spaces are not automatically made for you as reflected in the language or the people in the space. I am very used to changing the way to speak to be more accent-less, less colloquial, and references to my culture removed. Generally, those have been defensive measures against overt racism. What I experience at Antioch is more covert and I am hesitant to call it racism where people can see it, but my experience is centered around being othered, just to name a couple: as a special topic within the classroom (reflective of a model that emphasizes cultural competency); and as an Asian person whose experience is held secondary in discussions about race. From my perspective, being othered likely results from taking a colorblind perspective that sets out to promote diversity - which feels like throwing a blanket over differences so that we can just talk about them without actually having to look at them. Overall, it has felt like constantly feeling like I need to prove I belong there and prove that others like me belong there. I remember many times feeling like others had the language and the map to find opportunities, but not feeling safe enough to name that I felt like that because of my BIPOC identity because someone was more likely to respond that I'm so strong which feels more backhanded than supportive. This has also led to leaving other identities out of larger spaces I was in in order to protect them.”

-Antioch University, Clinical Psychology PsyD Student, New England, 2021-ongoing

“Since arriving to Antioch, I’ve wondered if I only got into this program because of my racial minority identity. I struggled with this for a long time and was even told once by a colleague that ‘Antioch has a diversity quota to reach, so of course they’ll let most any minority in.’ It was disempowering and perpetuated this looming idea that I didn’t belong at such a campus.

Since then, I’ve discussed it with trusted professors and have worked through some of those fears. However, it was scary to think that I moved across the country to attend an institution that didn’t actually value me or recognize my talents, and only needed people like me for their own agenda.”

-Antioch University, Clinical Psychology PsyD Student, New England, 2023

“Numerous times I have been asked to do free work at the hands of an oppressor. From teaching others about anti-racism, women, or lgbtqi+ rights to other program needs----where as we are told to do it for the good of the university or once the program launches we will be paid only to see no payment. The system does not value adjuncts/part time faculty and tries to shortcut anyways they can in which they can pay them less. Luckily the union has implemented some standards of equitable pay and fairness. Unfortunately, the reality is that most adjunct and part time faculty are marginalized populations.”

-Antioch University, Employee, 2015-2023

“Last year I attended an Antioch graduation ceremony in Santa Barbara and there was no acknowledgment to the Chumash people and land on behalf of the University, which felt extremely disrespectful to our history, to the continued work of decolonization, to the ancestors, to the land, and to Indigenous community members. Also, on stage, the distinguished faculty appeared all white presenting except for two members. Land acknowledgments can be extremely performative, and I am not suggesting that Antioch become more performative. Rather, I suggest they do the work to become who they say they are, which would include offering sincere land acknowledgments supported by ongoing action. 

-Antioch University, Student, 2021-2023

“I appreciate the efforts of those who are bringing attention to the systemic issues within Antioch University and would like to contribute to the dialogue by highlighting an area of concern that, while not directly addressing racism, does touch on the broader theme of equity and justice within the institution.

It has come to my attention that mandatory arbitration clauses have historically been used in various organizations to manage disputes internally, including matters that fall under Title VII of the Civil Rights Act. This practice can potentially shield organizations from public scrutiny and accountability, particularly in cases involving allegations of sexual harassment and assault. With the enactment of HR 4445, which nullifies mandatory arbitration agreements for sexual assault and harassment claims, there is a new pathway for those affected to seek justice and accountability in federal court. This development is significant as it offers a more transparent and equitable avenue for addressing grievances, including those related to gender stereotyping and tone policing, which can manifest as a form of sexual harassment.

Such behaviors can disproportionately impact women and people of color, reinforcing harmful stereotypes and undermining the dignity and respect that every individual deserves.

By discussing these issues openly, we can shed light on the need for more accountable leadership and institutional practices that truly reflect the values of equity, diversity, and inclusion. It's imperative that all members of the Antioch University community, including those in leadership positions, are held to the highest standards of conduct to foster an environment where every individual is treated with respect and dignity.”

-Antioch University, Employee, 2024

“One of the few spaces at Antioch where we have the opportunity of engaging in brave conversations about race and other important anti-oppression topics is "Messy Conversations,” a weekly workshop and lecture space online across campuses. While I was attending a Messy Conversation one of the white Professors running the Messy Conversation that day was sharing about his experience during the Black Lives Matter protests after the murder of George Floyd. He said that, as a professor, it was hard for him to teach with “all that racket going on outside.”

As a racial justice activist and a member of the Black Lives Matter community, I was horrified that a professor who is a prominent figure and leader for conversations about race and oppression at Antioch (Messy Conversations) would say something like this. To me, this seemed to criticize the way students and community members were protesting, which feels to me like tone policing. There were dozens of people attending that event and no one spoke out against what he had said about “all that racket.” I was one of them. I deeply regret not speaking up and know that white silence is a huge part of the problem. There have been other Messy Conversations in which faculty members have criticized students’ activism and demands for change. It is unfortunate that even in spaces like Messy Conversations that seeem to promise affirming growth promoting anti-oppression conversations, it sometimes feels like the white fragility and colonial ways of engaging are upheld and promoted, aka “niceness and professionalism.” This just shows that even people who are engaged in creating more inclusive spaces at Antioch have work to do to be more inclusive and educated surrounding different forms of protest. It seemed like, at times, even that space was/is protecting the harmful status quo. If Antioch aligns further, systemically, with their social justice and anti-racism mission, I have no doubt that it will have impacts on all Antioch community members and improve spaces like Messy Conversations.

-Antioch University, Student, 2023

“I was delighted to see Antioch’s mission statement when I applied. It deeply resonated with me because I was eager to further grow as a white person committed to anti-racism and grow in a university that seemed to promise a social justice education with an intersectional decolonizing lens. I expected Antioch to be a place where I would be in a classroom where we would learn to have brave conversations surrounding racial and social justice and not just sit in the comfort of the white cisgender heteronormative ableist dominant culture and white supremacy. And then, I quickly learned that the textbooks and curriculums did not seem to be picked out with the intention of living up to that mission statement. Further, fellow peers as well as most teachers did not seem comfortable to go into conversations that would push for more accountability and responsibility for people to do bias/dismantling/decolonizing work (beyond one multiculturalism class). Unfortunately, throughout my program, I often felt like others perceived me as radical for wanting to have a more anti-racist decolonized liberation education. In addition, being a white queer student, I have often not felt represented, seen, or affirmed in my lived experience. If I feel uncomfortable with my own identity at Antioch, I can only imagine what other Antioch community members with more intersecting systemically harmed, exploited, and excluded identities must feel like. This is unacceptable. Antioch, you have work to do yesterday.”

-Antioch University, MACP Graduate Student, Los Angeles and Santa Barbara, 2022-2025

“I joined CEDI because I felt Antioch was not walking it’s walk in fulfilling an education around social justice. I feel I am not fulfilling my learning about how power moves our society, how to build communal power, and address systemic trauma. I have not felt a critical lens towards social and racial justice incorporated into the curriculum. I feel white supremacy (that continues to embed itself into clinical psychology and Antioch as an institution) has gone under addressed. Decolonizing and liberation has not been a focus in any of my classes and, therefore, tools for freedom are not provided to us and subsequently our future clients. As a person with a disability, I have felt Antioch has not created a curriculum that incorporates disability justice and created an inclusive learning environment. Often times clinical psychology has been used as a tool for the incarcerating of people with disabilities and there is no conversation how we become therapists invested in decarcerating disability and creating an inclusive and equitable environment.”

-Antioch University, MACP Graduate Student, Santa Barbara, 2023-2025

“As a student at Antioch University, I have seen that my program and its curriculum need updating, and its professors need more training, in order to provide a truly anti-racist, inclusive education and relational culture to their students. I have also seen racist actions on the parts of professors—in classrooms and via the curriculums—and heard about many more from BIPOC and other individuals at the university. I believe that systemic actions are needed at every level of the University in order to achieve necessary and enduring changes and for Antioch to authentically embody its anti-racist legacy in today’s world.”

-Antioch University, MACP Graduate Student, Santa Barbara, 2022-2024

“I did my undergrad at Antioch, SB and am currently in the MACP program. I chose Antioch as a university specifically because of the social justice focus and community action element, which I felt much more in my undergrad program. One of my most profound anti-racism courses was in undergrad at the beginning of the pandemic 2020, called Race, Class, Sex, and Gender. I went on to do an independent study in anti-racism with Cheri Gurse as my teacher and mentor. The more I learned the more I knew I didn't know and this is lifetime work. Antioch can definitely do better, as they market themselves as a social justice institution. I know I can do better. If we, the students, are committed to this work, they, the administration and institution, should also be committed to the work, not just the eloquent writing.”

-Antioch University, Undergraduate and MACP Graduate Student, Santa Barbara, 2018-2023

“There is a palpable tension between me, an outspoken racial justice activist, and many of my white professors and administrators at Antioch. I have had interactions that have had me calling the crisis line after school for support. I have lost sleep, struggled with anxiety, and wanted to bury my head in the sand many, many times. I should feel supported and valued for my racial activist work, not vilified, shunned, and targeted.”

-Antioch University, MACP Graduate Student, Santa Barbara, 2021-2023

“As first gen I don't have anyone in to go to for support when it comes to my courses that are not taught by Latinx professors. The instructors are mostly non-Latinx who cannot relate with students like me, but are also able to be strong advocates for me. I have had only ONE non-Latinx instructor (Professor Max Rorty) who seems to get it. In our Family Systems class, she was very outspoken about white privilege in the education system. It was a constant discussion- every opportunity that she had, she brought it up and I really believe that it made an impact with our white classmates, in a positive way. She had a very direct but candid and respectful way of educating others.. all of us. As a Latina, I had never felt so so understood, genuinely accepted, and supported by a white person... anywhere, ever. I had never felt so safe with a white woman, the way that I did with her in that class. It made me realize how much I've needed that and how important it is for Antioch to have more people like her teaching in our classrooms but also at the top. I am soo grateful my Latinx instructors. I know they understand me. But we also need strong white advocates. I had always thought I was "happy enough" at Antioch, but after this class, I realized how important it is for the school that takes pride in being about social justice, equity and diversity to make it a requirement and a priority to demand the same from the rest of the white staff. This proved that it can be done and that it can be effective.. and why isn't it already like that?”

-Antioch University, MACP Graduate Student, Santa Barbara, 2023

“Some professors and administrators are trying to have hard and messy conversations regarding marginalization with students and staff, but they are opening up wounds and trauma without fully honoring what is being brought forward. By and large, they are also not facilitating reparative discussions and spaces that hold and heal and support marginalized individuals. How do we go on with our day after this trauma is brought up and forth? Please consider the impacts you are having on marginalized individuals in the room.”

-Antioch University, MACP Graduate Student, Santa Barbara, 2021-2023

“Why are there so few scholarships for marginalized students at Antioch? The university (barely) admits us, and then does so little to ensure our financial well-being as we attend the university. Financial stress is the #1 stress for me as a marginalized student, and it certainly impacts my ability to perform. Some of my BIPOC classmates work full time, on top of internship, on top of being a full-time graduate student and a parent. Some BIPOC students also take care of elderly parents and disabled siblings. Antioch has an endowment. Why doesn’t Antioch do what needs to be done to allocate funds to marginalized students so that they feel supported throughout their education? Admitting us is not enough. You need to create a structure for us to feel supported financially (and otherwise) throughout our educational journey.”

-Antioch University, MACP Graduate Student, Santa Barbara, 2021-2023

“Why are there so few BIPOC students in my classes? Why are there so few BIPOC professors teaching my classes? There is only one Black student in my entire cohort. There is only one Indian student in my entire cohort. There is only one Indigenous student in my entire cohort. What is happening? I thought Antioch was an Anti-racist University?”

-Antioch University, MACP Graduate Student, Santa Barbara, 2021-2023

“I am a white presenting student at Antioch, although I am European and West African. I graduated Antioch more than 6 months ago. I have seen how BIPOC students who went to Antioch are still feeling traumatized and wounded by the time they spent there. They have shared with me that they feel that they were not only swindled out of the anti-racist social justice oriented education they were promised, but they are personally traumatized by their experience in classrooms and with administration, in which they felt/were invisible, misunderstood, devalued, problematized, and harmed. Some of them now seem reticent to engage with anything Antioch related. As an advocate and an ally, I find this tragic and disturbing. Antioch needs a massive spiritual overhaul. It needs to center itself in its purported values, from the ground up, with the guidance and support of educated and passionate leadership who talks the talks and walks the walk.”

-Antioch University, Student, 2021-2023

“I remember my first introductory course to the legacy of psychology at Antioch. All of the individuals we read about, except for maybe one or two, were white male cis-gendered able-bodied heterosexual people. And! almost all of them came from the West. Why was our history course so narrow, shallow, and white male centered? What about global modalities in mental health? Why was there not one class in the entire program that spoke to global methodologies and rituals in mental health? A few weeks into the course, I shared this with my professor in class, I shared my grief and disappointment surrounding this reality, and he (a white male) did nothing to alter the curriculum or the lessons. What kind of a message does this send to students? To BIPOC students? To queer students? To female, trans, and non-binary students? To disabled students? To intersectionally marginalized students?”

-Antioch University, MACP Graduate Student, Santa Barbara, 2021-2023

“In a group therapy class in my fourth quarter at Antioch, I asked the (white) professor if we could discuss how race might be playing a role in group therapy interactions and if, as therapists, we should address this with clients. The professor told me, and our class, that this would be overstepping, and then shut the conversation down. This really confused me because I thought group therapy was a space in which people could discuss the dynamics between them in order to gain insight, understanding, compassion, and connection with one another, and also gain knowledge regarding how they are impacting others. Why was every other facet of being on the table to discuss for these purposes, but not race?”

-Antioch University, MACP Graduate Student, Santa Barbara, 2021-2023

"While serving as Editor-In-Cheif of the AUSB undergrad publication, The Odyssey, a piece I approved by a Latinx Student was refused publication in its original format of Spanish because it ‘did not cater to Antioch's readership.’ The piece was only approved after a translation was added.”

-Antioch University, Undergraduate Psychology Program, Santa Barbara, 2016-2020

"When addressing privilege gaps for BIPOC clinicians and clients and lack of representation of these communities in research for so-called ‘evidence-based’ therapies and assessments and inquiring of any resources or initiatives that could support BIPOC clients and clinicians, a professor refused to discuss the issue and advised I do my own research.”

-Antioch University, MACP Graduate Student, Santa Barbara, 2021-2023

“There have been many instances of BIPOC/Ally harm reported to the University, and the same individuals perpetrating these ongoing harms are still holding their positions.”

-Antioch University, MACP Graduate Student, Santa Barbara, 2021-2023

“When addressing lack of multicultural application of class topics I was assigned extra work as was a Latinx student who spoke up to support me and our presentations were the full extent of multicultural coverage for that class in that quarter.”

-Antioch University, MACP Graduate Student, Santa Barbara, 2021-2023

“I was openly assaulted in Multicultural competency class at AUSB undergrad psychology program for suggesting Racial inequality be discussed in addition to LGBTQIA + topics.”

-Antioch University, Undergraduate Psychology Program, Santa Barbara, 2016-2020

“When bringing up multicultural aspects in class I was told it was unnecessary to discuss as I will have a separate class dedicated for it.”

-Antioch University, MACP Graduate Student, Santa Barbara, 2020-2022

“When bringing up concerns of race we were told that we were not acting therapeutically as we did not take others feelings into consideration.”

-Antioch University, MACP Graduate Student, Santa Barbara, 2020-2022

“I was told that there were not enough qualified Latino Professors in California for our program” (Latin X concentration student).

-Antioch University, MACP Graduate Student, Santa Barbara, 2020-2022

“Very few professors touch on any multicultural issues, and simply mark everyone as proficient on multicultural awareness in evaluations as an after thought.”

-Antioch University, MACP Graduate Student, Santa Barbara, 2021-2023

“Like many, I enthusiastically chose to apply to Antioch based on their mission statement and history of social justice actions. Unfortunately, I felt my voice as an ally was quickly stifled in the classroom. I would be shut down often when speaking to oppression and/or antiracist action. I felt shut out by my classmates for bringing up topics of systemic racism and felt that I had to keep my head down and tone police myself in order to fit in. I allowed myself to be silenced many times, although I often probed for discussions after disturbing and racist articles were shared, and often found no one was willing to engage in these discussions, and some professors appeared completely non-phased or clueless. I have been inspired by fellow students who take it upon themselves to bring these important conversations to the classroom and this has allowed me to recommit myself to social justice work. Sadly, this means that my fellow students are boldly teaching the class more than most professors, at much risk to themselves. I have noticed that when conversations do take place, professors and students often state that "talking and listening is so important," but almost never commit themselves to action or highlight ways in which we can all use our voice and privilege to get involved. I believe this is a very important step that is missing, as we cannot settle for simply acknowledging that oppression exists without making a commitment to action. I believe that many in my cohort have the power to be great leaders, healers, and activists, but this potential will go to waste if Antioch does not take swift action to end the oppression that exists within its walls and educate and support its students, faculty, and staff. It's heartbreaking to know that Antioch's mission statement is purely performative, and that its dedicated students and faculty are continually harmed.”

-Antioch University, MACP Graduate Student, Santa Barbara, 2021-2023

“My very first quarter here this year (2023), I took a writing in psychology course. I had a white professor who seemed to have an awareness of the emotional labor done by poc folk for majority white spaces at Antioch and even mentioned something to this affect in the syllabus. This impressed me and made me feel somewhat seen, but it also gave me false hope in terms of how deep this awareness went. One of the first assignments we were given was to read and respond to a peer-reviewed journal article titled: Creating an Antiracist Psychology by Addressing Professional Complicity in Psychological Assessment (by Byrd et al, 2021). It was a good read highlighting the need for culturally relevant assessment tools and to recommend removing the 'noose' as one of the images they use in psychological assessment tests. The article was written by people of color. I was one of two black students in the course and while the article is progressive and meant to serve a great end, there was no disclaimer, warning, acknowledgement about the power or impact of this imagery on students of color. I attempted to speak to this during the class discussion time, but the conversation fell flat and focused solely on APA style with regard to the article and our assignment. It's like don't just throw something out there to be all performative, not take any accountability or have even the basic awareness of that fact that this is highly triggering to your black students and then breeze past it like it was nothing. This was just one of many examples of a teacher who was repetitively performative in their understanding of antiracism, full of ego and not sufficient at facilitating even the most basic dialogue, not to mention any subject matter that holds tension. I had to brace myself before every class because that class was very triggering to me and required that I focus my precious energy on coping with an activated nervous system, rather than focus on learning.”

-Antioch University Student, Seattle, 2022-2023

“I am a BIPOC student who is visually identifiable as BIPOC. On multiple instances, professors AND administrators have called on me to have me speak on behalf of my "racial identity." I am not a public representative of any BIPOC group, and each time this happens, I have to inform them that I have a very specific cultural experience that cannot be representative of a group. This feels like basic cultural competence to me, and the number of times I have had to do this is extremely disappointing.”

-Antioch University, MACP Graduate Student, Santa Barbara, 2021-2023

“In Practicum one, my professor shared footage of a recent police attack on a Black man in class. The video was graphic and deeply disturbing. This professor clearly had no idea how inappropriate this was to share in class, and how harmful this was to students of color in particular. When a discussion about police brutality followed the video, the professor asked *a student* to explain to another student on how police brutality was connected to racism. The entire interaction was SO harmful. We need ongoing anti-racism training for Antioch professors NOW.”

-Antioch University, MACP Graduate Student, Santa Barbara, 2023

“An Antioch PsyD Student came to our class to share their research on psychedelic therapies. This PsyD scholar referred to the Indigenous use of psychedelics as "a psychedelic orgy." When I shared with the Professor that I found this to be culturally disrespectful and irreverent to BIPOC Communities who have been using plant medicine for centuries of healing (and also that I was concerned that an Antioch student would believe this and share this), the Professor did not respond for a month. When I followed up, she neither acknowledged or shared my concern.”

-Antioch University, MACP Graduate Student, Santa Barbara, 2023

“Our Student Council focuses heavily on Social Justice and Anti-Racism. A Professor, who was also our Faculty Liaison, commented in front of students about how they wished Student Council would just plan more parties.”

-Antioch University, MACP Graduate Student, Santa Barbara, 2022

“I attended an Antioch faculty meeting to discuss a lack of focus on anti-racism in the department. The head of the department replied that these things take time and we will not change overnight. My response to her was that her narrative seemed to focus on how long things take, rather than on what we can do now to change our systems now to be more anti-racist. I let her know that as a leader of the department, ger narrative and belief about what we can do impacts everyone. Then the assistance chair jumped in and told me that I was ‘making enemies’ by ‘calling people out rather than in.”

-Antioch University, MACP Graduate Student, Santa Barbara, 2022

"In one of my early quarters at Antioch, I was penalized on a class evaluation for identifying as a social justice therapist and speaking out against White Supremacy. This was viewed by the professor as unprofessional and putting my ‘personal politics’ on clients.”

-Antioch University, MACP Graduate Student, Santa Barbara, 2021

"I have personally witnessed many situations in which BIPOC Students and Racial Activists at Antioch deal with tone policing, tokenizing, cultural appropriating, gaslighting, minimizing, dismissing, stonewalling, extra labor, white fragility, white centering, and other methods of white dominance.”

-Antioch University, MACP Graduate Student, Santa Barbara, 2023

“Why doesn’t the Chancellor attend any of the Messy Conversations events? Why don’t I see him at any of the anti-racism support/affinity groups? This speaks volumes to me about his interest in being involved in the conversation at a community level.”

-Antioch University, MACP Graduate Student, Santa Barbara, 2023

“When confronting white administrators and professors regarding racially prejudiced learning content and processes, I have been shut down, ignored, and labeled a problem student.”

-Antioch University, MACP Graduate Student, Santa Barbara, 2022

"In response to telling our department administration that students want more BIPOC Faculty, I was told there weren't many because Santa Barbara is ‘not a very diverse place. They are not applying.’”

-Antioch University, MACP Graduate Student, Santa Barbara, 2022

"Many of my peers and I regularly teach administrators and professors Anti-racism basics. By attending an ‘Anti-Racist University’ I thought I would be taught how to deepen and broaden my perception of Anti-Racism and Social Justice, not be constantly attempting to educate the people I was paying to educate me on this.”

-Antioch University, MACP Graduate Student, Santa Barbara, 2022

“In one of my first few quarters at Antioch, I was in a class with a Black peer who had not done her homework, and a white Professor called on her to speak. When she shared that she had not completed it, he smiled and said, ‘3 lashes for you with a wet noodle.”

-Antioch University, MACP Graduate Student, Santa Barbara, 2021

“I emailed the Chancellor regarding the desperate need for anti-racism training at the University, and he never responded.”

-Antioch University, MACP Graduate Student, Santa Barbara, 2022

“I'm the person I am today largely in part thanks to the sacred plant medicines. I've sat in ceremony in Peru and in North America. My life is in service to the Sacred Nation in the hearts of all people, and to helping humanity evolve in a good way for future generations. The medicine helped me see so many things, and these experiences are with me every day. Our psychopharmacology class was extremely difficult for me. I want to show respect to the progress of this society and the people helped with prescription medicines. I came to Antioch to learn the good ways of this current society, having spent many years in more of a countercultural role. I want to help the most people I can and be accessible for all, using energy through the channels available. Antioch helps greatly with this. But I don't feel there is proper understanding of plant medicines in our curriculum. How much we could learn from Nature by listening, learning, yielding to the forces that thrive on this planet. Yet we destroy. We don't listen. Sometimes, it breaks my heart. I've seen seals washing up on our beaches in great numbers lately. I've seen my own family react to prescription medications, gaining 30-50 pounds, suffering from insomnia, experiencing psychosis. Some of the medicine ends up helping. I just feel it's time to consider the Earth. Many cultures have listened to the Earth for a long time. As part of our work to better ourselves and our society, and our school which I've loved... the sacred ways of the Earth must be given a better seat at the table. Even a few more words than the two paragraphs of our textbook would be a start. I have been very inspired by this group's (CEDI’s) efforts. I want to help make sure we have equity at this school and that all students feel seen, heard, and honored.”

-Antioch University, MACP Graduate Student, Santa Barbara 2021-2023

“As a first-gen student I reached out to the financial aid office for support in understanding the loan and scholarship process. I was told to "just google it."

-Antioch University, MACP Graduate Student, Santa Barbara 2020-2023

When going through a sudden death in the family and asking for support I was forwarded a link to take a leave of absence. I was very vulnerable and hurt as my email had asked for assistance in remaining on cohort and instead felt pressured to drop out. I am immunocompromised and I am one of 2 students in my cohort that continue to mask. I have been teased and had my mask grabbed at. I'm not sure how an institution that claims social justice has relaxed their covid protocol when it makes campus inaccessible to those of us with health concerns and disabilities. I had to join the online cohort as I was afraid for my health and have missed out on the opportunity to be in community with my peers on campus.

-Antioch University, MACP Graduate Student, Santa Barbara 2020-2023

In my first quarter of graduate school, I had a professor talk about being racist and fatphobic under the guise of being a "devil's advocate." What kind of cultural humility training do staff and admin get? It was cruel and triggering and they were never held accountable.

-Antioch University, MACP Graduate Student, Santa Barbara 2020-2023

Antioch has been proactive with my DSPS services. However I've had professors refuse my accommodations or ask why I need them and what my diagnosis is. I feel unsupported and unsafe in those classrooms.”

-Antioch University, MACP Graduate Student, Santa Barbara 2020-2023