You Love My Face On Your Website But Not My Voice In a Room.

Jackie Mitchell's opinion piece on dismantling DEI at Virginia Tech.

I chose Virginia Tech because they promised me a commitment to diversity, equity, and inclusion—a commitment to ensuring my voice was heard. Virginia Tech has always felt like home. The community, the love, and the support from one another—that Hokie Spirit—drew me here."

"But over these past few months, that spirit has shifted. Virginia Tech no longer feels like home. I’ve started to feel like an impostor in a place I once thought was safe. Today’s vote by the BOV made that painfully clear: who I am as a person does not matter. I am not seen as a student, a leader, or a human being—but as a product.

Being involved on campus, I understood I might appear in a few photos. But I never expected to be recognized on tours, flyers, emails, social media, or brochures. I have to ask—am I just promotional material? Is my image being used as a symbol of diversity while my voice is ignored? Does Virginia Tech want to showcase me but not protect me?

Virginia Tech, you owe it to your students to protect DEI on this campus. We are not products—we are people. We are the future. Do not bite the hand that pays tuition. Students, parents, faculty, and community members are hurting. This protest was not the end—it was the beginning.

Ut Prosim… Who will you serve, Virginia Tech? The ball is in your court.

Photos of the protest by Jackie Mitchell, March 25th, 2025: https://drive.google.com/drive/folders/1lK6GM62TCNgLEVNcXB0ErBvWPSzhq-Vu?usp=sharing