The Residence Hall Association held its sixth annual Remove the Blindfold exhibit in the Alumni Memorial Union ballrooms Thursday from 3 to 7 p.m., an event raising awareness on important social issues and encouraging activism in the community.

The exhibit displayed information in various creative ways designed by student organizations and several residence hall representatives.

Zach Bowman, McCormick Hall representative and freshman in the College of Arts and Sciences, said he thinks the exhibit brings light to issues that may otherwise go unnoticed at Marquette.

“Remove the Blindfold is the most effective way of presenting social issues and inspiring people to take action,” he said. “I think a lot of the things displayed here are things we are aware of subconsciously, and other displays are about things we probably would never think of.”

A display created by fraternity Sigma Phi Epsilon regarding sexual assault against men caught the eyes of several students.

“There is a lot of attention on sexual assault against women, and, while I think that is important, it’s interesting to hear the other side that does not get as much attention,” said Clair Wild Crea, a junior in the College of Arts and Sciences.

Wild Crea found the food desert display the most compelling. A food desert is any area in the industrialized world where healthful and affordable food is difficult to obtain. The display identified Milwaukee as one of the nation’s major food deserts.

“The fact that I have to travel 20 minutes by bus to get to a grocery store is absurd,” Wild Crea said. “Healthy food is not easily accessible and I can’t imagine how it affects all the families in Milwaukee.”

Several pieces in the exhibit were interactive, which encouraged students to take part in the learning experience.

One exhibit asked participants to identify the homosexual person on the board. It was not until freshman in the College of Arts & Sciences Samantha Thomas opened the display board that the words “Does it really matter” gave her the answer.

“The display on homosexuality was more interactive than just reading facts, which was interesting,” Thomas said. “It made you really stop and think.”

The turnout for the Feb. 9 event was small, with 81 students attending the exhibit and even fewer participating in the interactive activities provided.

“I think if you’re not interested or determined to come, this event alone won’t do much to mobilize the Marquette community, but if you are interested in making a difference, it’s very fun,” Thomas said.

Wild Crea believes this event is only the beginning of a bigger movement.

“I think Remove the Blindfold is a great start to getting the Marquette community aware. It is so easy to get caught into the Marquette bubble and only think about what we think directly affects us,” Wild Crea said. “The issues are so much bigger than that.”

By Monique Collins

Special to the Tribune