Choosing a club – or choosing not to choose one – is a decision that all University students face. Regardless of race, that difficult choice impacts the social fabric of students' lives for the rest of their Princeton years.
Many black and Hispanic students, however, said their ethnic and racial identities shape their choices every step of the way.
Whether the issue is drinking, musical tastes or financial aid, many said the way they perceive the 'Street' is inseparable from their cultural background.
The experiences of blacks and Hispanics who choose to go through sign-ins and Bicker are varied. While some said they feel more integrated into the 'Street' scene, others said being club members has not improved their perceptions of the 'Street.'
Drinking habits
Many students, club members and independents alike, said the type of drinking at the 'Street' contributes to alienating some blacks and Hispanics. Students also noted that cultural differences over alcohol use significantly affect the nature of many minority students' experiences.
"Where I come from, sitting around drinking beer is not the idea of a good time," said Ivy Club member Atu Darko '99, who is also vice-president of the African students organization, Akwaaba, and a member of the Third World Center Governance Board.
Like Darko, other students frequently mentioned that the pervasiveness of large amounts of drinking helps to contribute to minorities viewing the 'Street' as a less viable social option.
"The 'Street' experience is not my experience," former TWC Chair Kevin Hudson '98 said. "I don't understand drinking for the sake of drinking. It seems as if the end of a night at the Street is being drunk," he said.
Quadrangle Club member Aaron Cezar '99 and co-artistic director of the Black Arts Company said that much of the problem is "alcohol. . . because a lot of minorities I know do not drink beer."
Drinking at the 'Street' has an alienating effect on some Hispanics as well, said Colonial Club member Carlos Bermudez '98, who is president of the Chicano Caucus.
Bermudez said he goes to the 'Street' "more than most minorities." However, he said when he attends club functions, his activity is not the same as most students: He does not drink with the intent of getting drunk.
"Many Chicanos don't like going out to get drunk. There may not be less drinking, but we do it in our rooms," he said.
Bermudez explained that drinking for many Hispanics is acceptable only as a byproduct of dancing or socializing, not as an event by itself.
Musical chairs
According to several students, the types of music at the clubs may also keep some minorities away from certain clubs or attract them to others.
"A party for a lot of people of color is music. . . If a club has certain types of music, it is definitely perceived as more welcoming," said Hudson. "We want to go out there and have fun, but if the music out there isn't the music you like to listen to, it's not fun."
"The way I have fun is not the 'Street,' " Minority Affairs Adviser Maya Yiadom '99 said. "I guess a lot of the music is not the type of music I would normally listen to."
Campus Club member Erica David '99 said even when a club hosts a DJ, the type of music played still does not appeal to black and Hispanic students.
Course of events
Besides the music, some minorities said the activities designed by the clubs often simply do not interest them.
Cezar said he feels a high level of comfort at Quad, characterizing it as a "really friendly" place.
However, he said part of the reason he feels so comfortable is because he goes to all Quad events, not just the ones oriented toward minorities. "A lot of minorities will just go to the minority-geared events," he added.
"The events hosted by the club definitely reflect its diversity," Cezar said. He said he feels the fact that there are a lot of minorities in the club affects his comfort level. "A lot of the events the clubs have are not geared towards minorities. . . how many African-Americans are really going to be interested in Scottish night?" Cezar asked.
Chris Poindexter '99, an alternate MAA, said his comfort level at clubs has more to do with how many people he knows than the atmosphere. As a result, he said his 'Street' activity has increased since his freshman year.
Poindexter also said he feels very comfortable at Quad. "The president has come to me and said he would support any type of event I would wish to host" for the minority community in Quad, he said.
Poindexter noted that a significant numbers of minorities belong to Quad and attend parties at the club because of the types of music played there.
He said the officers cooperated in designing events that would appeal to minorities by playing hip-hop music at certain events and hosting salsa parties. As a result, Poindexter said more minority students felt comfortable at Quad. This comfort level has allowed more minorities to join Quad, he said, speculating that Quad is the most racially diverse club on the 'Street.'
Financial dilemma
Joining an eating club is an expensive option, and the cost may be an especially important factor to any student who are already wary of joining.
Former Campus Club President Kris Smith '98 said that there have been discussions of the low minority participation in clubs among the members of the ICC.
"A big part of the problem is perceived to be financial," he said. According to the "Sophomore Choice Book," the least expensive club is Terrace, at $4,675, while the most expensive is Ivy, at $5,470. The University will not foot the bill for anything over the amount of a Dining Services contract, or $3,528 for a 20-meal plan. Students on financial aid who join clubs have to find other sources for the remainder of the club fee.
According to ICC and Charter Club president Jim White '98, the University can provide loans to meet the difference. In addition, several clubs have a handful of scholarships for members who have difficulties paying club dues.
However, aside from being able to afford membership, many students, especially those who do not attend social events regularly, said they do not find it worth the cost. Cezar said many of his minority friends do not join clubs because "they don't think it is worth the money," particularly if they do not end up participating in the club's social scene.
Both independents and club members said they feel that the financial aspect is a major factor prompting minorities to look at options other than eating clubs.
"I think cost is a factor," Hudson said. "$5,000 is a lot of money."
Club perceptions
Many minority students said they are unsure of the benefits of joining a club, whatever the cost. However, several said their experiences have for the most part been positive.
Ballet Folklorico Director and Colonial Club member Jessica Vasquez '98 said she agrees. "I have pretty much been (more) appreciative of the 'Street' while becoming more aware of its negative aspects."
The 'Street' is "white, male, middle-class," said Darko. However, those characteristics do not turn him away. "I can deal," he said.
"I am totally comfortable and integrated, but I still think about the larger minority population at Princeton," Darko said.
David, who described herself as feeling "isolated" in the past, said she has made a lot of friends as a member of Campus.
"I was a lot more concerned with the racial issue last year when I was choosing clubs than now, when I feel it is not so much an issue," she said.
"I feel outnumbered, not unwelcome, and that's different," she explained.
Perceptions from outside
The black and Latino students who said they are turned off by the 'Street' have their own experiences to relate. Minorities in the clubs said they often hear strong opinions from their friends who take issue with the 'Street.'
Darko said he found that most of his minority friends view the 'Street' as the "establishment" and do not feel comfortable there.
"I bring a lot of my minority friends to Ivy and most of the time they don't want to come back," he said. "They just feel they don't fit in." That "came as a surprise to me because I am an idealist," he added.
Darko attributed the negative feelings of his minority friends to the way Ivy members dress, the music played at the club and the different way of having fun that pervades the club scene in general.
That feeling of alienation can extend to the entire 'Street,'as minorities often "feel excluded from the whole thing. They do not see distinctions between the clubs at all," Darko said.
"I haven't caught any flak personally for being in a club, but I have gotten questions based more on curiosity and people are just like, 'Why?' " Yiadom said. "The 'Street' is definitely perceived as monolithic to some extent."
Yiadom added that some minorities think that "the 'Street' is evil, (that) being part of the 'Street' is selling out. . . there are definitely these perceptions."
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