What if I say something about Justice For Janitors?

You can.

Yeah. I just want to tell other students to get involved because I’ve been getting some emails... it seems like they’re really close to gettingsomething accomplished. What I hear is that all they basically need is for Bennet to put in a push, and I think Initial will take initiative to accept the contract... I don’t know if you want to put this in the WesCeleb.

Oh, it’s okay. My last interview had someone talking about it too. I don’t know why...

Oh really? I feel like it’s an issue that’s spreading and I feel like it could be fully resolved and it could benefit a lot of people, but basically there’s no leadership on the part of the leader to make it happen. There’s a lot of initiative from students, faculty, outside faculty, and [Bennet’s] just sitting on his hands.

Then he’s complaining that he has no hands.

Yeah, I think he doesn’t know how much power he has or what he can do with it. 

What else are you interested in?

Well, recently I got a computer so I’ve been downloading music like crazy.

MP3’s?

Yes MP3’s!! Usually I download stuff with, like, really fast beats. So when I’m print-making I can pretend I’m getting work done. Usually techno and trance.

Does that fit under Korean pop music?

No, of course not! You mean the stuff I play on my radio show? 

Yeah.

Well, three weeks ago, I was playing a lot of old Korean stuff from my parents’ collection. Like Korean disco... Korean funk music. I don’t know if you can categorize it, but... Old Korean has a good beat. Nowadays you have to find more modern stuff. It’s hard to find Korean music to download.

When did you move to the U.S.?

I came to the States in ’84 from Korea. I was born in Holland... Rotterdam.

Heh heh. Who knew?

I was only there for six months, and then my family went to Korea. And after six years came to America. 

Do you find that it influences your view of things?

It should. But I don’t think my Korean heritage is what makes me see the world differently.

What does make you see the world differently?

The faculty at Wesleyan is so incredible. (Laughter) It really changed me. And the students! So fabulous!

Not all of them build their own bed out of wood planks.

Oh yeah, I built my own bed. But a lot of students build their own beds... As you can see, I have music playing 24 hours a day. I guess I like music a lot. I like to dance. I wish Wesleyan would sometimes own one big club...

That it would be one big club.

No, not that! It brings out the true superficial side of people... 

Do you think the school is segregated?

Yeah. I think the white students have to learn to live with other people (laughter). And I think people of all races say it’s segregated and all people say it’s not segregated. Maybe what we really have to think about is not dumb issues like that. People think it’s serious, but I think there’s more serious shit that goes on. People just don’t realize.

Like what? 

Justice for janitors! Concrete issues, like, you know, if pornography... I guess everyone knows.

But segregation is not as important as other stuff?

Oh no, I don’t think... People call it segregation and I think that’s such the wrong word for it. It’s like, people live together. They choose to live together... People say you have segregation, but it’s on a superficial level. Tables at Mocon. And I just roll my eyes and say, "It’s consent. It’s not active choice, necessarily."

Yeah.

It’s such a frustrating issue. Recently there’s been a lot of criticism of diversity workshops and how it doesn’t get anywhere. There’s a lot of gaps, thinking complexly about issues like race and even gender. Like someone said, "We practice a script of talking about it and never do anything about it."

I think people here don’t want to be this way. 

I don’t agree with you exactly. I think it’s nice to trust in your community, but... People bring a lot of baggage with them. I think there’s a lot of belligerence. People are really belligerent here... This is getting so serious.

A very serious interview. Okay, what’s something really silly that you’ve done?

Played Korean children’s music on the radio. I guess I’m not a very silly guy. Even though I’m silly a lot. There’s just issues that I care about.

Any plans?

For after college? This second semester senior year has been really good. This is probably my best semester at Wesleyan. I have regrets about all my past semesters, about not being productive.

It takes four years to figure it out.

Some people never do. Oh, one thing I definitely have to say–I’m part of, somewhat indirectly, helping with the Ethnic Studies committee search. And I think that’s what definitely helped me not be a cynic second semester. Because you’re reading all these candidates who will teach at Wesleyan and they’re so dynamic, so talented, that you can’t help feeling positive for the university. Even if the students are getting more conservative... You don’t want to be at a school where everyone thinks the same. And if you institutionalize it by bringing in professors, you bring a lot more complexity to the dialogue on race.