The Diversity Book Club met Tuesday in the Diversity Lounge in the Memorial Union to discuss “The Hate U Give” by Angie Thomas. This was the last meeting for the book.

   The next book will be “Hidden Figures” by Winifred Conkling. Anyone can pick up a copy of the book starting today in the Center for Student Involvement lounge.

   The first book club meeting for “Hidden Figures” will be March 5.

   “It (“The Hate U Give”) was more about making me understand the emotion that was behind (diversity, equity, inclusion and privilege),” said Jalee Ortman, freshman elementary education major. “The root is our emotion and how we feel and how we process those things, so making sure we understood that helped branch out into all the other different topics that go along with it.”

   During the meeting, attendees talked about the character development, scenes from the book, and the deaths of real people from police brutality.

   Carissa Ford, forensic science graduate student, brought up a scene in the book wherein the main character’s white boyfriend was asked to measure “how black” he was based on the food he eats.

   “Being able to read Starr’s story really just helps you expand on the emotions that are behind other people who are experiencing oppression,” said Madison Orrange, senior accounting major.

   On the second to the last page of “The Hate U Give,” there were names like Philando Castile, Emmett Til, Aiyana Jane, Eric Garner, Sandra Bland, of black Americans who were killed by police.

  “It’s a privilege to be able to use your voice,” Ford said.