To President Smith, Provost Wicentowski, the Dance Department, and the Campus Community,
As Swarthmore College students, we write to express our concern for the longevity and prioritization of African Diasporic dance at Swarthmore College and urge the school to make the dance department a safe and inclusive space for dancers and faculty. We believe that the decision to terminate Professor Jeannine Osayande’s contract, leaving the future of the African dance program uncertain, was racially motivated and is part of the ongoing colonial legacy of discarding Black and brown bodies when they no longer serve the institution. The termination of Professor Osayande’s contract has broader ramifications throughout the college community, especially in the context of the erasure of art forms, diversity, and voices of marginalized people in our current political climate.
This has been an ongoing issue, as Osayande first had her contract nonrenewed in 2015 due to institutional concerns within the dance department about redundancy with employing more than one professor involved with African Diaspora traditions. Following the 2015 contract nonrenewal, multiple African dance teachers left their positions at the institution, including Osayande, due to disrespectful treatment. These patterns regarding her position in the dance department lead us to question the safety of students and faculty, as well as the true intent behind her contract nonrenewal. It also speaks to Osayande’s character and commitment to the art form and her students that she has returned multiple times to serve the needs of students and create a community, connecting drummers and dancers. Community building such as this is ultimately the point of dance, especially in the African Diaspora. It is where the artistry comes from and is a vital skill to any career in dance and beyond.
The department’s decision affects students, professors, and community members alike who have found a safe, joyous, affirming, and empowering space in Osayande’s class. African dance is intimately connected to a relationship with the environment, dancing barefoot and grounded with awareness of space and the natural world. It creates and strengthens community. It teaches responsibility, reciprocity, and balance, helping dancers develop an embodied sense of their own values, intention, and authenticity.
Furthermore, Osayande’s termination specifically affects dance majors and minors because learning African Dance Traditions is essential for understanding the subject of dance as a whole. This is especially the case since, in the U.S., African dance is considered the mother of many dance forms, and its aesthetics have been incorporated into much of dance today. Such pedagogical influence makes it even more crucial as a course of study in the robust liberal arts education that Swarthmore strives to provide. Continuing to neglect this history and hybridity is doing a disservice to all dance students.
Additionally, hollowing out the academic side of African Diasporic Dance places a burden on student groups such as Rhythm n Motion. It forces them to carry a multitude of forms that are integral to the study of dance without the professor and foundational technique classes that help students maintain integrity to these forms. African dance has created opportunities on campus and in the local community for students to perform and give back to the community that supports them, such as EVS appreciation events involving the Swarthmore Borough community and community events such as soul line dancing.
By writing this letter, we urge the provost and dance department to re-assess the termination of Professor Osayande and consider the value of the African Dance program. Creating inclusive spaces is not something an institution can put in a mission statement without incorporating direct action. This would include investing in dance forms equally, understanding and maintaining integrity to different dance traditions, and respecting the faculty that create inclusive, vital, and educational dance spaces. We hope to impress the deep importance of Professor Osayande’s thoughtful instruction.
In the African Ensemble, the repertory performance class this semester, Professor Osayande asked us to reflect on our last will and testament, asking us to consider our legacies. It was a call to action, empowering students to embody who they want to be in this world and giving them the tools they need for that impact to be made. We now are forced to ask Swarthmore College: as the fate of African Dance in the department remains uncertain, and we face the loss of incredible professors like Jeannine Osayande, what are you leaving this world? This is an opportunity to decide your legacy, and whether it will be one that upholds the values of this institution or actively dismantles them.
Signed,
Sarah Leidecker ’29
Aurora Hill ’29
Nii Tigah ’29
Laine Yu-Jing ’28
Grace Chen ’26
Griffin Moore ’26
Zuyuan Zhou ’29
Rianne Maria Marquez ’29
Sena Forson ’27
Sofia Gavrilova ’29
Joslyn Zhu ’28
Juan David Torres ’29
Alex Wuttig ’26
Perxi Pu ’27
Wilber Valente Gutierrez ’28
Addie Franklin ’27
Serafia Cecil ’27
Lillian Newby ’28
Katerina Krysan ’28
Zoe Zuloaga ’29
Lucas McGarvey ’28
Olivia Seo ’28
Lauren Ghil ’26
Morgan McErlean ’26
Kya Boldizsar ’28
Chloe Lee ’28
Omar Hasiba ’29
Kelan Sato ’29
Ada Reddington ’28
Angely Kelly Maduro ’29
Kloe Victorino ’28
Daniel Suh ’28
Natalie Cortez ’26
Marlowe Jake Klineman ’29
Jeremy Weinstein-Sears ’28
Xinyun Li ’27
Bonji Onuma ’26
Aida Tanglao-Aguas ’28
Shelby Destin ’29
Cheng-Yen Wu ’26
Eve Necaise ’26
Elsa Bishop ’29
Zion Vick ’28
Jingxuan Zhu ’29
Junhyuk Kim ’27
Zuri Eason ’27
Kana Nagata ’26
Shamsa Belgrave ’26
Emma Henderson ’27
Asiya Johnson ’27
Alx Dow ’27
Anya Tang ’26
Gongfu Lyu ’27
Jacob Herbold ’26
Danae Davis ’27
Siyi Ding ’28
Calvin Liu ’28
Noor Ahmed ’26
Evelyn Cooper ’28
Catherine Skibicki ’28
Shuyi Zhang ’29
Stella Forsyth ’28
Yiyang Ma ’29
Jianxin Sun ’28
Nichole Suero Gonzalez ’27
Evelyn Younger ’28
Laila Warrick ’28
Shaalin Gamble-Sarfo ’29
Elizabeth Johnston ’28
Enjalai Baillie ’28
Nicole Karugu ’28
Annie Liu ’28
Jadyn Beckett ’28
Laura Wentzel ’26
Icie Favata ’28
Finn Verdonk ’26
Katherine Wu ’27
Darius Kim ’29
Gabrielle Nash ’26
Ash Abbott ’29
Denyse Nishimwe ’27
Jayden Booker ’26
Emily McClung ’26
Sakura Pavao ’28
Madina Sore ’27
Lauren Wilk ’28
Zhuoyu Zhang ’27
Aishi Debroy ’26
Diane Arias Tejeda ’28
Tiffany Liverpool ’28
Imanie Walters ’28
Anand Bissinger ’27
As a former resident of Swarthmore currently rediding in Drexel Hill, PA and being a 5th generation African-American of 7 generations growing up in Swarthmore and studied in the public school system, a graduate of the Class of 1978 from SHS, we were not given the chance nor the opportunity to study and learn about the contributions of our culture concerning dance and the impact it brings to the world as well as this small community and beyond.
Jeannine Osayande is a beacon of light sharing and spreading traditions, knowledge, music and culture that otherwise goes unnoticed. To snuff out this light would do a grave injustice to the college, students and faculty as well as the outlying colleges, universities, elementary school students Osayande has shared for many years in her career.
This decision, should it come to fruition will have a devastating impact on us all. By condoning this decision, the dance department, Provost and college are basically saying it’s not important and goes against everything the college allegedly stands for. That is a contradiction to its vision and mission statement.
I emplore upon you to seriously reconsider this decision and the negative impact and message you are sending to current and perspective students and the community.
Sincerely,
Donna Lee-Diakite
The fact that the students can articulate the academic, cultural, and social value of African dance is a testament to how gifted a professor Jeannine Osayande is. I’ve learned African dance from many teachers over the past 25 years, in university and community settings, and not every African dance teacher teaches the forms this way. I applaud the students for applying lessons from African dance and taking action to nurture and protect their community, environment, arts education, and academic rigor.
—Mariam I. Williams
Jeannine you are a role model and a leader in this community. How can they not know what a jewel you are? You have enriched the lives of every student beginning with grade school. Our 17 year old granddaughter saw you at a football game ( she’s in the marching band now). You were sitting near me in the bottom row of the bleachers, when as she came to say hi to me, she saw you. I still remember the look on her face, as she came up to the fence to say hello to you – it was complete love and admiration for you! You taught her 4th grade class dance, and she loved it and loved you and will never forget the acceptance and love she felt from you. What you have given this community is priceless. I have nothing but respect and admiration for you. You have given the gift of culture and humanity to our community. The college is so short- sighted. I can’t imagine any reason for them to justify losing you and your gifts to the college community. This is so upsetting. 😢
What a testament from Jeannine Osayande’s students to her contributions to the college and the community. Swarthmore College students have had a rare and wonderful opportunity to learn African dance from a national treasure in this field. Maybe even more important is what Osayande’s students have learned about themselves, their community and the ways that they can navigate the paths that lie ahead of them. The College would do well to listen to the voices of the students and alumni to work to retain Osayande and cherish what she brings to the College through the Afican dance program.
This saddens me greatly Ms Jeannine has made such an impact on 1000s of dancers throughout the years!
Arianne Wenk, ’14
I am writing in enthusiastic support of Jeannine Osayande’s work and contribution.I am writing in enthusiastic support of Jeannine Osayande’s work and contribution. I first met Jeannine four decades ago when we studied with the late master drummer and dancer Ibrahima Camara: her enthusiasm, elegance, and skill were exceptional all those years ago. I have since watched her career with admiration. Her knowledge, skill, and commitment to the study of African dance, arts, and diaspora are outstanding and of profound value to the Swarthmore community, where she has invested so deeply. I urge the College to renew Jeannine Osayande’s contract on a permanent basis.
Updated submission for your consideration: “I am writing in enthusiastic support of Jeannine Osayande’s work and contribution. I first met Jeannine four decades ago when we studied with the late master drummer and dancer Ibrahima Camara: her enthusiasm, elegance, and skill were exceptional all those years ago. I have since watched her career with admiration and gratitude. Her knowledge, skill, and commitment to the study of African dance, arts, and diaspora are outstanding and of profound value to the Swarthmore community, where she has invested so deeply. I urge the College to renew Jeannine Osayande’s contract on a permanent basis.” Thank you!
Wow. What is Swarthmore thinking here?! Professor Osayande, I stand in support of you! I have core memories experiencing you as a teacher.
I’m so sorry to hear about this Jeannine. The students’ letter says it all. You are so important to all of us.
I am shocked. Jeannine Osayande is an absolute treasure who is not only uniquely qualified as an African dance and movement teacher and conveyer of tradition and culture —an expression of stories using the body form — she has the peerless ability to form instant connections with everyone, a strong and necessary element for successfully working with students and people of all ages and backgrounds. Do better, Swarthmore College.
African dance was the BEST class, EVER. This is absurd. Thank goodness the students are mad as hell because they are being robbed of one the greatest experiences in life. Professor Osayande’s gifts and talents are unmatched. African dance puts the MIND, BODY, AND SOUL into Swarthmore’s campus environment that likes to overemphasize cerebral achievments to the detriment of emotional and spiritual balance. I truly hope that the President and Provost reconsider this blunder. Students can’t “fight for the inner light” if the administration takes steps to deliberately snuff it out.
This is unbelievable. Jeannine Osayande, is a phenomenal educator who brings such passion and knowledge to every group of people she works with from 3rd graders to undergrads to community members. I am a fellow dance educator and attest that it is a rare gift to connect and inspire people of all ages, identities, and experience levels. Jeannine has that gift and so much more, as evidenced by her students’ passionate voices arguing for her value and position. Swarthmore College was lucky that Jeannine chose to share her talents with their students. It’s a foolish decision to let her go and hopefully one that can be reversed.
Swarthmore College retain Professor Jeannine Osayande. I believe the Latin quote on Parrish Hall loosely translates – Not for ourselves only, but for all-. Jeannine Osayande lives this everyday whether on campus or off, she breathes sharing knowledge, giving of herself, and building community. She has taught us well from watching Swarthmore College students African dance performances to my own ability to participate in African Dance and Drumming classes offered at the college to Soul Line Dancing at the Swarthmore PAC center, to Kwanzaa teachings and celebrations in town and at the Inn, to her plays about growing up in Swarthmore’s Historically Black Neighborhood ( her grandmother baking pies for the college, her father being Chief of Swarthmore Police), to her most amazing gift of teaching our young children for over 20 years about African Dance and culture in just 4 weeks time and then witnessing their shining performances on stage at our SRS Elementary School. Her work is a testament to her commitment to that quote on Parrish Hall.
At a time when our country’s leaders are trying to rewrite our history and relationship to African Diaspora and we are worried about the possible soul-sucking impact of AI, it’s certainly the time we must support all our excellent teachers, and keep it real. Professor Osayande is the REAL thing.
Swarthmore College -your students and community are speaking to you, please listen. You have an incredible teacher in your own backyard, she is one of your/our own and of the world. The light she shines and the gift she gives goes well beyond her pay and the college’s endowments.
Jeannine Osayande is a treasure in the flesh! I have had the privilege of knowing, learning from and working with Jeannine for over 30 years. As a young University of the Arts dance student in the mid-1990’s Ms. Jeannine ensured that our view of dance was wide-eyed and authentic. Her classes were filled to brim not only with dance majors, but students from other majors and programs and the general public that chose to an accessible dance experience at an institution of higher learning. She was influential in my life connecting where movement comes from, what it can represent and how others live it. Fast forward a few decades and now I find myself fortunate to work with Jeannine as a teaching artist at The Creative Living Room and The Park Avenue Community Center crafting ways that our local students can connect to movement, music, African diaspora, and traditional of storytelling. Her programs enriches the lives of our young people but even more to know they are learning from a local. A true local, six generations in that has Swarthmore in her bones and dance and her African roots in her blood. Jeannine and her dance company members bring a truth and vibrancy to Swarthmore and to think the College would give that up is narrow-sighted. Please reconsider your decision to terminate Ms. Osayande’s contract. You will be losing a valuable and passionate educator and incredible human being. Do the right thing.
Dear Swarthmore Students, Alumni, Faculty, Staff, and Community of artists, educators, and concerned community members,
Thank you for your letters of support. I am overwhelmed with gratitude for your voices of encouragement and support. Thanks again.
Truly,
Professor Jeannine Osayande
Ms Jeannine / Mama Jeannine
I am shocked and saddened by this letter. Jeannine Osayande is an amazing person and an outstanding educator. I do not understand why Swarthmore would make such a decision. I urge the administration to retain Professor Osayande and keep the dance program strong.
As a ’92 Swarthmore graduate, a former student in Professor Jeannine Osayande’s African Dance class as an undergraduate thirty years ago, a former teacher at SRS five years ago who got to witness the incredible community built and joy spread through the entire SRS community, thanks to the intensive workshops and training Professor Jeannine and DunyaPAC brought to third graders and their SRS teachers who shared the African dances they learned together, I feel such sadness and disappointment in Swarthmore College for terminating Professor Jeannine Osayande’s contract, especially now, when, more than ever, we need Professor Jeannine’s leadership, wisdom, experience, storytelling, and dance to remember our collective history, local and national, and this country’s connection to the African diaspora. Swarthmore College, reverse this decision. Listen to your current students, the community, and the alumni.
Professor Jeannine, thank you.