On Wednesday, the Office of Multicultural Student Affairs hosted its February edition of “realTALK.” This month’s topic: “Black Lives Matter vs. All Lives Matter: Who’s Right? Who’s Wrong?”

Seated around five tables, those participating in the conversation were encouraged to talk to their peers, especially those who are different from them, about their views.

“You sit across from people who look and think differently from you,” said Steven Johnson, assistant director in the Office of Multicultural Student Affairs. “You hear a different narrative.”

The realTALK program is open to the entire campus community and welcomes all thoughts and opinions to start a conversation about certain topics on campus.

“I think one of the most important things is that these types of conversations can happen on campus,” Johnson said. “It allows for safe dialogue… it allows you to have those conversations in a safe environment without having to waver on how you feel.”

Students and faculty were asked the following questions:

1. “Do black lives matter, do all lives matter, and should one or the other take the lead when we are talking about human rights and justice?”

2. “Beyoncé’s performance at the Super Bowl; do these assertive expressions that promote black experiences automatically devalue white experience or promote racial division?”

3. “Should presidential candidates be addressing more social issues, such as Black Lives Matter and other movements more recently domesticated in the United States? Or should this be addressed when they are already in office after they are elected?”

The Black Lives Matter Movement began in 2013 after the shooting of African American teen Trayvon Martin. According to their website, the Black Lives Matter movement is “working for the validity of Black life” and is “working to (re)build the Black liberation movement.”

In recent years, however, the movement has been combated with the idea that “All Lives Matter.” So who is right and who is wrong?

Beyoncé, after her Super Bowl 50 halftime show, has made headlines over the past few weeks about her performance evoking memories of the Black Panthers of the 1960s and commemorating Malcom X, a black-power icon. Was this the right timing or appropriate way to go about making her statement?

In addition, during the debates, presidential candidates have been unafraid to assert their views and what they claim to do in office. What impact does this make on the election and why is it important?

Students, faculty, and staff discussed these topics within their tables and then a spokesperson from each table was asked to report on what their table had talked about.

When asked about the Black Lives Matter movement, supporters wanted to make something clear: There is an inherent “too” at the end of the statement so it reads “Black Lives Matter-too.” In other words, students made it clear that yes, all lives do matter, but the movement is important in light of recent years’ events.

“I think it is important that students think about the idea of “Black Lives matter TOO,” Tirrani Dozier, an SMU student, said. “It’s something that a lot of people don’t really think about.”

When the groups discussed the impact Beyoncé’s performance made, some students are glad that it made political waves.

“It should make people uncomfortable,” DaNaysia Jones said. “It’s not encouraging division or devaluing the white experience, but artists feel the need to speak out because there is a problem in society today.”

And when asked about whether presidential candidates should be addressing more social issues during their campaigns, Jones said: “If a politician does feel strongly about some social movement, they should say something about it. But it is one thing to say what you are going to do when you go into office and its another thing when they actually get into office.”

For more information on realTALK and other programs from the Office of Multicultural Student Affairs, click here.