STORY BY RAPHAEL BERETTA
ILLUSTRATION BY JANINE PULTORAK
Declan Fung thrives on the uncomfortable.
Perspectives of privilege, the difference between participation and appropriation, camps at the border, Colin Kaepernick, transgender rights, gun control, police brutality — nothing is sacred or off-limits.
According to Declan, we aren’t discussing the “forbidden” topics enough. Most students belonging to a college community fear conflict and ostracism for taking sides. They find it uncomfortable.
Declan, the co-founder and the de-facto leader of Red Fox Real Talk, admits this can be uncomfortable. In fact, he promises that it will be. That’s the point.
The SGA-hosted event and soon-to-be chartered club takes the most hot-button issues facing the nation at the time and forces you to confront your opinions on the matter in front of your peers, friends, and strangers. Things might get tense, and there will be disagreements, but Declan and his team of moderators strive to keep the conversations productive and respectful.
“We stay away from the word debate to avoid its negative connotation. We want to make people comfortable speaking their minds, regardless of their perspective. All opinions are welcome, as long as nothing [said] is outwardly offensive to someone else’s,” Declan said of the mission.
In getting comfortable being uncomfortable, participants can better define their own beliefs and perhaps learn something profound from the experiences of another.
“We were talking about the “Me Too” movement, and [one of our attendees] interned at a center that helped women who were sexually abused. She was speaking from such a personal experience...That taught us a lot.”
Declan’s main priorities in moderating are knowing the facts, in order to inform the under-informed, and remaining unbiased in leading the conversation. Real charisma is required to coax strangers into dispelling their beliefs.
“If [Red Fox Real Talk] was a film, he would steal the whole scene. He draws positive attention to himself, is incredibly authentic and sincere,” Dr. Addrain Conyers, advisor to the soon-to-be club, said.
Dr. Conyers and Declan confer about once a week. They bounce ideas for potential topics off of one another, determining what is the most relevant issue for that week and what presents the opportunity for the most productive dialogue.
According to Dr. Conyers, there is nothing “politically correct” about Declan, in the conventional sense. He’s direct and upfront about his views, but always remains respectful. “He’s real talk. There is very little rhetoric to Declan, there is no hidden agenda. He is real talk.”
Hours of research go into each event. At the inception of Red Fox Real Talk, Declan wanted to immerse himself in every resource he had. This led him to the board of Diversity and Inclusion for SGA, where he currently serves as the deputy.
Race does not define Declan, though it drives many of his conversations. He speaks about race constantly and casually, “as it should be. America is a country founded on race relations.”
As an Asian-American student, he belongs to the smallest minority group on campus; according to a breakdown by DataUSA, Marist’s Asian students make up 3% of the population. “I don’t let that hold me back from who I talk to, or who I become friends with. I like to be open-minded, even if they’re completely different.”
As a Criminal Justice major with minors in Psychology and Sociology, Declan has a fascination for the way we think about issues in society. Learning about the criminal system can be boring, learning about what’s wrong with it excites him. “There aren’t many majors that allow you to [tear apart] the system that you’re studying.”
His big dream was to work for the FBI. Many opportunities in the federal government, as well as the private sector, have become just as alluring.
“I would almost prefer to see Declan do something not related to diversity. That diversity is in him already. Wherever he ends up, whatever he pursues, he will bring a ton of value,” Dr. Conyers said.
Last semester, Declan studied abroad in Sydney, Australia to complete courses for his core. Even from the city he could feel the heat from the devastating bushfires. With fellow co-founders Steven Ciravolo and Marie Celeste Gigliotti also abroad (in Florence), Red Fox Real Talk was left in the hands of board member Marcello Betman.
“Filling his shoes for a semester was intimidating. [The event] is truly his baby and he treats it like that. He always pushes us to be as prepared and educated as possible about the topics,” Betman said. “He is really quick to see multiple sides to something, and is crazy talented and super passionate about social justice, and that’s why he excels in leading.”
In new partnerships, all the time with organizations like Marist Monologues, Black Student Union, and Nobody Leaves Mid Hudson, a local group advocating for immigration rights, Declan’s primary focus is setting a sustainable future for the club.
“I just wanted to see it flourish and be successful, while still meeting its basic integrity as an unbiased club where it's a safe space for people to discuss the perspectives and views and opinions on very controversial issues.’’
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