The Social Justice Initiative Committee gave students an opportunity to put themselves in the shoes of the oppressed Wednesday.

The Tunnel of Oppression (T.O.O.) event started at Western Illinois University in the early 1990s, and NIU held its first event from 5 to 9 p.m. Wednesday in Grant South’s B Tower.

The event was designed to show students types of social oppression. Participants were led through about 10 rooms where they were shown images, videos and live-action portrayal of social justice issues. Each room had its own theme in regard to issues of social oppression, like the offensive use of the word “gay” to describe something ridiculous, or the effects cyber bullying has on its victims.

The first room’s walls were covered in racial stereotypes alongside facts that defy the stereotypes. In another room, participants were put in the shoes of a victim of bullying, with actors telling them their clothes and the music they listen to are “gay.”

“T.O.O. is an opportunity for students and community members to experience different forms of power, privilege and oppression in a controlled environment,” said Jasmin Thurston, full-time residence hall director of Douglas Hall. “We hope students can be humble and acknowledge their differences. We hope they acknowledge their similarities, too, because a lot of similarities can be seen through our differences.”

Thurston said she hopes students educate others about issues of social oppression. Kara Britzman, extern at NIU’s Counseling and Student Development Center, said it is important for students to be aware of these issues.

“I think especially with so many people living in a small area, it’s important to be aware of the people around us,” Britzman said. “It’s important to know how our behavior affects others.”

Britzman said victims of social oppression often internalize the pain they feel, which can lead to issues like depression and anxiety, which in turn can lead to suicide.

Tonnie Adams, sophomore community leadership and civic engagement major, participated in the event and thinks it was an effective way to bring awareness to issues of oppression.

“It’s a learning experience to let people experience what oppression feels like,” Adams said. “It’s something people may not experience in everyday life, something people won’t understand until they experience it. To be a part of change, we have to break the cycle.”