"It's good to be made uncomfortable; it strengthens our resolve," she said. "These incidents don't just happen at small liberal arts colleges. These moments are important for students to engage in the theories that we teach and put them into practice."

For students, it's a reminder that they need to remain vigilant in their fight against hate on their campus.

"Racism is still here. It may not be as visible as it was 50 years ago, but it's still visible. We still need to fight it, even in 2013," Diop said. "I want us to remember that hate is unproductive. Love reigns supreme."