NAU students’ controversial costumes offend immigrants, homeless, and veterans

Halloween is the one time of the year when children and adults get to dress up in wild, crazy, and scary costumes.

A group of Northern Arizona University (NAU) students’ idea of a costume didn’t include ghosts, goblins, or fictional characters.

Five NAU ​​​​​​students in Flagstaff dressed up as homeless people.

A few of their signs read immigrant mother of 10 and recovering alcoholic.

Students at NAU’s Yuma campus said the costume choice was tasteless.

Student, Ciara Coleman said, “I thought it was extremely inappropriate, rude, and disgusting.”

Another student, Lauren Thomas said, “I found it really offensive, they were portraying people like that…their hardships, and they’re wearing it as a costume.”

Within hours, the group’s photo was circulated all over social media, receiving public backlash and forcing the university’s president to respond.

NAU President, Rita Cheng, tweeted saying the university supports free speech but doesn’t condone the students’ behavior.

A homeless man told News 11 that it wasn’t the costumes that were offensive.

He said, “For Halloween, I would dress up as a hobo, but I would never put the signs up to make fun of people that were in that position.”

A DACA student at NAU’s Yuma campus and an immigrant from Mexico, Claudia Madrigal, found neither the costumes nor messages funny.

” They made [immigrants] look dirty, they made them look like they’re asking for money. I know for a fact that I work so hard to get where I need to be. I know parents have worked really hard to bring to the table, ” she said.

The costumes were a complete misrepresentation of immigrants in Madrigal’s opinion.

The students in the photo have since deleted their posts, but their peers don’t want this to be just a skeleton in their closet.

Students want the group to be held accountable by the university, suggesting a public apology or expulsion.