social justice and politics projects
BLACK PEOPLE AND BLACK LIFE
Ever since high school, I have been dedicated to fighting for the human rights and betterment of Black people across the diaspora. Whether it be through the appreciation and uplifting of Black culture or advocating for institutional change, I have dedicated my life to the advancement and rectification of Black life. These are a few of my favorite projects.
Voter Suppression Campaign
As Executive Vice President of the Black Student Union, I organized a Voter Suppression Campaign to encourage students to speak out against voter suppression ahead of the 2020 Election. Students were given various action items to demand of their representatives and election officials via phone and email, from the Governor to the county election office. Action items included pushing to make Election Day a national holiday, ensuring that each polling place had the most up to date and functioning materials, and mailing an absentee ballot application to all registered voters. Read more about the campaign here.
Intercultural Question Series
In February of 2020, I organized the first installment of the Intercultural Question Series with my scholarship cohort. This installment was focused on Black Americans, and was intended to foster cross-cultural conversations about Black life and Black culture. My intention behind the program was to set up a safe space where people of all cultures could come and ask questions and learn about what it's like to be Black in America. This could be anything from why it's not okay to say the n-word if you're not Black, to how long box braids last.
I have always held the belief that it's important to give others the opportunity to learn before passing final judgements. For this reason, myself and my cohort members created a judgement free environment for all GW students to ask questions and confront their biases without fear of being attacked or dismissed.
I have always held the belief that it's important to give others the opportunity to learn before passing final judgements. For this reason, myself and my cohort members created a judgement free environment for all GW students to ask questions and confront their biases without fear of being attacked or dismissed.
Black History Month Celebration
|
My junior year of high school, I worked with my school administrators to put together my school's first ever Black History Month Celebration. Before, our amazing Performing Arts Department put on a Black History Month program; but it was during class time and was optional to attend, up to the teacher's discretion. At a high school with a large Black population, it was unacceptable that there was not a school sponsored Black History Month Celebration. The power structures at my school actively oppressed and silenced Black students, so I wanted to build a month of programming that would make us as visible as ever.
The month started with a school-wide Black Out Day, which received an outpour of support from students and staff. However, in celebrating our culture we were met with the face of racism. That day, white students came to school wearing all white for a "White Out" in opposition of our Black Out. Despite this we persisted, and continued on with a full month of programming including an ethnic attire day, HBCU day, and Divine Nine day for staff members in Divine Nine Greek Letter organizations. After I graduated, the celebration continued on and has only grown. |
|
GENERAL ADVOCACY WORK
Although the core of my advocacy is for Black people and Black life, I am passionate about LGBTQ+ rights, gun safety, and climate justice. Most of my work in these areas has been in collaboration with student organizations or other advocates who are deeply invested in this work.
Improving Inclusivity of Black Queer Students at GW
The summer following my first year at GW, I published an op-ed about the lack of inclusivity for queer Black students as well as instances of homophobia and transphobia in our community. In this article I took the stories of real queer Black students on our campus who shared their stories of feeling alienated and uncomfortable because of their identity. This article spread quickly among Black students and started a very necessary conversation about the intersection of queer and Black identities, and how homophobia and transphobia runs deep in the Black community. Since then, a Queer Trans People of Color Association has been founded, and Black organizations on campus have held open discussions about how queer and Black identities meet.
Parkland Shooting Walk Out and Memorial
On March 14, 2018 I used my position on student government to organize a protest against gun violence and hold a memorial for those lost during the Marjorie Stoneman Douglas High School shooting in Parkland, FL. On March 14th students across the country walked out in protest of gun violence, but my school prevented me and other students organizing from fully protesting. We were not allowed to protest in the front of the school, were forced to do so in the back where we could not be seen, and had to abide by guidelines the administration set.
This moment changed a lot for me, because I learned how people in power can use their position to redirect attempts at speaking out without obviously silencing them. The memorial was very moving and students were respectful. We had 17 empty chairs with the names of each life lost, and during the 17 minute walk out I spoke each name, with a moment of silence in between each one. Although the protest received pushback from administration and even some students, it was a powerful moment of youth speaking out against issues that directly affect them and their lives.
This moment changed a lot for me, because I learned how people in power can use their position to redirect attempts at speaking out without obviously silencing them. The memorial was very moving and students were respectful. We had 17 empty chairs with the names of each life lost, and during the 17 minute walk out I spoke each name, with a moment of silence in between each one. Although the protest received pushback from administration and even some students, it was a powerful moment of youth speaking out against issues that directly affect them and their lives.
