The Black Student Success Initiative and Black Faculty and Staff Association co-hosted Forward Together on Tuesday night in Marrs McLean Science Building to discuss descriptive representation. The goal was to encourage Black students and students of color to navigate struggles at Baylor and to prepare for life after graduation by hosting a career-readiness and leadership panel discussion.
Browsing: representation
“It’s not just about me,” Mitchell-Wells said. “It’s about my mom, my grandma and my ancestors. Hair holds power. Changing it can shift how people perceive you and it allows for self-expression.”
According to Brandi, South Asian communities are often overlooked, even at other Asian cultural events.
“I do think it has a great meaning, especially with the history and how it all started,” Chaves said. “I think it’s very nice to experience that in the whole week, and as an international student, I get a sense of home or belonging.”
Several voices could be heard singing and echoing throughout the Bill Daniel Student Center on Thursday evening. Shortly after the singing stopped, thunderous applause lasted for several minutes. The building was filled with laughter and cheers as faculty, staff and students gathered around to watch the performances at the Black Student Welcome.
Leaving the Judge Baylor statue in place serves as a hateful reminder of Baylor’s past in a place intended to remember the lives of the enslaved people who built the original Independence campus. Allowing the statue to stand in the heart of campus diminishes the value of Baylor’s efforts to create a more diverse and inclusive campus.
Dr. Malcolm Foley, special adviser to the president for equity and campus engagement, said numbers may fluctuate from year to year in regard to diverse populations, but they are relatively consistent and growing.
