The Crimson White / Nineteen Fifty-Six Magazine: The Unseen Edition, Oct. 2022

THURSDAY, OCTOBER 20, 2022 

VOLUME CXXIX | ISSUE III 

1956 / Ashton Jah 

Lucy’s Legacy helps freshmen female students of color 

TA’KYLA BATES & JEFFREY KELLY 

NINETEEN FIFTY-SIX & THE CRIMSON WHITE 

Since the fall of 2019, one floor of 

John England Jr. Hall has been a 

space where a small group of freshmen 

women of color have been able to forge 

a home away from home through Lucy’s 

Legacy, an academic living-learning 

community for women of color. Lucy’s 

Legacy is one of the 16 academic 

and shared interest living-learning 

communities the University offers. 

Named in honor of Autherine Lucy 

Foster, the first Black student to attend 

The University of Alabama, Lucy’s 

Legacy supports and enriches the firstyear 

experience of freshmen women of 

color through a peer group, a specialized 

Introduction to Women Studies course, 

mentoring and other resources. 

In the fall of 2018, Kiara Summerville, 

the Capstone Center for Student Success 

director of student academic engagement 

and advocacy and Lucy’s Legacy program 

director, did a pilot study for a doctoral 

course at the University on eight firstyear 

Black women’s experiences living in 

residential halls. 

“I did not know that when I did it, 

Lucy’s Legacy would come from it. I was 

truly doing it for a class project to finish 

my doctoral credit hours,” Summerville 

said. “I think it’s a great [example] for 

undergraduate students and graduate 

students that these class projects you do 

can be used in a productive way.” 

She said she learned a lot from the 

study, which was overall very positive, 

but there were some areas of concern 

for the women, specifically finding 

community in their residence halls and 

feeling a sense of home. 

Around the same time, teams of UA 

staff members were working together 

with the common goal of bettering the 

campus community, which resulted in 

one team doing a study and putting out 

a call to create an initiative to serve men 

of color. From that call, Summerville 

was tasked with creating the BRIDGE 

program. Simultaneously, Summerville 

said she wanted to create something for 

women of color as well. 

She said she spoke to her former 

supervisor in First Year Experience 

Retention and Initiatives about it, and 

they were supportive as Summerville 

established the Living Learning 

Community. Lucy’s Legacy and BRIDGE 

are no longer a part of First Year 

Experience; they have moved to student 

academic engagement and advocacy. 

Summerville implemented a great 

deal of what she learned from the study 

into Lucy’s Legacy, including the need to 

focus on community. 

She said many of the women found 

friendships in places outside of their 

residence halls but desired to feel “at 

home” in their dorms and create bonds 

that mirrored their friendships and 

familial bonds back home. 

She recalled one student from the 

fall 2019 cohort of Lucy’s Legacy who 

one day came into her office and said, 

“You know, this may seem silly, but the 

fact that I can walk around with my 

hair wrapped and not have to explain to 

somebody why my hair is wrapped, that 

is really meaningful for me as a Lucy’s 

Legacy student.” 

“I was like, ‘Well, that’s what it’s about.’ 

You’re supposed to feel comfortable. 

You’re supposed to feel you’re at home 

and kind of affirmed. And understanding 

that there are other women on campus 

who have these ... similar experiences to 

you,” Summerville said. 

Samantha White, a freshman 

majoring in news media and a current 

Lucy’s Legacy student, said that as a 

freshman, there are so many things she 

hasn’t experienced yet, but Lucy’s Legacy 

has made it easier for her. 

“It made it so much easier for me like 

coming here and meeting people; it was 

like off the bat like everyone was so sweet, 

and [I’m] thankful for that because I’ve 

met so many different people that are 

apart of Lucy’s,” White said. 

She said it’s also an added benefit that 

they all live together. 

“A lot of times, we’ll just do stuff out 

of nowhere, just as a group, and it’s so 

easy to do that,” White said. “Like you 

don’t even have to think about spending 

time with people; stuff just happens. So 

that makes it fun.” 

This sentiment was true from the 

beginning of Lucy’s Legacy, even during 

the pandemic. 

Asia Hall, a junior majoring in 

kinesiology and Legacy leader, said 

coming into the University at the 

height of the pandemic and having the 

community of Lucy’s Legacy helped her 

get through it. She said there was always 

someone to talk to even if they couldn’t 

go places; she didn't feel alone. 

Lucy’s Legacy goes beyond just 

creating community. It also advocates 

for the students’ academic experiences. 

During the program’s inception, 

Summerville worked with the 

Department of Gender and Race 

Studies and Utz McKnight, the chair 

of the department, to create the Intro 

to Women Studies course. Along with 

the course, Lucy’s Legacy also has 

a peer mentorship component that 

allows students to examine the different 

possibilities for on-campus engagement. 

“I could advocate for them all day, 

every day and still do that, but they 

needed to see someone who’s doing the 

things on campus that they wanted to 

do. Who were on the e-board for their 

organizations, who were sorority women 

and who were Capstone women,” 

Summerville said. 

SEE PAGE 3A 

CONTENTS 

NEWS 

4AA tradition over 30 years old, 

the NPHC Step Show, 

returns tomorrow. 

OPINIONS 

6AOne UA student shares her 

decision to attend Alabama 

over an HBCU. 

SPORTS 

4BCheerleaders and 

Crimsonettes aren’t just 

blonde anymore. 

AD 

GOES 

Take classes at Shelton State as a Transient Student. 

Visit sheltonstate.edu to apply and register! 

HERE 

It is the policy of the Alabama Community College System Board of Trustees and Shelton State Community College, a postsecondary institution under its control, that no person shall, on the grounds of race, color, national origin, religion, marital 

status, disability, gender, age, or any other protected class as defined by federal and state law, be excluded from participation, denied benefits, or subjected to discrimination under any program, activity, or employment.

2A 

NINETEEN FIFTY-SIX 

editor-in-chief 

managing editor 

engagement editor 

creative director 

design editor 

assistant design editor 

photography editor 

assistant photography editor 

writing editor 

assistant writing editor 

public relations directors 

public relations strategists 

Ashlee Woods 

1956magazine@ua.edu 

Ta’Kyla Bates 

Jolencia Jones 

Ashton Jah 

Lyrical Wisdom 

Dani Brown 

Tyler Hogan 

CJ Byrd 

Leah Jones 

Morgan Lewis 

Alex Williams and Farrah Sanders 

Nikayla Bagmon and Madison Davis 

Tap in with 1956! 

Check out their website and follow 

along on social media. 

Keep an eye out for their print 

edition in the fall. 

THE CRIMSON WHITE 

editor-in-chief 

managing editor 

Bhavana Ravala 

editor@thecrimsonwhite.com 

Jeffrey Kelly 

managingeditor@thecrimsonwhite.com 

Tap in with CW! 

(We have an email newsletter now.) 

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opinions editor 

news editor 

assistant news editor 

culture editor 

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assistant sports editor 

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photo editor 

assistant photo editor 

multimedia editor 

newsletter editor 

Gabriel Brown 

engagement@thecrimsonwhite.com 

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The Crimson White, Copyright © 2022 

CW / Wesley Picard

CW File 

LETTERS FROM THE EDITORS 

BHAVANA RAVALA 

They say the third time’s the 

charm, and that applies to 

the third collaboration between The 

Crimson White and Nineteen Fifty- 

Six Magazine. 

The mission of the Unseen 

Edition is simple: to showcase the 

unseen side of the Black student 

experience at The University of 

Alabama. As a student newspaper, 

we strive to seek out stories from 

all corners of campus and reflect 

the diversity of our university in 

our coverage year-round, and this 

edition is the product of years of 

commitment to that mission. 

In June 2020, The Crimson 

White committed to change from 

within in the wake of the Black 

Lives Matter protests sweeping 

the country. Since then, and since 

the establishment of Nineteen 

Fifty-Six Magazine that same year, 

the collaboration between our 

publications has served as a crucial 

opportunity for The CW to live up 

to that commitment. 

Every year, I enjoy reading the 

stories our two teams create when 

we put our heads together. Every 

ASHLEE WOODS 

THE CRIMSON WHITE EDITOR-IN-CHIEF 

A standing commitment 

year, I take pride in seeing the 

stories we’ve created shared online 

and in print. Every year, I remind 

myself that these stories are not to 

be limited to one special edition, 

but that they need to be sought out 

year round. 

It’s easy to recall the highly 

visible stories. The names of racists 

on our campus buildings were 

swapped out in 2020 for generic 

placeholders that are still there two 

years later. The board of trustees 

this past spring decided to rename 

one of those buildings by putting 

Autherine Lucy Foster’s name next 

to a Klansman’s and only changed 

its mind after the highly predictable 

and justified backlash. Foster herself 

spoke to a UA audience when the 

building was finally, rightfully, 

dedicated in her name, and she 

passed away not even a week later. 

Foster had perhaps the most seen 

experience of any Black student at 

the University, a legacy that lives 

on in the name of Nineteen Fifty- 

Six Magazine. Highlighting her 

story is not the challenge anymore. 

Now, the task at hand is to highlight 

NINETEEN FIFTY-SIX EDITOR-IN-CHIEF 

the students who have followed in 

her footsteps. 

To us, uncovering the unseen 

stories on campus means chasing 

the stories that don’t necessarily 

feel as inspirational as Autherine 

Lucy Foster right now. The fact that 

inequality still exists on campus 

is not an easy one to accept, but 

ignoring it will not bring bless. 

Sharing unseen stories means 

asking hard questions, having tough 

conversations, and yes, occasionally 

making people uncomfortable 

to shed light on the truth. The 

University has come a long way 

since 1956, but it is not perfect, and 

neither are we. 

In our pursuit of truth, The 

Crimson White is fortunate to 

have a sister publication like 

Nineteen Fifty-Six Magazine, and 

an audience of readers who holds 

us accountable. Each year, the team 

behind the paper shifts, and a new 

leader speaks for the paper. So while 

I have this platform, I can safely say: 

we still have work to do, but the 

commitment we made stands. 

Highlighting everyone’s stories 

On a campus as big as The 

University of Alabama’s, it’s a 

guarantee that there will be a story 

around every corner. These stories 

and experiences create the backdrop 

that is The University of Alabama. 

But far too often, these stories 

go untold 

Not every story that is told on 

this campus has a beginning and 

end. Rather, those stories evolve 

to new heights or even new lows. 

Every walking path, every lecture 

hall and every building holds the 

many memories of UA students past 

and present. 

However, not every story gets 

told. Not every story gets put in a 

recruiting video, a campus tour or 

an advertisement. Countless stories 

that describe what life is really like 

at The University of Alabama are 

often silenced, never heard or even 

known about. 

As a student journalist, I take 

responsibility in finding those untold 

stories. It’s important to uncover 

those unseen experiences. Students, 

parents and staff must know the 

University’s past to understand what 

the future holds for Alabama. 

As a Black woman, it’s especially 

important for me to share these 

stories. The stories about life at 

the University that are told to each 

generation of students include 

people that look like me. As this 

campus pushes to create a more 

inclusive environment, that push 

must include sharing stories that 

wouldn’t otherwise be heard. 

Preserving these experiences is 

important. Not everyone has the 

same four-year experience here at 

The University of Alabama. Some 

come and go before returning back 

to the Capstone. Others are here for 

a brief moment while their impact is 

felt for years after they leave. These 

stories and experiences can inspire 

more students to make their way 

to Tuscaloosa. 

The Crimson White and Nineteen 

Fifty-Six Magazine have taken steps 

to highlight all kinds of student 

experiences. Diversity is not going 

away, so it’s up to us to embrace it. 

The stories we decide to publish 

also influence how the University 

is viewed, which is why the 

collaboration edition was created. 

The Unseen edition is dedicated 

to uncovering the stories and 

experiences that never get told. 

Students from all walks of life share 

the highs and lows of attending The 

University of Alabama. Every story 

deserves to be told and the staffs at 

The Crimson White and Nineteen 

Fifty-Six Magazine are here to 

share them. 

CW File 

3A 

CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1A 

“They needed to see and learn 

from women who were in that 

experience that they wanted 

to be.” 

The website of Lucy’s Legacy 

showcases the way the Legacy 

leaders, sophomore through 

senior women who are peer 

mentors, help advocate for 

those connections through their 

involvement in various Greek 

organizations, Army ROTC, 

Capstone Men and Women, Als 

Pals, and more. 

Summerville said when she 

initially started Lucy’s Legacy, she 

thought about how the program 

would follow the lineage of 

women of color at the University, 

which began with Autherine Lucy 

Foster. However, she said over 

the past four years, it has become 

a gateway to campus for women 

of color to experience the full 

range of benefits that Lucy herself 

couldn’t experience. 

“That means being a part 

of organizations that were not 

historically conditioned for Black 

students on campus. That means 

being able to express their race 

and gender identities in ways that 

they feel supported and celebrated 

and affirmed and valued on 

campus by nature of being a part 

of this community,” Summerville 

said. “I hope that we can continue 

to understand ... how Dr. Foster’s 

legacy is being shaped through 

this community, and I’m hoping 

that this community will be a 

catalyst for other opportunities 

on campus and other places and 

spaces on campus for students of 

color and all students actually to 

thrive at UA.” 

White said she enjoys her 

experience within Lucy’s Legacy, 

especially the Intro to Women’s 

Studies course the students must 

take as part of the program. The 

course, taught by Summerville, 

covers a variety of topics that 

relate to issues Black women may 

be facing or current events. 

Lucy’s Legacy fall 2019 cohort in front of Autherine Lucy Foster’s 

historical landmark. Courtesy of Kiara Summerville 

For White, being able to have 

conversations that garner a tightknit 

community among women of 

color at the University and being 

able to help create relationships 

with the students of BRIDGE 

allows students to build an even 

greater bond with the Black 

community at the University. 

Learning is an important 

part of being in Lucy’s Legacy; 

White and Hall agreed that they 

have learned a great deal from 

the program. 

White said she realized that she 

wasn’t as different as she thought. 

She learned from conversations 

with the women in Lucy’s Legacy 

that they had common ground 

and common experiences within 

the spaces they inhabited at 

the University. 

“It’s so hard to find Black 

people at a [predominantly white 

institution] if you don’t look and 

to know like there’s a group of 

them somewhere. And once you 

find that group, it branches out 

to so many more people … it 

just makes it seem like, it’s a big 

school, but it makes our area a 

little bit easier to cooperate with 

because we know that there’s 

people out there,” Hall said. 

White and Hall said that it also 

helped to know Summerville is 

always there to help them. 

Hall said it doesn’t matter 

the issue, whether it’s academic 

or personal, Summerville is 

someone you can always go to. 

“Dr. Summerville is someone 

who is there to help us with 

anything we’re going through. 

She’s always the person that I feel 

like I can go to about anything 

and even being able to work for 

her is so nice for me, she’s just 

always there, and she makes that 

known to us. Like we’re her girls, 

and she’s got us, like a second 

mom,” White said. 

I was like, ‘Well, that’s what 

it’s about.’ You’re supposed 

to feel comfortable. You’re 

supposed to feel you’re at 

home and kind of affirmed. 

And understanding that 

there are other women on 

campus who have these ... 

similar experiences to you. 

KIARA 

SUMMERVILLE 

Summerville said being a Black 

woman who also attended The 

University of Alabama helped her 

connect to and understand the 

students’ experiences on campus. 

She said her approach to Lucy’s 

Legacy was not only from the 

“lens of a Black woman but also a 

researcher and practitioner” who 

wanted to “improve the lives of 

college students at the University 

of Alabama.” It strengthened 

her practice and increased her 

ability to properly navigate these 

experiences alongside the women 

of Lucy’s Legacy. 

Female students of color 

who aren’t freshmen or aren’t 

in the program can still make 

relationships with Summerville 

and members of Lucy’s Legacy. 

Summerville said she doesn’t 

want any students to fall through 

the cracks or feel like they don’t 

have anyone to support them 

on campus. Even though they 

weren’t in Lucy’s Legacy during 

their freshman year, they can 

still apply to be a mentor the 

following academic year or 

develop a working relationship 

so she can help. 

And for those who are unsure 

about being a part of Lucy’s 

Legacy in any capacity, White 

and Hall said they should just try 

it despite their worries. 

“I want them to know coming 

in that; you have a place here at 

UA. UA is this big name. When 

you think of UA, you think of 

just big stuff, big football team, 

big campus, big SEC school, but 

there’s smaller things that will 

make you feel like you are big in 

the school,” Hall said. 

Applications for Lucy’s 

Legacy’s fall 2023-24 cohort 

open in February 2023. For more 

information, students can reach 

out to saeaoffice@ua.edu.

4A 

‘A Players Worth’: 

The Exploitation of Athletes and the Rise of NIL 

AUSTIN HANNON & SHAMIEL MOORE 

THE CRIMSON WHITE & NINETEEN FIFTY-SIX 

Many colleges have a long 

history of exploiting Black 

athletes for their talent, even going 

as far back as 1906 when the NCAA 

was established. 

Many of these athletes come from 

a less fortunate background — 86% 

coming from below the poverty line 

— and schools use that knowledge 

to promise money, notoriety and a 

better future. Schools are then able 

to make a large profit off of their 

likeness through merchandise, 

while much is not seen by the player. 

The NCAA placed many 

restrictions on player deals to 

keep a tight grip on players and 

their potential revenue. To many 

young Black men, college appears 

to be impossible because of a lack 

of grade credentials or monetary 

wealth, thus scholarships provided 

by the school seem to be the only 

option for long-term benefits. 

The NCAA couches 

its arguments for not 

paying student athletes in 

innocuous labels. But the 

labels cannot disguise the 

reality: The NCAA’s business 

model would be flatly illegal 

in almost any other industry 

in America. 

BRETT 

KAVANAUGH 

One such circumstance was 

with former University of Central 

Florida kicker Donald De La Haye, 

or “Deestroying” as he’s known 

on YouTube. In 2017, De La Haye 

became a prominent figure on 

the video sharing app. The NCAA 

caught wind of it and told him that 

in order to keep playing football, 

he would have to shut down his 

account and stop posting videos. 

De La Haye chose YouTube, and 

it ended up being a good decision. 

He now has 4.8 million subscribers 

and makes millions of dollars from 

posting his content. 

If he had faced this dilemma just 

five years later, he wouldn’t have 

had to choose, because of name, 

image and likeness rights. 

As of June 2021, the NCAA 

set up various rules for collegiate 

athletes to profit off their name, 

image and likeness. These NIL 

deals gave many players much 

needed recognition and money and 

loosened the grasp that the schools 

held on their image. The University 

of Alabama’s star quarterback, 

Bryce Young, is reported to have 

the largest amount of NIL profit in 

the country — around $3.2 million 

worth — partnering with Nissan, 

Beats by Dre and Dr. Pepper. Young 

continues to generate revenue 

through frequent commercials and 

social media posts. 

In 2021, in the NCAA v. Alston 

court case, the Supreme Court 

decided unanimously in favor of 

student-athletes and NIL. 

“Traditions alone cannot justify 

the NCAA’s decision to build a 

massive money-raising enterprise 

on the backs of student athletes 

who are not fairly compensated,” 

Supreme Court Associate Justice 

Neil Gorsuch said in the concurring 

opinion. “Nowhere else in America 

can businesses get away with 

agreeing not to pay their workers 

a fair market rate on the theory 

that their product is defined by 

not paying their workers a fair 

market rate.” 

His counterpart, Associate 

Justice Brett Kavanaugh, also 

voiced his support for studentathletes 

to make money off 

their talents. 

“The NCAA is not above the 

law,” Kavanaugh wrote. “The 

NCAA couches its arguments 

for not paying student athletes in 

innocuous labels. But the labels 

cannot disguise the reality: The 

NCAA’s business model would be 

flatly illegal in almost any other 

industry in America.” 

Standout players from various 

schools are signing deals outside of 

their school, some even before they 

step foot on a college campus. These 

are extremely beneficial as many 

athletes are valued at more than $1 

million when they often live below 

the poverty line. 

“For some Black kids, football 

and basketball is all they have 

for their future, and they don’t 

have time to wait until they go to 

the league to make money,” said 

Gabe Kunce, a senior majoring in 

mechanical engineering. “NIL is 

important so that players can get 

the money they deserve.” 

Earning that money early can 

support their family immediately 

as opposed to waiting for the slim 

chance that they go to professional 

leagues and generate wealth. 

“On one hand, if they do well 

enough, they’re bound to get paid 

in the NFL anyway,” said Spencer 

Lott, a junior majoring in public 

relations. “And that may be a huge 

influx of cash for an 18 year old, but 

not being paid for their hard work 

is terrible and needs to happen. 

Regulations may be something to 

be looked into.” 

The substantial number of deals 

being made has brought open 

the discussion of bringing back 

NCAA-sponsored video games. 

Up until 2013, there were countless 

college football, basketball and even 

baseball games. Tons of money was 

being made, yet none of the athletes 

were being paid for appearances in 

the games. Why? Because for years, 

developers said that they weren’t 

technically using the athletes’ name 

or image — but they sure were 

using their likeness. 

We don’t have anybody 

that envies what anybody 

else gets or wants or has 

because they all earned it, 

and they created it by [how] 

they played. And that’s the 

way it should be. 

NICK 

SABAN 

For example, if “NCAA Football 

23” was released today, Young would 

appear as “QB # 9” on Alabama, 

but would have a near-correct skin 

tone and hairstyle. Users could add 

names and customize equipment, 

so after that was done, there was no 

more anonymity — or reason for the 

individuals to not be compensated. 

That’s when the lawsuit 

happened. O’Bannon v. NCAA 

was an antitrust class action 

lawsuit by former University of 

California, Los Angeles basketball 

player against the NCAA — 

stating that the NCAA should 

not be permitted to use a studentathlete's 

name, image or likeness for 

commercial purposes. 

Eventually, a $20 million 

settlement was reached, and since, 

there hasn’t been a single college 

sports video game released. 

Now that players can be 

compensated, the games can return. 

Alabama football head coach 

Nick Saban has been a figurehead in 

promoting NIL. On Sept. 8, Saban 

was asked if any of his players are 

jealous of each other based off how 

much money they are pulling in. 

“We have really good team 

chemistry,” Saban said. “We don't 

have anybody that envies what 

anybody else gets or wants or has 

because they all earned it, and they 

created it by [how] they played. And 

that's the way it should be.” 

Black players have gone years 

without seeing a paycheck while 

winning championships and 

gaining national attention at their 

schools. NIL grants young Black 

athletes the opportunity to provide 

for their families while taking part 

in a sport they love. 

Bryce Young reportedly has the most NIL deals, including one with Beats. 

CW / David Gray 

NPHC Step Show going strong after over 30 years 

MAKAYLA DANIEL-MAXWELL & JOLENCIA JONES 


Oct. 21 will showcase the 

continuance of a tradition 

dating back over 30 years. An 

annual evening of entertainment, 

the National Pan-Hellenic Council 

Step Show is highly anticipated 

by the traditionally Black Greek 

organizations on campus popularly 

known as the Divine Nine, who 

will compete in the event at the 

Coleman Coliseum. 

The eight chartered Divine Nine 

organizations on the University 

of Alabama’s campus — Alpha 

Phi Alpha Fraternity, Inc., Alpha 

Kappa Alpha Sorority, Inc., Kappa 

Alpha Psi Fraternity, Inc., Omega 

Psi Phi Fraternity, Inc., Delta Sigma 

Theta Sorority, Inc., Phi Beta Sigma 

Fraternity, Inc., Zeta Phi Beta 

Sorority, Inc., and Sigma Gamma 

Rho Sorority, Inc. — will come 

together to put on their annual step 

show, a highly anticipated event 

hosted by the NPHC. 

“Stepping is an expressive 

performance art that also functions 

CW / Jesse Clopton 

as a ritual of group identity,” said 

Yechiel Peterson, a senior majoring 

in African American Studies and 

nursing. He’s also the vice president 

of the NPHC and member of Alpha 

Phi Alpha. “It’s how we represent 

ourselves,” he said. 

Stepping is a form of percussive 

dance that is a well-known facet 

of Black Greek culture. Each year, 

UA’s NPHC organizations come 

together to perform choreography 

and compete against one another. 

Stepping originated within the 

Black community as a means of 

expression during slavery around 

the 18th century. During the mid- 

20th century, historically Black 

colleges and universities began to 

use stepping to induct members 

into the Black Greek organizations. 

Around the 1970’s, Greek shows 

with step competitions became 

popular in NPHC organizations 

and led to the step shows 

seen today. 

To Peterson, stepping is more 

than just a type of dance, especially 

on Alabama’s campus. 

“Coming to the University, I 

didn’t know how big of a platform 

the University would give diverse 

programming,” Peterson said. “And 

so, I think that was really my main 

concern because there were a lot of 

events that the University holds but 

as far as representation for myself, I 

don’t see very many.” 

Peterson said he found a 

community within NPHC through 

the step show and wants to help 

others do the same. 

Stepping is an expressive 

performance art that also 

functions as a ritual of 

group identity. It’s how we 

represent ourselves. 

YECHIEL 

PETERSON 

“If I could actively get hundreds 

of people together to enjoy 

themselves, watch a performance 

and display their Greek unity, what 

else could you ask for?” Peterson 

said. “That's what I’m here for. 

To be that representation at a 

predominantly white institution, 

it’s hard. I feel like the step show 

is that sense of community that 

we don’t get often, that’s the piece 

that I will fight hard every year to 

make it the best it can because it’s 

our experience.” 

Carrigan Collins, a sophomore 

majoring in criminal justice and a 

member of Zeta Phi Beta, will be 

performing in the step show for the 

first time this year, and is excited 

for the students to see what she and 

her sisters have been working on 

for the last month. 

“We’ve been practicing 

really hard, and I feel like we all 

collectively think that we’re going 

to put on a great performance,” 

she said. 

Collins discussed how much 

stepping means to her family, many 

of whom are members of Greek life 

as well. 

“I know it means a lot, 

particularly to my sister, who’s 

also a member of Zeta Phi Beta 

Sorority Inc. She’s watching me 

do a lot of the things that she did 

when she was in her early years of 

being Greek. She’s going to cry,” 

Collins said. 

Cameron Smith, a senior 

majoring in public health and 

the president of Alpha Kappa 

Alpha, said she’s excited to see the 

creativity of each organization 

expressed in this year’s theme. 

“The step show is important to 

me because it allows all members 

of the Divine Nine community to 

showcase the culture behind our 

organizations. It also allows us to 

come together as a community, pay 

homage, and celebrate, what makes 

us unique,” Smith said. 

CJ Byrd, a senior majoring 

in creative media, is a member 

of Omega Psi Phi and a 

first-time performer. 

“The step show is a way to get 

Black students involved in Black 

culture. It unites them in a unique 

way. For Greek organizations, it 

provides us an opportunity to show 

them what Black UA is all about,” 

Byrd said. 

The step show is important 

to me because it allows all 

members of the Divine Nine 

community to showcase 

the culture behind our 

organizations. It also allows 

us to come together as a 

community, pay homage, 

and celebrate, what makes 

us unique. 

CAMERON SMITH 

Although he’s excited about 

the opportunity, Byrd said he still 

finds himself getting nervous about 

his performance. 

“It’s a little nerve-racking. The 

thought of performing in front 

of hundreds of people is very 

unnerving. But ultimately in the 

end it’s going to be an unforgettable 

experience,” he said. 

The organizations will compete 

against each other by coming up 

with a stepping routine that adheres 

to the theme set by the NPHC – this 

year’s theme is movies. The teams 

will go one at a time, and a winner 

will be announced at the end — 

one sorority and one fraternity. 

The judges of the event are picked 

by each organization for a total of 

eight judges. 

The doors open at 7:30 p.m. 

CJ Byrd is the assistant 

photography editor for Nineteen 

Fifty-Six magazine.

AUGUSTUS BARNETTE & ANDREA TINKER 


5A 

‘Hallowed Grounds’ tour highlights UA history of slavery 

Among buildings named after 

Ku Klux Klan members 

and sorority racism scandals, The 

University of Alabama is often under 

a microscope when it comes to racial 

issues. That does not account for the 

intense and storied history of slavery 

and racism that helped shape the 

campus into what it is today. 

“It's a great school with a lot of 

opportunity for people, we obviously 

have an amazing football team; all 

those things are great, but I think it's 

also important to know the history 

of the campus, because if we forget 

history we're bound to repeat,” said 

Dequiala Kelly, a graduate candidate 

studying health education and 

president of the Black Faculty and 

Staff Association Ambassadors. 

To help tell that history, the 

Hallowed Grounds project was started 

by Hilary Green, a history professor in 

the Department of Gender and Race 

Studies, in 2016. 

Erin Stoneking, an assistant 

professor of gender and race studies 

at The University of Alabama, 

said Green realized that tours 

on campus left out much of the 

University’s history. 

Featuring approximately 20 

different locations around campus, 

the Hallowed Grounds tour aims to 

“shed light onto the lives, experiences, 

and legacy of the many unsung 

men, women, and children who 

lived, worked, and even died at the 

University of Alabama,” according 

to the interactive browser version of 

the tour. 

“I think it's important because 

these were real people, and they were 

enslaved, and their labor really made 

the University run early in its history,” 

Stoneking said. 

The tour is relevant to student life 

on campus. For example, the Tapping 

On The Mound, a tradition for honors 

societies at the University, was built on 

a former dormitory. 

“That mound is built on a stoop 

of a former student dormitory. And 

on that stoop, enslaved people slept 

because they weren't allowed to sleep 

inside. So even that space is sort of 

marked with the afterlife of slavery,” 

Stoneking said. 

Without tours like Hallowed 

Grounds, the campus’ complex 

history and stories can fall by 

the wayside. 

“I think we're very fast paced, 

especially on campus. We come, we 

learn what we need to learn, we leave 

and we don't realize what any of the 

stuff means until we’re gone,” said 

Andrea Early, a staff therapist at the 

Women and Gender Resource Center 

and secretary for the BFSA. 

Kelly said she believes the tour 

provides an important glimpse into 

campus history that exists right under 

students’ noses. 

“What I want people to understand 

is the history of the University and 

how African Americans played a role 

in the building of UA, just by where 

everything came from and that there 

is still history here on campus that not 

a lot of people know about,” Kelly said. 

Jada Burroughs, a sophomore 

majoring in finance and BFSA 

Ambassador, said much of the 

University’s history is passed by 

students every day, and they don’t 

even know it. 

"We need to remember and honor 

those enslaved people who did work 

and build and made Alabama what it 

is, just to give those people their props, 

because they’re so often forgotten and 

they're really like unsung heroes to the 

University,” Burroughs said. 

As for a personal goal, Kelly wants 

the University to officially recognize 

the slave quarters located outside of 

the president’s mansion. 

“I think the main thing I really want 

people to know and what I’m trying to 

Communities and resources 

for minority students 

VICTOR HAGAN & SOPHANA NORVILLE 


advocate for is for the University to 

clear out the slave quarters and put a 

plaque there,” Kelly said. 

She said students typically don’t 

know about the history of the 

slave quarters and the president’s 

mansion, to the point where many 

take graduation photos in front of 

the building with the slave quarters in 

the background. 

The Mound (left) and Malone Hood Plaza (right) are two of the 

stops on the ‘Hallowed Grounds’ tour. CW / David Gray 

The Hallowed Grounds tour starts 

at the Gorgas House nearby the 

English Building on the northeast 

end of the Quad, and the tour ends 

outside of the Math and Science 

Building, where two enslaved persons 

are buried. 

“That's where we end the tour at 

and it's definitely a very shocking 

ending. People are always telling us 

like, ‘Wow, I had classes in here and 

had no idea there was a cemetery right 

on the side of the building,’ so that's 

where the tour ends,” Burroughs said. 

Other locations included in the 

tour consist of Smith Hall, where 

impact points from bullets shot at 

Autherine Lucy Foster can be found; 

Foster Auditorium, at which the 

famous “Stand In the Schoolhouse 

Door” occurred; and the Mound, the 

old site of Franklin Hall. 

Despite the current shortened 

form of the University’s freshman 

orientation, G. Christine Taylor, the 

vice president and associate provost of 

Diversity, Equity and Inclusion, hopes 

to one day see further diversity talks 

during the beginning of a student’s 

college career. 

“I'm hopeful that over the next 

three or four years that we'll find some 

way to expand the conversations 

about diversity, equity, inclusion and 

belongingness for longer periods of 

time during Bama Bound,” Taylor 

said. “Most folks come from places 

where it's homogeneous, and this 

might be your first time talking to 

somebody who's different, thinking 

about things you've not thought about 

before, and you can't do that in 30 

minutes. You don't even take a test in 

30 minutes.” 

Early said she wished the Hallowed 

Grounds tour had more support from 


“When we take our Capstone Men 

and Women tours, we're talking about 

history there. So, acknowledging all 

parts of our history is really important 

to understand how far we've come, 

but also to acknowledge the people 

who have come before us who have 

led the way for people of color to 

be here and to be successful here,” 

Early said. 

Stoneking said that the tour is 

a way to pay tribute and continue 

conversations around the people at 

the University who made the campus 

run in its early day. 

“I think one of the broader goals of 

the sort of mission of the tour is not 

just to pay homage to and memorialize 

the lives of people who contributed to 

the development of the University, 

but it's also about continuing to have 

important conversations on campus,” 

Stoneking said. “And so, the tours are 

really about opening up a dialogue, 

where we talk about, ‘Hey, what does 

it mean to remember these things? 

How do we remember these things? 

How should we address, for example, 

the naming of buildings or adding 

historical markers or how do we talk 

about the actual work that goes into 

marking the histories that are already 

here, or removing them altogether?’” 

The Hallowed Grounds tour 

is offered year-round, but it is 

particularly pushed during February 

due to Black History Month. Those 

wishing to experience the Hallowed 

Grounds tour can RSVP on the BFSA 

website. Attendees register 10 days in 

advance and should expect to spend 

an hour on the tour. Despite Hilary 

Green departing the University in 

2022, the tour program is still being 

altered and revised. 

CW / Reagan Christian 

As of fall 2022, 8,542 students at The 

University of Alabama identify as 

an ethnic or racial minority. While there 

are many identity-based organizations to 

join, resources readily available to students 

and faculty/staff, and even a place to report 

incidents of discrimination and other forms 

of misconduct, minorities still face struggles 

on campus. 

One example is a history professor 

deciding to use a stereotypical slave voice 

during a lecture on the southern antebellum 

era. When you’re the only Black student in the 

room, that isn’t exactly the most positive or 

welcoming experience. 

It’s also not encouraging to have people 

yell offensive things at you while walking with 

your friends at night. 

Some will argue that it’s just a couple of 

people creating those kinds of issues, but 

when the majority of minority students have 

had similar experiences it means one of two 

things. Either those couple of people are really 

efficient, or it’s a real and systemic problem 

that needs to be addressed. 

Every student has a story to tell and no 

two are the same. However, a constant among 

minority students is having difficulty finding 

their place on campus once they arrive. 

At the University, students of color have 

different experiences. Some feel as though 

they are in the right place and others feel 

like outsiders. Being at a predominantly 

white institution brings many opportunities, 

but finding your place in college can be 

a challenge. 

For minority students, it might feel like 

it is hard to achieve that goal but it is not 

impossible. There are ways to feel included 

on campus. You can join clubs with people 

that share the same interest as you. Clubs 

are a great way to make friends and become 

involved in the community. Greek life is also 

very big on campus which can create lifelong 

bonds. It is all about finding a community as 

a college student. 

Out of the 600 plus student organizations 

at the University, a handful are specifically 

tailored to Black and other minority 

students, such as the Black Student Union, 

the Hispanic-Latino Association and the 

Asian American Student Association. These 

organizations can be beneficial not only as 

spaces to talk to others with similar stories 

and challenges, but also for networking 

and mutual connections that will be helpful 

later on. 

Being a student of color means that you 

are in the minority. It means that you will 

experience things that many of your peers 

will not. It does not mean that you won’t enjoy 

your time here as a student, though. You can 

make the best of your college experience just 

like at any university. 

Students of color here have shown their 

culture through clubs and events like Onyx 

which the Black Student Union hosts every 

year. They have been able to take Black 

politics classes where they are able to advocate 

for themselves and others. Students have the 

opportunity to run for positions to be heard 

on campus and make a difference. 

The opportunities are endless for students 

of color because we are able to be a voice 

for not only ourselves but our community 

as well. 

While there is still a lot of work to be done, 

we’ve created communities for ourselves and 

consistently worked to show we deserve to 

be here just like our white colleagues. From 

Autherine Lucy Foster, to James Hood and 

Vivian Malone, and to the students now, we 

are here yesterday, today and forever.

6A 

OPINION: Black students should 

be supported wherever they go 

SAMANTHA WHITE 


As a Black woman, I found it 

interesting that there was 

so much pressure for me to attend 

a historically Black university. I 

did not, of course. Not because I 

had anything against Historically 

Black Colleges and Universities. 

If I did, I would not be writing 

for a Black student led magazine, 

would I? 

To my surprise I saw so 

many students of color 

on campus. Although the 

University is a PWI, it still 

felt so diverse to me. I 

loved how beautiful the 

campus looked and was 

sold on applying there 

when I toured the College 

of Communication and 

Information Sciences, which 

is my college now. 

Besides stating the obvious, 

I had so many friends and 

family ask me if I was applying 

to Howard University, Xavier 

University of Louisiana, Florida 

A&M University, and the list of 

Historical Black Colleges and 

Universities goes on. When I 

shared that I would be attending 

The University of Alabama, many 

were surprised, confused and 

even upset. Part of me could 

understand why. 

At first, I was dead set on not 

going to Alabama. I was born 

and raised in New Orleans. I 

had heard all the rumors about 

Alabama being a dangerous place 

for Black people to live in. At that 

time, I had already made up my 

mind that it was not the place 

for me. 

My mother attended The 

University of Alabama, and to this 

day she believes she’s the reason 

I did not want to attend. I have 

heard her on the phone multiple 

times saying, “Samantha doesn’t 

want to go to the University of 

Alabama because I graduated 

from there. She knows I want her 

to go, but you know, she’s in that 

rebellious teen phase.” I would 

always roll my eyes knowing 

my decision about college had 

nothing to do with being in a 

rebellious phase. 

I will share why I chose to attend 

The University of Alabama, but 

first I want to talk about why the 

pressure exists for so many Black 

students to attend an HBCU. 

I did some research and 

discovered that many factors play a 

role in this. First, most HBCUs are 

underfunded. According to USA 

Today, when looking at financial 

percentages, “If the endowments 

of all 105 HBCUs were added 

up, they’d still amount to less 

than 10% of Harvard University’s 

endowment, which at upward 

of $30 billion is the wealthiest 

of any college in the world.” I 

thought this may be the reason 

why so many people wanted me to 

attend an HBCU, to support them 

financially. As well as getting that 

“HBCU experience like no other” 

that countless family friends told 

me about. 

Second, there’s something 

deeper than an HBCU experience 

that made people biased towards 

them, something that wasn’t 

pleasant to uncover. According to 

Teen Vogue,“some HBCU students 

have issues with black students 

attending [predominantly white 

institutions] and some PWI 

students look down on HBCUs, 

which causes a sort of divide 

in the black community.” This 

statement is the reality of so many 

Black university students, when in 

reality, many are simply looking 

for a campus that will make 

them happy. 

Before integration was 

mandated in American 

universities, HBCUs were the 

only option for Black people 

to get a higher education. This 

is very meaningful, and I don’t 

discredit it at all. On the other 

hand, I also understand that Black 

men and women now have access 

to the education their ancestors 

fought so hard for by attending 

predominantly white institutions. 

What I don’t understand is why 

people are fighting over which 

path is better. At the end of the 

day, Black students are getting 

their education. These students 

should go where they will be 

happy and feel supported for 

pursuing a college degree. 

Like I said earlier, I was born 

and raised in New Orleans. New 

Orleans is a majority Black city, 

and I felt the pressure to attend 

an HBCU for this reason. At the 

same time, my mother was set 

on me touring The University of 

Alabama. “Sam, you need to have 

an open mind to my school,” she’d 

plead. She finally told me the day 

we’d tour, and I realized I didn’t 

have a choice in the matter. When 

your Black momma tells you to 

do something, you better listen, 

or else. 

To my surprise I saw so many 

students of color on campus. 

Although the University is a PWI, 

it still felt diverse to me. I loved 

how beautiful the campus looked 

and was sold on applying there 

when I toured the College of 

Communication and Information 

Sciences, which is my college now. 

What I don’t understand 

is why people are fighting 

over which path is better. 

At the end of the day Black 

students are getting their 

education. These students 

should go where they will 

be happy and feel supported 

for pursuing college. 

Nancy Parker Boyd, who was 

inducted into the 2020 class of 

C&IS Hall Of Fame inductees, is 

my role model. She was an awardwinning 

journalist, and my mom’s 

best friend. Sadly, she died in a 

plane crash in 2019 while filming 

a documentary of the pilot 

Franklin Augustus who also died 

during impact. Remembering her 

life and her spirit let me know that 

The University of Alabama was 

where I needed to be. 

Parker Boyd and my mother 

are strong, amazing, beautiful, 

Black women with a degree 

from The University of Alabama. 

When I applied and received 

my acceptance letter from 

the University, I was ecstatic 

to attend. 

After being accepted, I received 

an email about a program called 

Lucy’s Legacy that would allow 

me to live in John England Jr. 

Hall as part of a community 

CW / Autumn 

Williams 

of women of color. Long story 

short, I decided to apply and 

was accepted. 

I said my goodbyes to my 

parents and moved into John 

England Jr. Hall in August of this 

year. I thought it would be hard 

for me to make friends because 

I only knew one or two people 

from New Orleans that were also 

attending the University. I was 

definitely wrong. Within the first 

week, I met so many people from 

Lucy’s Legacy and BRIDGE. I now 

feel like I have a family, and I have 

met so many people of different 

races and backgrounds while 

attending here. 

When it comes to the debate of 

which is better, PWIs or HBCUs, 

one is not better than the other. 

No matter where someone decides 

to get their education, they 

should be supported for pursuing 

college. This means the Black 

community should be supporting 

each other, not trying to tear each 

other down. 

I remember the looks of betrayal 

when I told people I was attending 

The University of Alabama. I 

remember the jokes about how 

they’ll have to deal with the fact 

that I didn’t choose an HBCU. 

I’m at the point now where it 

doesn’t matter to me anymore, I 

am happy and feel like I belong at 

The University of Alabama. I don’t 

feel pressured anymore because 

I found my community. I know 

that I found my home away from 

home, and there’s nothing more I 

can ask for.

THE LASTING IMPACT OF WENDELL HUDSON 

1B 

BLAKE BYLER 


When Jock Sutherland 

walked into A.H. Parker 

High School in 1969, people 

thought he was lost. 

After all, what was a white 

assistant from The University of 

Alabama doing at a predominantly 

Black high school in Birmingham? 

The answer was simple, he was 

looking for basketball players. 

As he watched Parker play 

against George Washington Carver 

High School, another majority- 

Black school from Birmingham, 

one player in particular stuck out 

to him. 

“This guy can play,” 

Sutherland thought. 

That player was Wendell 

Hudson, a pure scorer who could 

jump out of the gym and wasn’t 

bothered when a double-team was 

thrown his way. 

Sutherland helped recruit 

Hudson to Alabama to play for 

head coach C.M. Newton, later 

that year making Hudson the first 

Black athlete on scholarship in The 

University of Alabama’s history. 

Hudson was a trailblazer, an 

inspiration, a beacon of hope for 

The University of Alabama and the 

state as a whole. Not to mention, 

he was a pretty good basketball 

player too. 

During his time at Alabama as a 

player, Hudson made multiple all- 

SEC teams, multiple all-America 

teams and was named SEC Player 

of the Year. 

“From a player’s perspective 

you look at what he did on the 

court, automatically he goes up 

at or near the top as one of the 

greatest players in the history of 

the program,” said Bryan Passink, 

a former Alabama basketball 

player and Crimson Tide Sports 

Network analyst. “That in and 

of itself garners so much respect 

from former and current players.” 

As Hudson was deciding 

whether to go to Alabama, he had 

two thoughts in his mind. 

“First, I thought I could play 

there. I’d seen Alabama play and 

I knew I was better than some of 

those guys,” Hudson said with a 

laugh. “Two, I thought nobody 

was going to bother me because 

I’m tough enough.” 

Hudson iterated that he wasn’t 

worried about his experience with 

negative race relations when he 

went to Alabama not only because 

of his mindset as a young man, but 

also the way he had been taught to 

think as he grew up. 

“At that time, I was 17 or 18 years 

old, I thought I was tough enough 

to handle anything,” Hudson 

said. “In my family and my high 

school, nobody talked about not 

deserving to go anywhere. There 

was never an idea in my mind that 

I was inferior to anybody. There 

were some people that felt that 

way, but I never felt that way.” 

Hudson’s mother was not as 

worry-free as he was. 

First, I thought I could play 

there. I’d seen Alabama play 

and I knew I was better than 

some of those guys. Two, I 

thought nobody was going 

to bother me because I’m 

tough enough. 

WENDELL 

HUDSON 

“My mother was not crazy 

about it. She was not against 

Alabama, but nobody else has 

done it before,” Hudson said. 

“C.M. [Newton] told her, ‘We’re 

not going to sit here and tell you 

everything will be rosy and OK, 

but we will promise you we’ll treat 

him well and do everything we 

can to take care of him.’ And he 

lived up to that.” 

One of the lasting impressions 

that Hudson always left with 

people throughout his life was 

how genuine of a person he was. 

“There’s just not a better guy,” 

Hudson’s jersey was the first jersey retired in Alabama Athletics history. CW File 

Crimson Tide Sports Network 

broadcaster Chris Stewart said. 

“Kind, compassionate. I’ve 

learned over time from observing 

and hearing, he’s probably one 

of the most forgiving people you 

could imagine. I’m very honored 

and grateful that I get to call him 

a friend.” 

After his career was over, The 

University of Alabama decided 

to retire Hudson’s No. 20 jersey 

and hang it in the Coleman 

Coliseum rafters, the first and 

only jersey retired in program 

history. The ceremony was held on 

Feb. 15, 2020. 

“Wendell meant so much and 

represented so much both on 

the floor and obviously off, that I 

thought it was a wonderful idea 

and that it was a well-deserved 

honor,” Stewart said. “It recognized 

what he did while he played at The 

University of Alabama, who he was 

when he played and coached, but 

also an unbelievable inspiration to 

anybody that aspires to be great.” 

Passink shared this sentiment, 

and said he was proud of the 

gesture itself being made by 


“I was proud of Alabama, 

the athletic department and the 

basketball program, that they did 

something that is not the norm,” 

Passink said. “It was so welldeserved. 

It was amazing to be 

courtside when it was unveiled 

in the rafters. It was emotional 

because I know Wendell very well, 

I know his story very well, I read 

about his story before I met him, 

and I’ve heard his story firsthand.” 

After Hudson’s playing career 

was over, he began coaching and 

eventually returned to Alabama to 

be the head coach of the women’s 

basketball team from 2008-2013. 

His coaching tenure was felt all 

around the state as he revitalized 

the struggling program in 

many ways. 

“He restored relationships 

within the state of Alabama. 

The situation he inherited was a 

trainwreck, and you can quote 

Hudson’s jersey was retired at an Alabama men’s basketball game against 

LSU at Coleman Coliseum on Feb. 15, 2020. CW File 

me,” Stewart said. “Bridges had 

been burned, relationships with 

high school coaches had been 

torched around our state, and 

Wendell built those back and 

was a perfect transition to a great 

lady and a really good coach in 

Kristy Curry.” 

At that time, I was 17 or 18 

years old, I thought I was 

tough enough to handle 

anything. In my family and 

my high school, nobody 

talked about not deserving 

to go anywhere. There 

was never an idea in my 

mind that I was inferior to 

anybody. There were some 

people that felt that way, but 

I never felt that way.” 

WENDELL 

HUDSON 

Stewart over the years has seen 

the lasting effects of Hudson’s 

legacy as a player, coach and one 

of his good friends. On top of all 

of that, Hudson’s legacy lives on in 

the Stewart household. 

“I’ve got a child named 

Hudson,” Stewart said. “My 

wife picked the name, first and 

foremost. Part of it has to do with 

a couple of physicians that meant 

a lot. I said, ‘That’s OK, you can 

do it for that reason, but as far 

as I’m concerned, he’s named for 

Wendell Hudson.’ In fact, I call my 

child Hud, because that’s Wendell 

Hudson’s nickname.” 

Wendell Hudson is a name that 

should be celebrated throughout 

The University’s campus for the 

legacy he left, not only on the court 

as an incredible basketball player, 

but off the court as a man who 

embodied kindness, compassion, 

and forgiveness, as an ambassador 

of The University of Alabama and 

a landmark of the progress that 

has been made. 

“[His legacy is] immeasurable,” 

Passink said. “When you look 

at the history of the University 

and the athletic department you 

think of names like Bear Bryant, 

Nick Saban, Wimp Sanderson and 

Wendell Hudson. His name is up 

there as one of the most influential 

and important people in the 

history of the Alabama athletic 

program, which is one of the most 

storied programs in the country.” 

In Hudson’s time at Alabama, 

he learned many things from 

Newton, but one thing sticks 

out the most to him all these 

years later. 

“C.M. used to tell me, ‘Son, you 

weren’t just a good player, but you 

were the right person. You always 

handled the bad as good as you 

did the good.’ I didn’t understand 

that until I became much older,” 

Hudson said. 

Hudson left a lasting impact 

on a broken school and helped 

spark change that still reverberates 

through the halls of Coleman 

Coliseum and Mal Moore Athletic 

Facility to this day. 

“I think he is a great example of 

where we’ve come from, and while 

I know there’s still a lot of work 

to be done, it also shows where 

we are,” Stewart said. “While 

there were people that wanted to 

fight over the fact that he was at 

Alabama and wearing an Alabama 

uniform, there are infinitely more 

today that would fight by his side 

or in front of him if ever a harsh 

word was said he way. He’s that 

highly regarded.” 

Shop Boots, 

Jeans, & Hats 

at The Wharf 

in Northport 

This is our water. 

Help UA protect it. 

Only rain down the drain. 

For questions, comments, or concerns 

about Storm Water, contact 

Environmental Health & Safety 

(205) 348-5905 | ehu.ua.edu | @EHS_UA 

220 Mcfarland Blvd N (205)-752-2075

Supporting Black women-owned small businesses 

3B 

KENNEDI HALL 


Successfully running a 

business is challenging. 

Then, tack on the fact that the 

business owner is also a full-time, 

degree-seeking student. College 

students are often tasked with 

balancing a successful academic 

career alongside a resume full 

of internship experience and 

participation in multiple clubs. 

Outside of the classroom, they 

attempt to balance a decent social 

life and maintain healthy habits 

such as working out and eating 

healthy, all while operating 

within a budget. The fastpaced 

nature of college makes 

running a successful business 

seem impossible. 

Having a passion for 

entrepreneurship is an important 

aspect of running a successful 

business, according to several 

Black women-owned businesses 

at The University of Alabama. 

“I used to do a bunch of 

different things when I was 

younger, just to make money,” 

said Elissa Nation, a senior 

majoring in political science. 

Before finalizing her charm 

bracelet brand, Nation dabbled in 

painting nails and selling snacks 

before realizing that she wanted a 

business that she could consider 

her own. 

Nation is the owner of A 

Nation's Charm, a customizable 

bracelet brand. The Birminghambased 

business offers 

international shipping and allows 

customers to shop for a variety of 

Nation’s Charm founder, Elissa Nation, displays her product. 

Courtesy of Elissa Nation 

body accessories, hats, bags and 

sunglasses. She said the idea of 

the brand came from the need 

around campus to find accessible 

fashion on a budget. 

“I was making charm bracelets 

just for fun and wearing them 

myself,” Nation said. “Then 

people started telling me that 

they wanted one, so I started 

selling them to my friends, and 

thought I might as well make this 

a legitimate business.” 

I’m never going to say that 

the process is easy, nor is it 

always fun, but at the end 

of the day I’m happy with 

the turnout and the journey 

doesn’t define what the 

ending product is. 

ELISSA 

NATION 

Nation’s charms are fully 

customizable, so customers have 

as much of the creative rights 

to the jewelry as they want. A 

Simplistic Charm Bracelet on 

Nation’s site retails for $14, 

and comes with seven charms. 

The customer can choose the 

color charms they prefer, as 

well as silver, gold, rose-gold, or 

black plate. 

“For people that like to dance, 

I find a charm for dancers,” she 

said. “For people that want to be 

a nurse, I find medical charms, 

so you can feel that the bracelet 

matches you as best as you would 

like it to.” 

Janeé Hill, a senior majoring 

in marketing, said the passion for 

her two businesses — Dose of Nae 

Podcast and Calyx Cosmetics, a 

vegan and cruelty-free lipstick 

brand — came from wanting to 

be her own boss. 

Hill began to look more into an 

LLC to ensure that her business 

formation would be right, as she 

would be to dealing with skin. 

“I always knew I wanted to 

work for myself since I was a kid,” 

Hill said. 

She said the idea of her 

cosmetics brand came in 2019 

before her freshman year of 

college. She wanted a brand that 

would relay the message that 

“less is more.” 

Hill felt that makeup should be 

optional and that women should 

feel confident with or without it. 

“I don’t feel like we, as women, 

need too much makeup and it 

was a way to boost mine and 

other women’s confidence,” 

she said. 

Hill then turned to her podcast 

in 2020 during COVID-19, 

creating it as an outlet for 

herself and others to speak 

about experiences. 

“As college students, we have 

so much to say, and we 

go through so much, 

especially when 

it comes to 

trying to find 

ourselves 

a n d 

navigate 

through 

life,” she 

said. 

Although Nation and Hill 

have seemed to successfully 

navigate their respective business 

ventures, it didn’t come without a 

period of trial and error. 

“I’m never going to say that the 

process is easy, nor is it always 

fun, but at the end of the day I’m 

happy with the turnout and the 

journey doesn’t define what the 

ending product is,” Nation said. 

Hill said that sometimes as a 

Black woman business owner, 

she feels that she’s not always 

moving fast enough or getting 

her products seen as much as she 

would like. 

“It can be discouraging 

sometimes,” she said. “Sometimes 

you’ll have good months with a 

decent amount of sales, and other 

times it's months where you won’t 

get many sales. But consistency 

and patience keeps you going.” 

Elissa Nation is a social media 

strategist for The Crimson White.

4B 

LEAH JONES & ABBY MCREARY 

NINETEEN FIFTY-SIX & THE CRIMSON WHITE 

In pop culture, the stereotype 

of a cheerleader is that she’s 

peppy. She has a large, red-lipsticked 

smile plastered on her face, and 

she’s blonde. Usually super tan as 

well, but always blonde. From the 

Cheerios in “Glee” to the majority 

of cheerleaders under any Friday 

night lights on the big screen, the 

culture is predominantly white. 

Dallas Cowboys cheerleader 

Briana Baisden says that her time 

dancing with the Alabama spirit 

squads was defined by this ‘look.’ 

“The University of Alabama as a 

whole, you see most of our athletic 

teams like football and basketball 

have predominantly black players 

and athletes,” Baisden said. “Then 

you look on the sidelines and 

you see the opposite within the 

spirit squads.” 

At The University of Alabama, 

spirit squads encompass everything 

from the Crimsonettes to the cheer 

squad to the dance team. During 

Transforming the ‘look’ of UA cheer 

Baisden’s time on the dance team, 

she was one of the only women 

of color. 

Baisden says that part 

of the problem was the 

intimidation factor. 

“I think we can all agree that 

Alabama has a certain ‘look,’” 

Baisden said. “If you look over 

the past 20, 25 years of Alabama 

dance team, you can count on one 

hand, maybe two, how many Black 

women have been on the team. 

So, if you’re a freshman coming 

in on the team, you’re coming in 

and you’re looking at that, and 

you’re wondering ‘Is there a space 

for me?’” 

While today’s spirit squad is still 

predominantly white, it includes 

more Black and other minority 

members than it did during 

Baisden’s time on dance team. 

But junior cheerleader Kristianna 

Morgan, majoring in nursing said, 

despite the accepting attitudes from 

UA cheerleaders during the Sept. 3 game against Utah State. CW / David Gray 

her coaches and teammates, she 

would still feel anxiety if she wore 

her hair differently than the typical 

cheerleader ‘look,’ like in braids or 

naturally curly. 

“I don’t think it would be a big 

deal if we decided to [wear braids 

or natural hair], like me personally, 

for no reason I probably would still 

be anxious about it or about going 

through with it,” Morgan said. “I 

don’t think I would be anxious 

about asking [coaches] but like 

actually having it, just because it is 

not the expectation.” 

Fellow junior cheerleader Tiana 

Taliaferro, who is majoring in 

elementary education, says she 

had similar anxieties about not 

fitting the typical cheerleader look 

growing up. 

“The gym I cheered at wasn’t 

predominantly white but there 

were times I felt like I had to be 

a certain way,” Taliaferro said. 

“During choreography, I would 

think they wouldn't put me in front 

because I’m Black. But it wasn't 

necessarily because they made me 

feel like that, but I believed it in the 

back of my mind. There were a lot 

of things in my head that led me to 

think that they wouldn't do certain 

things because I was Black.” 

Although the cheer culture at 

The University of Alabama has 

changed since Baisden attended, 

lifelong doubts still dance in the 

back of many spirit squad members’ 

minds. Years of little diversity 

and the preconceived notions 

and stereotypes surrounding 

cheer culture do nothing to 

help build confidence in these 

members. Former members like 

Baisden, though, can help crush 

those doubts. 

“In regards to that [‘look’] and 

spirit squads in general, there’s a 

fine balance between wanting to 

look collegiate and Southern, the 

‘wholesome, Southern Belle look’ 

and being exclusionary,” Baisden 

said. “I think having a diverse 

audition panel when it comes to 

judges is the first step in general.” 

When she isn’t cheering for 

the Cowboys, Baisden judges 

Crimsonette auditions and works 

closely with their choreography 

teams. She said that when potential 

Crimsonettes see women who 

look like them in the organization, 

they know that there is a place for 

them on the team and with the UA 

spirit squads. 

Since Baisden left the Alabama 

dance team after graduating from 

the University, the spirit squads 

have slowly but surely become 

more inclusive and diverse, in part 

because of a change in leadership. 

Baisden said she appreciates 

the opportunity to talk to this 

new generation of dancers and 

cheerleaders. 

Taliaferro says that having 

Brandon Prince, who is also 

Black, as a cheerleading coach, 

has impacted her view of the 

‘look’ during her time on the 

cheerleading squad. 

“He’s not super strict with hair 

and makeup because he knows that 

a shade of lipstick on me won’t look 

the same on a really pale person,” 

Taliaferro said. “That’s one thing I 

really like about it, that they don’t 

want us all to look the exact same. 

They all want us to be ourselves.” 

Allowing each member to 

develop their own look was one 

factor that greatly influenced 

Taliaferro’s decision to cheer at UA. 

“When I looked at Alabama 

and came to clinics, I looked at 

how diverse it looked and how 

he let them do their own thing,” 

Taliaferro said. “Now, being on the 

team, it really is true.” 

There were a lot of things in 

my head that led me to think 

that they wouldn’t do certain 

things because I was Black. 

TIANA TALIAFERRO 

Morgan says that hair plays a big 

part in that. 

“I feel like they encourage us 

to express ourselves through our 

hair,” Morgan said. “This year I had 

braids for headshots because it was 

still summer, and I did not want to 

have to change my hair yet and it 

was fine actually. It did not matter 

at all.” 

In fact, for Morgan, the cheer 

squad has become a comfortable 

place for her despite its 

predominantly white history. 

“It has been amazing,” Morgan 

said. “I don’t have to walk into 

practice or walk into a game like 

‘Oh my gosh’ you know, like when 

you walk into a predominantly 

white room and you are like ‘wait, 

I am the only Black person?’ It’s 

not like that at all; you don’t think 

about it.” 

UA cheer culture has come a 

long way since Baisden danced 

with the spirit squads back in 2011. 

It is beginning to shift from only 

preppy, blonde girls with bright 

red lipstick to a more inclusive 

environment that encourages every 

girl to bring her own look onto 

the squad. 

STEM organizations promoting diversity on campus 

SAVANNAH ICHIKAWA & ALYSSA SCHUBERT 


The science, technology, 

engineering 

and 

mathematics field is growing at 

a rapid pace with employment 

being projected to increase by 8% 

by 2029. With the ever-changing 

employment rate also comes more 

diversity, especially in such a wideranging 

field as STEM. However, 

only 9% of the STEM workforce 

is Black. 

At the University, approximately 

1,527 of 13,346 students in fields 

considered STEM or STEMadjacent 

are Black, which is 

around 11.4%. 

While it may seem difficult to 

navigate such a large field that’s 

lacking diversity, The University 

of Alabama offers clubs and 

resources dedicated to finding 

support for Black students as they 

pursue their degrees. 

National Society of 

Black Engineers 

The National Society of Black 

Engineers is one of the biggest 

student-governed organizations 

in the United States. Founded 

in 1975, the goal of the 

organization is to support and 

uplift young Black collegiate 

and pre-collegiate students who 

hope to work in technology and 

engineering careers. 

The mission of the National 

Society of Black Engineers is “to 

increase the number of culturally 

responsible Black engineers 

who excel academically, succeed 

professionally, and positively 

impact the community.” 

Not only does the organization 

benefit college students, but it 

also engages younger students. 

Thousands of prospective 

students, grades four through 

six, are eligible for the national 

Summer Engineering Experience 

for Kids camps. The National 

Society of Black Engineers prides 

itself on developing leaders in the 

STEM industry while promoting 

diversity and inclusion. 

The University of Alabama’s 

chapter of the National Society of 

Black Engineers “hosts events that 

focus on professional development, 

academic development, and 

community service.” 

Once I earn this degree, 

it will be monumental in 

showing other minority 

women that we do belong 

in these fields despite the 

extra challenges it may take 

us to get here. 

SHANISSEE LEE 

As well as highlighting the 

ability to create strong cover letters, 

resumes and communication 

skills with professors and 

peers, the University’s chapter 

believes that real change can be 

made through collaboration, 

which is what the chapter and 

organization promotes. 

Shanissee Lee, a junior majoring 

in aerospace engineering and a 

member of the National Society 

of Black Engineers, said she works 

to be well-rounded and is aware of 

the difficulty associated with this 

career path. Lee said the challenges 

lie outside of the classroom, 

as well. 

“In this major path, and career 

field, I am a double minority 

and am normally one of 100 in a 

majority of the rooms I enter,” Lee 

said. “Once I earn this degree, it 

will be monumental in showing 

other minority women that we do 

belong in these fields despite the 

extra challenges it may take us to 

get here.” 

Despite the hardships, Lee said 

she is able to find joy through 

the National Society of Black 

Engineers, especially when it 

comes to networking and relating 

with her fellow members. 

“This organization has helped 

me to find a community in which 

I am supported,” Lee said. “Things 

can feel easier and more motivating 

when you see peers that look like 

you going through the same things 

and accomplishing these goals.” 

The National Society of Black 

Engineers isn’t the only club on 

campus dedicated to supporting 

Black and minority students in 

the STEM field. The Minority 

Association of Pre-Medical 

Students, Students Against 

Medical Racism, and even 

expanding beyond the STEM field, 

National Black MBA Association, 

all have the same purpose of 

providing community and 

education for minority students. 

Minority Association 

of Pre-Medical 

Students 

This 

campus 

organization represents 

the undergraduate and 

post-baccalaureate students 

of the Student National 

Medical Association. 

They are committed to 

supporting current and 

future underrepresented 

medical students. The 

Minority Association of 

Pre-Medical Students 

works to address the 

needs of marginalized 

communities and promote 

the development of CW / Shelby West 

exceptional physicians. 

The organization is “committed 

to supporting current and future 

underrepresented minority 

medical students, addressing 

the needs of underserved 

communities, and increasing the 

number of clinically excellent, 

culturally competent and socially 

conscious physicians.” 

From hosting MCAT study 

nights and a friendsgiving to 

partnering with other local 

organizations to host budgeting 

and financial education nights, 

MAPS has general body meetings 

around once a month. 

For more information about 

the organization and its upcoming 

events, check out their Instagram. 

Students Against 

Medical Racism 

Students Against Medical 

Racism aims to educate students 

going into the healthcare and 

policy-making field about the 

disparities that affect minorities 

in healthcare. The organization’s 

members collaborate to prepare 

for their future profession and 

actively work in the 

Tuscaloosa community. They hold 

hygiene drives and fundraisers 

and donate to local foundations 

in order to help struggling 

Tuscaloosa communities. 

The organization provides its 

members with resources to learn 

about the history of medical 

racism and even hosts special 

guest speakers from different 

medical fields. The organization’s 

goals are for students to leave the 

club with a better understanding 

of what minorities might face in 

the medical field and hopes to 

inspire positive change. 

“Students will leave this club 

with a better understanding of the 

systemic racism that has plagued 

the country and will now be 

ready to go into the working force 

ready to make a change,” said the 

organization’s SOURCE webpage. 

While being on any STEM path 

at any university is challenging, 

The University of Alabama has 

clubs and organizations that can 

help students find a community 

that keeps them motivated and 

on track.

“Getting a seat at the table:” 

Hear the voices of UA’s Black student leaders 

JACOB RITONDO & SOPHANA NORVILLE 


This fall, The University 

of Alabama reached a 

milestone: a record number 

of 4,344 Black students were 

enrolled. Despite this growth, 

however, Black representation 

on campus remains limited, with 

most prominent organizations 

featuring few, if any, Black 

students among their ranks 

of leaders. 

The Crimson White partnered 

with Nineteen Fifty-Six 

Magazine to shed some light on 

the impressive work being done, 

by several Black students. 

Karina Collins 

Karina Collins is 

a sophomore who 

serves as a Senator 

for the College 

of Human 

Environmental 

Sciences in 

the Student 

Government 

Association. She 

is also a member 

of the Beta 

Sigma chapter of 

the Alpha Kappa 

Alpha Sorority, 

and a residential 

advisor at Ridgecrest 

South residential hall. 

She is currently studying 

public health. 

Q: What's been your favorite 

part about being in the SGA? 

A: Honestly, being a voice 

for students. I really enjoy 

when people do find out that 

I am a Senator for the Student 

Government Association. I 

really enjoy asking them what 

they want to see done, because 

they elected us, we're in this 

position, we're able to get things 

done for them. So just being a 

voice for this student body and 

specifically students within 

my college. 

Q: What motivated you to 

strive for the position of Senator? 

A: I will honestly say my 

friends and then the lack of 

African Americans in the Student 

Government Association. At 

first, I was pretty nervous about 

running for the position, but I 

just kind of thought, ‘OK, we 

need a voice at the table. I'll just 

go ahead and do it.’ And then my 

friends were also like, ‘I think 

you should do it.’ So, they really 

helped me get through it and 

decide to run for my position. 

Q: What accomplishments 

would you say you've made as 

a Senator? 

A: This is my first year 

being a Senator for the Student 

Government Association. So 

recently, I've been helping 

sponsor bills and that's been 

something we've accomplished. 

Also, one of the bills I sponsored 

with Senator Elizabeth Prophet 

was sort of a "Meet Your Senator 

Day." We're trying to increase 

transparency and inclusivity on 

campus, so again, the student 

body will have more access to us 

and they're able to tell us their 

concerns. So [I] definitely think 

that was a huge accomplishment, 

getting that passed in the Senate. 

Q: What challenges do you 

think you faced while you were 

trying to become a Senator? 

A: I honestly just tried getting 

my voice out there and people 

knowing who I am, considering 

I was a freshman. I was new 

to the campus. Not that many 

people knew who I was. So yeah, 

that was the biggest challenge: 

just trying to put myself out 

there. I remember when I got to 

campaign in person and handout 

buttons, I was so nervous. I was 

like, “Oh my gosh, what if they 

throw my button on the ground?” 

or something like that. So that 

Karina Collins 

Courtesy of SGA 

was the hardest part, trying to 

get my name out there so people 

knew who I was and what I was 

standing for. 

Q: What challenges or 

problems do you think African 

American students on campus 

still face? 

A: I definitely think it's hard 

for us to get a seat at the table. 

Sort of, like I said earlier, I ran 

for SGA so we could have a 

seat at the table. I believe we 

still face different adversity 

because at the end of the day, 

this is a predominately white 

institution— we are not 

the majority here. So, it's 

just sort of trying to get 

our voice out there and 

trying to make sure that 

people are listening 

to our concerns, and 

they understand that 

this is an issue [and] 

although we are the 

minority here, our 

voices still matter. 

Preston 

McGee 

Preston McGee is 

a senior on track to 

receive dual degrees 

in management and 

political science. In the 

past, he served as Deputy 

Chief of Staff under 

President Jillian Fields 

of the SGA; currently, 

he serves as president 

of the Capstone 

Men and Women, an 

ambassador group for 

prospective students. 

Q: Tell me 

more about your 

journey through 

the group to 

becoming 

president. 

A: So, 

I pledged 

C a p s t o n e 

Men and 

Women the 

spring of my freshman year. I was 

blessed to make the group. Over 

the first two years in the group, 

I woke up, put my best foot 

forward every day [and] I tried 

to be the best not only Capstone 

man but the best person I could 

be for every member of the 

group and every person I came 

into contact with. And I think 

over those first two years ... I 

proved that I could be who I was. 

And ultimately, that led to me 

being president of the group. I 

ran unopposed, and I think that 

the reason why I ran unopposed 

is that people saw how much 

effort that I put into the group 

and how much I cared about the 

University and that they trusted 

me to be the ... face of the group. 

Q: What's been your favorite 

part about being in the Capstone 

Men and Women? 

A: My favorite part about 

being in Capstone is really the 

people I get to meet. One of 

the reasons why I came to The 

University of Alabama was 

because of how diverse our 

student body is. We have nearly 

60% of our students coming 

from out of state. And now 

that I get to be one of the first 

welcoming faces that they get to 

meet when they settle into our 

campus, that's been the best part, 

because I've always been such an 

outgoing “people person.” 

Q: What challenges did you 

face getting into the Capstone? 

A: Challenges ... I would say 

that there's very few. ... I was very 

blessed to be become a Capstone 

Man to be selected to represent 

the University. Ever since I made 

the group, I decided that I would 

put my best foot forward every 

day, give as many tours as I 

could, and not just giv[e] a tour 

just to give a tour, but giv[e] my 

best on that tour, making sure 

that every person I interacted 

with on that tour felt welcomed 

and they understood my role 

and understood that how UA 

can be their potential home for 

the next four years is a very big 

decision. Yeah. So I did what I 

was supposed to do in the group, 

I went above and beyond every 

way. We kind of have a motto 

like the bare minimum is not 

good enough for the group. And 

we don't present to our guests 

the bare minimum. 

Q: What's one thing you think 

UA students should know about 

Capstone Men and Women? 

A: I want students to know 

that we're not only there for 

prospective students, we're 

there for all of campus. Because 

at the end of the day, we are 

representing our entire campus, 

no matter what your background 

is, no matter where you're coming 

from. We are here representing 

UA, and every single student at 

UA is a part of UA. And that's 

what we represent. So we're not 

only there to serve guests, we're 

not only there to serve people 

who are here, we're here to serve 

everyone. So that's a freshman, 

sophomore, junior, senior, 

whether you're on the group, 

know someone on the group, or 

not. We want people to be able 

to approach us, ask us questions, 

and get to know us and let 

us help you in any way that 

we can. 

Q: And finally, what 

challenges or problems 

do you think African 


still face? 

A: I think one of the 

biggest problems 

that we face is 

the barriers that 

we put up for 

ourselves; we 

put limits on 

what we think 

we can achieve. 

And UA has 

come such a 

long way that 

everything on this campus is so 

accessible to students. So a lot of 

times we get stuck on ‘Oh, this 

organization is primarily this 

race, or they're primarily looking 

for this type of person.’ You won’t 

ever know if you don't ever put 

yourself out there. So that's why 

this past year, I went out to so 

many different organizations 

trying to get people to apply 

because we want everyone to 

apply if you have an interest 

in being a counselor, man or 

woman, we want you to apply. 

We're not looking for a specific 

person, or a specific type of 

person. Anyone who comes in 

there and shows us that you have 

what it takes to put your best foot 

forward every day that you're on 

this campus -- that's what we're 

looking for. So I think at the 

end of the day, the barriers that 

we place for ourselves are the 

biggest challenges facing African 

American students, the limits 

that we think that are above us 

when there's really no limit. The 

sky's the limit, so fly for it. 

Preston McGee 

Courtesy of Preston McGee 

Remie Taylor 

Remie Taylor is currently 

serving as the president of the 

Future of Black Law 

Student Association, 

which helps 

students 

learn and 

prepare for 

law school. 

A senior 

majoring in 

political science with 

a minor in public 

policy studies, Taylor 

was previously 

the organization’s 

treasurer and director 

of public relations. 

Q: What is one thing you 

think UA students should know 

about your organization? 

A: I think that students 

should know just because it's an 

organization that says “Future 

Black Student Association” you 

can still come to the events to get 

knowledge about it. I invite the 

Pre-Law Student Association all 

time, the Legal Research club all 

the time, so I just want them to 

know it just isn’t an organization 

for Black people. I want them to 

know that if they have anybody 

that comes up with a 

question or anything that 

concerns the law school 

process that we are here 

to help. 

Q: How could UA 

students help your 

organization 

achieve its 

goals and/or be 

more inclusive? 

A: I think 

the biggest thing 

that they can do 

to help us achieve 

our goals is just 

being active in the 

organization. We 

can bring as many 

speakers as we want, we can have 

all the resources that we want 

but if we don’t have the people 

because they aren’t being active 

or reaching out then I think that is 

a little more difficult. My biggest 

goal in the organization is to 

help you navigate that extremely 

difficult law school application 

process and to get to that next 

step and I think the biggest way 

for me to help you is for you 

to actually come out and get 

those resources. 

Q: Briefly describe the history 

of your organization. 

A: So, it was originally 

founded in 2012 by a few Black 

students on campus. It was 

basically meant to serve as a 

safe place for minority students 

working to get into law school. 

It is kind of like the Black Law 

Student Association which is 

the national one at every law 

school around the nation. So, 

the FBLSA was kind of built on 

having the experience for pre-law 

students and having that sense 

of community where we are all 

working towards this common 

goal and we’re developing 

strategies, we’re figuring out 

resources to help us get to that. 

So that is how it started, and it 

is still going that way now so 

far after the years. Now we pay 

for LSAT tutoring and stuff like 

that, so it has changed a little bit 

but the main goal and the origin 

of it was to create a safe space 

to provide those resources and 

community for those minority 

students pursuing law school. 

Q: What challenges or 

problems do you think African 


still face? 

A: I probably think that even 

though we do have some sort of 

community, I feel like there is 

still a way to go to kind of solidify 

that into advertise that right. So 

I know when I was a freshman, 

I didn’t know anything about 

BSU [the Black Student 

Association] or anything 

until my senior year. 

Right, I am graduating 

now and I know about 

the BSU. So I think 

there needs to be 

Remie Taylor 

Courtesy of FBLSA 

more outreach to 

Black students 

to know that 

they do have 

a community 

and I think 

it's important 

that they feel 

welcomed 

on campus 

in any way 

possible. I 

think the 

Trinity Hunter 

Courtesy of SGA 

5B 

University could do a better 

job at that and I think that just 

making sure that we have those 

safe spaces is important to kind 

of mitigate those issues of feeling 

isolated or lonely because you 

go in a classroom and it’s one 

of you and you’re the minority. 

So I think creating more of a 

comfortable and kind of safer 

feeling for them, I think that is an 

issue we need to face on campus. 

Trinity Hunter 

Trinity Hunter is a 

senior who is a double 

major in public relations 

and political science. 

Hunter is also a writer 

for Her Campus. Hunter 

currently serves as 

the press secretary 

for the Student 

Government 

Association to 

help spread 

the news to 

students across 

campus. 

Q: What has been 

your favorite part 

about being in this 

organization? 

A: My favorite part has been 

the programming, as well as the 

community. Initiatives such as 

OneUA, Faces of UA, and the 

DEI Certification Program have 

been integral to our growth as 

an organization. In addition, I 

have had the opportunity to grow 

up with a bunch of the same 

people who I served in First Year 

Council with. From meetings on 

Tuesday evenings to us entering 

our senior year, it has been an 

honor to watch them as they have 

moved through the University. 

Q: What challenges did you 

face in getting to your current 

leadership position? 

A: I think one of the biggest 

challenges came from trying 

to understand where I stood 

within the organization. As a 

Black woman, I have learned 

from a young age that my work 

ethic would have to be that much 

stronger than my counterparts. 

Thankfully, this drive has 

helped me propel through the 

organization since I got to 

campus, but it also gave me 

multiple avenues I walk down as 

I grew within the SGA. 

One of the challenges that I 

struggled with was figuring out 

how to gain and maintain trust 

across all areas of campus. I have 

been blessed to serve on this 

role, and I am thankful for the 

confidence of President Martin 

with filling it. That being said, 

I know that I have a unique 

perspective within my leadership 

role. I don’t know how many 

Black students may be interested 

in getting involved with SGA, let 

alone how many of them may 

want to serve as press secretary 

one day. 

The biggest challenge of 

getting to my leadership position, 

as well as holding it now, is 

subconsciously knowing that 

every step I take could influence 

the experience of those who 

come after me. I want to make 

them proud in everything I do. 

Q: What is one thing you 

think UA students should know 

about your organization? 

A: I would love for UA 

students to know that SGA is 

here to serve them. I want them 

to feel comfortable addressing 

their elected representatives and 

to deliver as many suggestions 

for how to make campus better 

as they can think of. By letting 

us know how we can fully serve 

them, students are ensuring that 

their campus experience will be 

better than when they came in.

Planned 

Parenthood 

STANDS 

FOR 

CARE 

GET CARE.

The Crimson White / Nineteen Fifty-Six Magazine: The Unseen Edition, Oct. 2022

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