Straight from print: A reflection on Black leadership
(04/22/17 6:59pm)
As my term as your student body president comes to a close, I can’t help but think about what this time has meant to me.
Delivering American University's news and views since 1925 | Wednesday, October 4, 2023
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As my term as your student body president comes to a close, I can’t help but think about what this time has meant to me.
It’s that time of year again, when we choose the next person to lead our student body and Student Government in the direction of progress. I have been fortunate enough to serve as your student body president for the past year, working to improve our community and the overall quality of the student experience here at AU.
Following the U.S. elections on November 8th, a protest which included a flag burning, occurred on our campus the following day. Later during the week, a drawing of a swastika appeared on a classroom wall. With the recent election of the next president of the United States, it became clear that many of our students who have marginalized identities in our community felt a heightened lack of security and safety. To those of us who are people of color, Muslim, Jewish, women, part of the LGBT+ community, transgender or nonbinary or have a disability, we face a very real and imminent threat to our lives and our livelihoods.
For as long as I’ve been a student at American University and a member of our Student Government, I’ve been asked, “but what does SG do?” more times than I could count. The answer to that question lies in the objectives and methods of each AUSG administration. This year, our Student Government will have a renewed focus beyond the notions of equality and acceptance, to also cover equity, inclusion and forward-thinking progress.