Around 50 University of Oregon students, alumni and faculty gathered in the Woodruff Gym in Gerlinger Hall on Friday for the first annual Black student convocation, organized by the Black Student Task Force and the Black Male Alliance. The event provided Black students with the opportunity to network, listen to speeches and connect with Black student groups on campus.
President of the Black Male Alliance, Noori Cherry, started the event with welcoming remarks. Andiel Brown, Instructor of Gospel Choirs and Ensembles, followed. Imani Dorsey from the ASUO, UO alum Dr. Carla Gary, and keynote speaker Drue Edney were among the other speakers.
Bryan Roja-Arauz from the university counseling center reminded students to be aware of their mental health, and take advantage of the resources available on campus.
Kendaris Hill, Academic advisor and Black/African-American student retention specialist, and Andre Colas, President of Colas Construction and member of the UO Board of trustees, also spoke.
Dorsey, ASUO Internal Vice President, said that she moved to Oregon from California shortly before she started high school.
“The stark difference in the racial makeup of Oregon caused me to become immediately and deeply conscious of my identity as a Black person in a way that I had never experienced before,” she said.
She said that she felt that she was missing a sense of community. “I did not realize how being the only Black student in class would affect my education,” she said. She described wanting to explain her experience as black woman to her peers but also feeling isolated.
“Personally, I got over these feelings of loneliness once I turned to action,” she said. “You can take control of your own experience as a student and affect change to make this university a safer place for you and our community,” she said.
Dr. Carla Gary, a UO alum, spoke next. She emphasized the importance of Black students supporting one another, even on the basic level of saying hello when they pass each other. “I implore you, make every moment count with each other, for each other,” she said.
“We have fought all of our lives to be visible. Acknowledge each other’s presence because you matter, and if you don’t matter to each other then how can you possibly matter to anyone else,” she said.
Dr. Gary spoke on many aspects of succeeding as a Black student at UO, like remembering the history of success and change from past generations, holding each other accountable, and remembering that the fight for equality is not over. She even quipped about the importance of not partying too much and not skipping class.
“I am looking at future leaders right here, and it begins by leading yourself first to class,” she said, receiving laughs from the audience.
“Don’t ever believe that those of us who came before are not watching and proud and humbled by your presence and always remember that there are those who you can’t see who are waiting up ahead for your success,” she said.
Keynote speaker Drue Edney, who represented the Black Student Task Force, closed out the event.
She highlighted the accomplishments of the Task Force, including the soon-to-be-built Black cultural center and the introduction of Black studies courses. Some of the demands have been met from the Task Force’s 2015 list of demands written to the administration.
“We are here to celebrate many of our successes as Black students on this campus and we want you to know that it’s an exciting time to be Black and a student at this university,” she said.
She said that the Task Force will continue to monitor the progress of the unmet demands.
“Although we have come together in celebration, let us not forget that there is work to do. You have work to do. Our success is your success and your success is ours,” she said. “Let’s work together to ensure that we can continue to be proud of our Blackness, to achieve excellence as students, and work together to achieve equity for black students at the University of Oregon.”