University of Michigan Student Reflects on Leadership Community Engagement and Academic Growth Journey

Programming example

Greetings, As I prepare for my final year at the University of Michigan, I want to take time to pause and reflect on my junior year. I am so grateful to have found myself in various communities that pour into me just as much as I pour into them.⭐ I served as the Event Coordinator for the Caribbean Student Association, cultivating village, culture, and education through events like Unity of the Diaspora, where we connected with a multitude of other orgs many Caribbean students share ancestry with. Through this role, I learned so much more about the African diaspora outside of the American box, and I'm honored to be moving forward as Co-President next year.⭐ I served as the Political Action Chair of the Black Student Union, planning events on civic engagement and planning the annual Pancakes and Politics of the BSU. Through this event, I educated students on repressive actions and asked my peers to participate in activities where we create our own Black American Utopia. Pushing forward a strong, Black legacy at the University of Michigan in our current political landscape was at times challenging, but in the end extremely rewarding.⭐ I continued down the path of mentorship through the Center for Educational Outreach, working with the GEARUP program to educate high school students on positive post-graduation pathways. ⭐ Through my involvement in the Global Scholars Program, I had the opportunity to research for an NGO called Fashioning for Social Environmental Justice, learning the ins and outs of sustainable global policy (or lack thereof) and present this research to my peers. Moving forward, I am excited to be a Peer Facilitator for this program in the upcoming academic year!⭐ I finished my second year learning Swahili, an African language widely spoken in East African countries. Through this process, I strengthened my global perspectives whilst challenging dominant narratives of English being the "most important language to know".⭐ I did my first qualitative research project entitled "Aren't We Worth Fighting For?: Black Students and the Revoking of DEI", focusing on undergraduate student interviews to capture the emotions of the Black Student at a university whom revoked it's stances on diversity, equity, and inclusion. As a senior, I hope to continue pushing forward values of community building, education, and most importantly, love. Love is unity, love is strength, love is culture; and I would not have been where I am today without it. See you, LinkedIn family!

Communities

• Black
• Caribbean

Formats

• No Agenda

Goals

• Grow