Since Feb. 1, the Black History Month Planning Committee organized events at Saint Xavier University to celebrate black excellence and empowerment.
Ashley Jackson, Director of Campus Life and staff advisor to the Student Government Association (SGA), discussed the importance of Black History Month for black and brown students.
Jackson says that the Committee was being ‘intentional’ about ‘highlight[ing]’ Black History and heritage, noting that “we had students’ input, staff input and faculty input” for all of the events held.
“I think that all of [the students, faculty, and staff] reflect all of the events that we have planned and hosted this month,” said Jackson. She continued: “From financial stability and understanding finance, to the celebration of [AAAA], to the culture of food because food is very big in our culture…to all of the different hard conversations that [Associate Professor of Social Anthropology and Criminal Justice] Dr. Tracy Crump has been having…is part of the vision for our black and brown students here on campus.”
Jackson found the African American Achievement Awards ceremony, the ‘most’ significant. “The reason why it is so significant is that we get to highlight all of what our students have been doing,” she said. Jackson adds, “Sometimes I think we can overlook blacks…and what our black students have done.”
Although Black History Month concluded on Feb. 28, Jackson says that it’s “very important” to create an Allyship year-round. According to a source from the Merriam-Webster Dictionary, an Allyship is, “a [supportive] association with the members of a marginalized or mistreated group to which one does not belong.”
“We have to pull in our white counterparts,…the Latinx community, the Gay community, [and] all of those communities that are being oppressed so we could fight together,” Jackson stated.
Jackson “absolutely believes” Black History Month is important. “When we forget the contributions of those who came before us, I think that’s a form of oppression,” she says. “This country was built on the backs of blacks (Africans).”
Jackson continues on to mention, “I think it’ll constantly be a reminder until it’s embedded and engraved…[that] black and brown folks are not an addition to this country, [but] they have made this country what it is today.”
To form an inclusive environment, Jackson encourages students to reach out to the Office of Student Life, to her directly at anjackson@sxu.edu, the SXU Counseling Center, and other people “they feel comfortable with.”
“I do encourage any student if they’re not feeling like their needs are being met to say, ‘Hey, we need help here, we need assistance! How can your office or ya’ll help us get to where we wanna be?,’” she said.
Those wanting to ‘make a stand’ are welcome to attend Student Forums and other events SGA has planned. Jackson hopes SGA’s hard work “won’t go unnoticed.”