NEW ORGANIZATION STRIVES TO RAISE CULTURAL AWARENESS WORDS Presiry ixon I I PHOTOS KaZ!, F!f}isa1va The Black Student Association {BSA) worked to promote "leadership, cultural awareness, understanding and appreciation of black cultures within the student body at Harding University and to enrich the lives of students on personal, academic, social and spiritual levels," according to their description on Harding's organizations website. The BSA was first established in fall 2016, after months of work during the previous semester. Senior Jewels Edmerson was a force behind the creation of an active BSA on campus. Senior Olivia Cook, member and social media director of BSA, admired Edmerson's dedication. "He's a big dreamer," Cook said. "When he has an idea, he's going to run with it. He was very motivated and determined and has managed to make it great and get people excited and on board." Edmerson and many other students believed that there was not a place for black students to talk about certain issues on Harcling's campus before the formation of this group. ''When you're a minority, it's often hard for you to fit in, and it's hard for you to find a sense of belonging," Edmerson said. "So this is a community where you are welcome and there are people like you." Cook believed that it was crucial for Harding to be aware of certain issues, and that BSA was an outlet for students to not only discuss these issues, but also find solutions. "There are several reasons why the BSA is important, but I think a large one is that this just gives the black students a voice on campus," Cook said. As a white female at Harding, Cook found it important to be involved with tl1e BSA to experience a perspective change. She stated that out of approximately 50 students involved in me BSA, two of tl1em were white, which was around me same ratio of white to black students in an average Harding classroom. "I like having tlus opportunity for a different point of view, and it helps to just be more socially conscious of your actions," Cook said. Junior Dehlah Pope, BSA president, commented on the organization's involvement on campus. "Last year, we did a BSA chapel, chorus performance and race-relations panel," Pope said. "The panel consisted of faculty and staff who talked about what it means to be black in America." Once the panel stopped, however, the conversation did not. "\'(le want to continue mat discussion on campus to make Harding a more inclusive community as a whole and ~ead] mat discussion on race relations in America as a Christian university," Pope said. According to Pope, BSA's mission was about opening doors for people, letting mem know mey were accepted on campus. ''We're trying to use it as a space to make black students feel more at home as well as to bring in more black students to I-larding," Pope said. Not only did Pope believe BSA would include black students on campus, but all students who were dedicated to inclusiveness and community. "We want to let everyone know we exist and we aren't just for me black students," Pope said. "It is led by the black students, but it is for me campus as a whole to further the discussion and to make us an inclusive community." I Sophomore Isaac Davis and freshmen lv1ark Sekimpi and Kenan Beneby join the others in games the organization put together at Harding Park on Aug. 25, 2017. BSA has made an effort to create a comfortable and inclusive envionment for minorities on campus.// Photo by Kazu Fujisawa Senior Ashley Hudson and sophomore lv1akayla Twigg participate in a scavenger hunt at Harding Park on Aug. 25, 2017. This was one of the afternoon's many activities planned to build friendships and bonds between members.// Photo by Kazu Fujisawa
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