The Struggle is (Still) Real: Reflections on Modern Day Black Resistance

March 01, 2023

Information

YCSC Grand Rounds February 28, 2023

Tara Davila, LCSW
Brianna Brower, PhD
Belinda Oliver, MFT
Taryn Anderson, LCSW
Christine Emmons, PhD

ID9579

To CiteDCA Citation Guide

00:00Good morning, everyone.
00:01Thank you, as Kieran was saying,
00:04for pivoting to fully virtual and thank
00:07you to our speakers for being here today.
00:10As has become a tradition,
00:12we are going to share some stories
00:15from our community around Black
00:17History Month and we're focusing today
00:20on the topic of black resistance.
00:23And so again, thank you for pivoting.
00:26We'll focus on this theme and it
00:27was set forth by the Association
00:29for the Study of African.
00:30Life and history and with we are
00:33presenting this with the goal to kind
00:35of expand the definition of black
00:37resistance and shine the light on
00:39some modern day leaders and forms.
00:41And so before I move on,
00:43I just want to remind you to you know
00:47scan in for your continuing education
00:50credits and just as an FYI move,
00:53we're going to have two presentations
00:55coming up, one in March and one in April.
00:59Which the one?
01:00March has been approved for CEO's
01:03and so we will it'll be important
01:05to sign in and sign out in.
01:07We'll have some structures for that.
01:09But please if you're looking
01:11for CEO's that is one to make.
01:12Those are two to make sure to attend
01:14and to help us with the pilot and
01:16also to look for Christo's e-mail
01:18on the other presentations for
01:20grand rounds that are coming up in.
01:23The next one that we will enjoy
01:24is by Jake Luton, so.
01:28So to move on,
01:29black resistance tends to evoke
01:31thoughts of activist engagement,
01:33protests, civil rights leaders and
01:34groups such as the Black Panthers.
01:37But that's really just a narrow view.
01:39And today we're going to share some
01:42words from osla about black resistance.
01:44And as usual, I well,
01:47I usually like to send you
01:49things throughout the book,
01:50throughout Black History Month.
01:52And unfortunately this month
01:53I was not able to.
01:54However,
01:55I got some people to share with you
01:57today so that you can have some.
01:59Of that information anyway,
02:02and we really just want to focus on some
02:04of the modern faces and forms of resistance,
02:07and then we'll hear from some
02:09of our community members about
02:11their own experiences.
02:12And so,
02:13and I'm taking some of this information
02:17directly from assault asela.
02:19Black people in America have resisted
02:21historic and ongoing oppression in all forms,
02:24especially the racial terrorism
02:25that's plagued us since we were
02:28stolen from our ancestral lands
02:29and brought to these shores.
02:31Acts of resistance for required to
02:33be given access to a dignified self
02:36determined life in a just democratic.
02:39Society in the United States and
02:41beyond the US political jurisdiction,
02:43the 50s and the 1950s and 70s in
02:45the United States was defined
02:47by actions such as sit Inns,
02:49boycotts, walkouts,
02:50strikes,
02:50and by black people and allies
02:53in the fight for justice against
02:55discrimination in all sectors of society,
02:58from employment to education and to housing.
03:05I selected. Black people have brought.
03:09Ways. And actually, excuse me,
03:11is this Kieran? I can't tell.
03:13Is it being recorded because some
03:15people have asked about that.
03:16It's being recorded. Yeah,
03:17just wanted to make sure. Thank you.
03:24Black people have had to consistently
03:26push the United States to live
03:27up to its ideals of freedom,
03:28liberty, and justice for all.
03:31Systematic oppression has sought to negate
03:33much of the dreams of our greats like
03:35Langston Hughes and Zora Neale Hurston,
03:37and our freedom fighters like the
03:39Reverend Doctor Martin Luther King,
03:41Junior SEPTA Mcclarkin, Fannie Lou Hammer.
03:44They fought the.
03:48Things they fought to realize.
03:49And black people have sought ways to
03:52nurture and protect black lives and
03:53for autonomy of their physical and
03:55intellectual bodies through armed resistance,
03:57voluntary immigration, nonviolence,
04:00education, literature, sports,
04:02media, and legislation.
04:07Today, to leave us adequate
04:08time to hear from our community
04:10members about their experiences,
04:11I'm just going to highlight a few
04:12of the other forms and leaders of
04:14black resistance and the different
04:16organizations that have helped them.
04:22And so. Art is also a form of
04:26resistance and certainly this
04:27is not a comprehensive list.
04:29If it was, we would be here for
04:30the next like 17 grand rounds.
04:32So this is just a sampling and I wanted
04:36to draw back to this forum which we
04:39first heard about from Tangela last,
04:41I think it was last year.
04:44Regarding quilting and so Nettie
04:47pettaway young. Is.
04:51One of the G's bend quilters,
04:53and so the story sort of around
04:55some of this idea of quilting
04:58as a form of resistance is that
05:00focuses on the southern quilting.
05:02Collectives including the bend
05:04and the Freedom quilting bee,
05:07both in Alabama,
05:08preserve the lineage of the craft
05:10while creating an economic platform
05:12of self-reliance and political
05:14engagement for their members.
05:15Inspired by a 1965 visit from
05:18Martin Luther King Junior,
05:19who encouraged the women of
05:21Geese Ben to participate in the
05:23civil Right rights movement,
05:24the Freedom Quilting Bee was formed in 1966.
05:27And by selling their handmade quilts,
05:29the collective raised essential
05:31funds that were funneled back
05:32into the community and invested
05:34into the civil rights activism.
05:36The techniques that in excuse me
05:38employed by the cultures cutting
05:40repurposed items of clothing and
05:41other material into strips and using
05:44them to create intricate geometric.
05:46Patterns was passed down from
05:47generation to generation.
05:51North Carolina artist Precious Lavelle.
05:55So she's worked on and in the garment
05:57industry in New York and taught fashion
05:59fibers and surface design before
06:01shifting her focus to visual art.
06:03Her work explores the narrative potential
06:05of cloth, depicting important moments in
06:08history and expressing social critique.
06:11Although no longer the case. Historically,
06:13fiber arts were considered women's work,
06:15Lavelle said in an interview.
06:17However, even in the historical sense,
06:19it has been a vehicle for activism,
06:21memory making. And historical preservation.
06:28Moving it on into other
06:30visual arts is Titus Kafar,
06:31whose paintings have always been
06:34blunt in confront and confronting
06:35both the paucity of black figures
06:37in traditional western art and
06:39the tragic inequities of black
06:40life in the United States.
06:44Some of his art. You know what?
06:47The best thing to do is to show
06:49it to you. So he really just
06:51works to flip the narrative.
06:56And so these are two examples
06:58of the art that he has created
07:00behind the myth of benevolence,
07:02which is the one on your right is
07:04an A piece that he made in which he
07:07carefully flipped a replica of Gilbert
07:10Stewart's portrait of Thomas Jefferson.
07:12You can see that it's been partly
07:14removed from its stretcher and hangs
07:15to one side like a drawn back curtain.
07:17Behind this this solidly attached
07:19to the stretcher is a second canvas
07:21and another layer of the great
07:24man's personal history and intimate.
07:26The trail of a beautiful young black woman.
07:28Her image refers to Sally Hemings
07:30and enslaved women of mixed race who
07:33belonged to Jefferson and whose six
07:35children were, all unlikelihood,
07:36fathered by him.
07:38And so in his art,
07:40he's flipping the narrative and
07:42focusing on the the black stories
07:45in this as well.
07:46The one on the left is 1 called
07:49enough about you,
07:50and it flips a famous painting of Elihu Yale.
07:53This is from his crumpled series,
07:55and in it,
07:56it shows Elihu Yale and some of
07:58his folks being served by a young
08:01black enslaved boy.
08:02And so in this he shifts the focus
08:05from from this to this young
08:07black boy and removes the collar.
08:10That was affixed to his neck and
08:12actually show you can see the folds
08:15of the fabric of the canvas actually
08:18pointing to this young black man,
08:20excuse me, black boy to make him the focus.
08:26In his from a tropical space,
08:29he really focuses on black.
08:32And African American mothers
08:34caring for their children.
08:36But you'll see that they're
08:38all cut out in the paintings.
08:40So there's only empty space.
08:42There's not even canvas there
08:43that's literally cut out.
08:45And it forces us to contemplate
08:46the loss of the lives of black
08:49children and the history they
08:50would have had with their mothers
08:52and in this world and having that
08:54history be forever banished.
08:59So you can see that art is a very
09:02powerful form of resistance and activism.
09:07And so then there's also the world of
09:09sports and sports are a world pastime.
09:11It's both brings people
09:12together and separates them.
09:14Black athletes have used sports
09:15as a way to advocate for social
09:17issues and for political agendas.
09:19Serena Williams, Flojo,
09:20Jesse Owens, Tommy Smith,
09:22John Carlos, Jackie Robinson,
09:23Colin Kaepernick,
09:24Simone Biles and many others have
09:26used their public forum to bring
09:29awareness to issues that affect society,
09:31as they resisted the idea that they cannot
09:33or should not speak about political,
09:35cultural or social.
09:37Issues black athletic activists have
09:39often suffered personal and economic
09:41consequences due to their stances,
09:43speech and actions,
09:45but to them,
09:46it's been worth it to see the changes.
09:53And another form is authors and publications.
09:56And so to promote the awareness of
09:59the myriad of issues and activities,
10:01media outlets were developed including
10:03radio shows, podcast, newspapers,
10:05etcetera to contest the scourge of lynchings.
10:10Excuse me, I'd be wells used publications
10:12to contest the scourge of of lynching.
10:15These outlets were pivotal in
10:16sharing the successes and challenges
10:18of resistance movements and these
10:19are and these in front of you are
10:21some of the contemporary titles.
10:27And scholarship is activism.
10:28And so you may recognize
10:29the person who's up there,
10:31but that is Doctor Amanda Calhoun.
10:33She did hope to join us today,
10:35but had an unexpected obstacle.
10:37But we're going to shine the light on
10:39some of her form of activism as well,
10:40which is really, there are many.
10:44But the one that I wanted her to focus
10:46on and the one I'd like to focus on
10:49briefly is around scholarship as activism.
10:51And so she's in her third year,
10:53for those of you who may not be familiar.
10:56But she's one of our adult child psychiatry
11:00residents at the School of Medicine,
11:02and she's done a number of
11:05publications among them.
11:06This is just a snippet.
11:07My brother is still unvaccinated because of
11:10our because our medical system is ablest.
11:13The intersection of Black youth,
11:14mental health and racism,
11:16some attendings are safer than
11:17others navigating supervision.
11:19As a black psychiatry resident,
11:22the last one I saw was New Year's same
11:24racism in which she talks about her
11:26commitment as a doctor to continue to
11:29fight racism and fight for HealthEquity.
11:31And certainly I cannot do
11:33a mandas words justice,
11:34so I will not try.
11:35But I would like to just highlight that
11:38she is just one of many within our School
11:41of Medicine and Doctor Cindy Cristo.
11:43Doctor Carmen Black doctor Amber Chiles
11:45are just other examples of people who
11:48are using scholarship as activism.
11:52And so we'll move on now to
11:54hear from our community members.
11:56We have some stories from our some
12:00of our folks from across the center.
12:03And we are going to hear about their
12:05experiences in spaces of resistance and
12:07the impact that it's had in their lives.
12:09As you listen, think about the
12:11ways that you help or hinder.
12:13Think about the ways you contribute to
12:15making safe spaces or to hostile spaces.
12:17And think about the call to everyone
12:20inside and outside the Academy to study
12:22the history of Black American responses,
12:25to establish safe spaces where
12:27black life can be sustained,
12:29fortified, and respected.
12:30And may we continue to work toward
12:32a world in which we do not have to.
12:34All of our energy to resist.
12:39So I am going to stop my share
12:42and I am going to invite.
12:44Brianna Brauer and she is
12:48going to share her experience.
12:51In an HBC. So before we move on,
12:54it's probably helpful,
12:55if you haven't already,
12:56to put your setting into speaker mode.
12:58That way you can focus on
13:00the person who is about to
13:02share experiences with you.
13:03So, Brianna, please.
13:05Thank you, Tara.
13:06So as Tara mentioned,
13:08I am here to talk about my
13:11experience attending an HB CU.
13:13And as I was going through this
13:15presentation, I thought about
13:16the way that I wanted to start.
13:17And the first thing that came to
13:19mind was that I imagine that this
13:22theme of black resistance can evoke a
13:24range of associations depending upon
13:26the person who is kind of thinking
13:28about that phrase in the moment.
13:30So thoughts of rebellions
13:32or revolutions or movements,
13:35but what was stirred up for me.
13:37Those representations of
13:38resilience and strength.
13:40And so I am a first generation
13:42college graduate and one of the few
13:44people in my extended family who
13:46actually pursued a graduate degree.
13:48And my ancestors,
13:49like many other people of African descent,
13:52were taken from their homeland,
13:54brought to this country,
13:56and were prohibited from accessing
13:58information in order to pursue
14:00higher education.
14:01And so there was this pervasive
14:03belief that existed throughout this
14:05country that if enslaved people.
14:07Aren't to read and write that they
14:09would resist ******* and rise up
14:11and they would be able to kind
14:13of resist freedom and black and
14:16resistance was not allowed to
14:18exist within the same sentence.
14:20But free and enslaved black
14:22people did resist.
14:23They resisted the system of *******
14:25by learning to read and write
14:27in the defiance of anti literacy
14:29laws and as a means of liberation
14:31they went on to spread their
14:33knowledge to other black people.
14:35But resistance wasn't woven
14:36into the fabric of our country.
14:39There weren't institutions in
14:41America that cultivated educational
14:43opportunities for black people to
14:45pursue higher levels of education.
14:47There wasn't how to dismantle the
14:49structures that perpetuate racism that
14:51was on the course course curriculum.
14:54And black bodies weren't openly
14:56admitted to these sacred white
14:58spaces that often taught white
15:00individuals to learn trades and skills.
15:02And so the formation of colleges and
15:04universities dedicated to black.
15:06People was impossible.
15:07The very consideration itself was taboo.
15:11In fact, right here in America.
15:13I'm sorry, right here in New Haven.
15:15Exactly.
15:16There have been efforts to establish
15:18the first Black College in America.
15:21But that proposal to create the
15:23***** College is what they were going
15:24to call it for African Americans,
15:26was swiftly met with opposition from
15:29Yale leadership and prominent white
15:31citizens right here in New Haven.
15:33The repercussions of pondering
15:35over such a venture as starting a
15:37black college spilled over into the
15:39local New Haven black communities,
15:41and they were plagued by violent
15:43oppression and mob attacks to
15:45send that message that black and
15:47resistance could not be allowed
15:49to exist within the same sentence.
15:51It wasn't until the first predominantly
15:53black institution was created in
15:551837 that black people had a place
15:58dedicated to the education of
16:00former slaves and free black people.
16:03The Institute for Colored Youth
16:04opened the door of educational
16:06opportunity for African Americans who
16:08were once legally denied an education.
16:11The Institute for Colored Youth
16:12is now known as Shanee
16:14University in Pennsylvania,
16:15and it's the oldest historically black
16:17college and university that still exists.
16:20Following the abolition of slavery,
16:21there were a number of HB CU that were
16:24created as hubs of innovative learning
16:26and they were opportunities for African
16:28Americans to pursue higher education and
16:31from their inception HB CU have refused
16:34to accept the usual state of affairs.
16:37HBC US have challenged the
16:39intellectual capacity of its
16:40students to acquire and contribute,
16:42contribute knowledge to the world,
16:44promote scholarship like Doctor Calhoun
16:47on addressing injustices in our society.
16:50And providing real training
16:51and education to all people,
16:53not just black people.
16:55The existence of HBC US exemplifies
16:59black resistance.
17:00I have had the privilege
17:02of attending to HBC US,
17:04North Carolina,
17:05A&amp;T State University and Howard University,
17:07which is the sweater that
17:09I'm wearing currently,
17:10and I chose to attend an HB CU at
17:12they're sitting in a high school
17:14African American history course that
17:16was taught by a white professor,
17:18and for six months we taught and learned
17:21about the history of American slavery.
17:23I recognize that where we've
17:25been and forms where we're going,
17:27but I knew there had to be more than
17:29just slavery that operated within
17:31the existence of black people.
17:33I chose an HBC U because I wanted
17:35to be able to reflect upon the
17:37history of my ancestors,
17:38as well as learn about the resilience
17:40and strength and perseverance of
17:41black people in this country.
17:44And HBC,
17:44you provided me with that counter
17:46narrative that black people in this
17:48country can be activists and leaders,
17:50artists, medical professionals,
17:52business owners, engineers,
17:53scientists, tradespeople, educators.
17:55I learned about the historical
17:58initiatives such as the lunch counter
18:00sit INS that were organized by the
18:03North Carolina A&amp;T for students,
18:04the freedom rise that were coordinated
18:06throughout the southern states,
18:08the activism efforts to form the first
18:10black student union at a predominantly
18:12white institution in San Francisco.
18:14I can remember from personal experiences
18:17the gut wrenching news coverage of the
18:19killing of Trayvon Martin and the student
18:22activist that were at my institution.
18:24That galvanized the community to take
18:26part in actionable solutions because we
18:29couldn't just sit and stand by and watch.
18:31I remember,
18:32if I sit still for long enough,
18:33that feeling that I had when we were
18:35at an election night watch party and
18:37former President Barack Obama was
18:39elected as the first black president
18:41of the United States of America.
18:44My HB CU taught me black resistance.
18:48But my journey wouldn't be told
18:50authentically without mentioning the fear.
18:52I was told my degree wouldn't be reputable.
18:55Coming from an HP CU,
18:57I would never be taken seriously.
18:59I would have to work twice as hard,
19:01and even then that wouldn't mean much.
19:03I pursue my next degree at a predominantly
19:06white institution out of trepidation
19:08that I will be seen as inferior.
19:10That I wasn't enough,
19:12I wasn't good enough.
19:13I learned from bright minds
19:15at that institution,
19:16but I missed that palpable
19:18feeling of black resilience,
19:20black intellect, black resistance.
19:21And I yearned for that safe
19:23space where I could learn,
19:24discover, and build community.
19:26I returned to an HB CU Howard
19:28University because I was inspired
19:31by the representation of black
19:33excellence that I saw in my community,
19:35on my campus and in the classroom.
19:38The HBCU experience served as a
19:40beacon of promise and pride for me.
19:43It's an indescribable semblance of assurance,
19:45reassurance of black resilience
19:48in the face of resistance.
19:50Unfortunately,
19:51as our title suggests,
19:52the struggle is still real.
19:55There are just over 100 HBC US in America,
19:58which only constitutes about 3% of the higher
20:02education institutions in the country,
20:04and those schools are mainly clustered
20:06in the Southern and Mid-Atlantic states.
20:08And many of the misconceptions
20:10about their rigor and the lack of
20:13upward mobility and challenges
20:15with systemic racism have left
20:17them vulnerable to enrollment
20:19declines in public underfunding.
20:21HBC's continue to be forced into lockdown
20:23and evacuations because of bomb threats,
20:25some of which I experienced while I
20:27was right there at my institution.
20:29They face racial inequities and our
20:31discounted informs on research and
20:34scholarship of the highest caliber.
20:36There's a significant omission in
20:37conversation about the black and
20:39Brown colleagues who attended HBC US
20:41and still contribute their advocacy
20:43and leadership efforts every day
20:45to each of our missions right here
20:47in this room. Still,
20:49HBC use must go on because these
20:52institutions continue to stand as
20:54a testament of black resistance,
20:55all while empowering generations of
20:58leaders such as Justice Thurgood Marshall.
21:01Doctor Martin Luther King,
21:02Junior Congressman John Lewis and our
21:05current Madam Vice President Kamala Harris.
21:09HBC US have a legacy that continues
21:11even now into the 21st century,
21:14which makes them celebrated,
21:15indispensable and a model of
21:17modern day black resistance.
21:19I am a product of a HB CU
21:22I am black resistance.
21:25Thank you.
21:31Thank you so much for sharing that,
21:33Brianna and. I'm so pleased that
21:37you decided to bring yourself
21:39here and share your gifts with us.
21:42So the next person we're going to hear from,
21:45you all heard from before,
21:47who is Miss Belinda Oliver?
21:50And but we're actually going to hear
21:52from her from a different hat that
21:53she's worn for many, many years.
21:55And so she's going to share
21:57with us about the Black Church
22:00and her experiences there.
22:02Belinda.
22:03Thank you, Tara. First piece is
22:06there's so many different layers when
22:08we talk about the Black Church and
22:10we would be here for days and so,
22:13but I wanted to be a little succinct today
22:15and there may be conversations later.
22:17So I will begin. Ironically,
22:19when we began the clinical care rounds
22:21after George Floyd's murder in 2020,
22:24we were initially told.
22:26We could not call on the name of Jesus.
22:29Many missed that this is how the
22:32Black Church flows IE through prayer
22:34and calling on God's son Jesus.
22:37And remember when we were zoom bomb?
22:39Well the next request became
22:41can we have prayer?
22:42So that was a contrast right there.
22:44But isn't that typical of black resistance?
22:47We must fight for our space to be
22:49heard and treated like human beings.
22:51We are no longer carted on
22:53cargo ships from our homelands,
22:55yet still many of us are
22:57locked up in our minds.
22:58Our jobs, our homes,
23:00and our black men continue to fear for
23:03their lives as a fourth generation
23:06child of a Christian family.
23:08Minister, I am also one.
23:10I ponder the dynamics,
23:11the dynamics of the Black Lives
23:13Matter and black resistance.
23:15I cannot say that there are any right
23:17or wrong answers for today's session.
23:19However, I can share some of my thoughts.
23:22We have traveled a long way but
23:24still have a long way to go.
23:26We state the Black Church,
23:27yet Christ does not see color,
23:29for we're called to love all of humanity.
23:33There are layers and nuances we cannot
23:35deny that systemic privilege and white.
23:38Agility and privileges are real.
23:41Some churches emphasis on churches
23:43because we have always had allies
23:45house those who stood in the forefront
23:48or ran for their lives and contrast.
23:50For years, Christianity was used
23:52as a weapon to manipulate tribes.
23:55For example,
23:56I recently saw a movie about Queen and Zynga.
24:00She was a Southwest African ruler.
24:03Who served as Queen of the Ambunda kingdoms,
24:06and she's now will be considered
24:08the present day Angola.
24:10The movie shook me.
24:11I encourage you to check it out on Netflix.
24:14One of her parting words to one
24:16of the priests was why should
24:18I serve a God that treats your
24:21people differently from mine?
24:22The Portuguese had requested the tribes
24:25be baptized and filed their ways,
24:27and at the same time they demanded 200
24:30slaves to appease the war between the two,
24:33the tribes and the Portuguese.
24:34It was bloody.
24:36Please keep in mind that many races
24:38were indentured slaves so they could.
24:40Court for their freedom and contrast, really.
24:43Were Africans able to become free?
24:46They were considered chattel and not human.
24:48My grandmother once told me how many
24:51thought we had tails like monkeys.
24:53That's not that long ago was
24:55the 1920s she was born.
24:57I often wonder if the Black Church
24:58has lost much of its power because
25:01many leave leaders have chosen
25:02to live off the backs of blacks.
25:04Have we traded one form
25:06of slavery for another?
25:07From a cognitive perspective,
25:09it is our nature.
25:10The desire of power and I have discovered
25:12that when you have none within your life,
25:15you will look for it elsewhere,
25:17and that too includes power seeking
25:19individuals within the Black Church.
25:21I say none of this for
25:23anyone to look down upon us,
25:24but to consider the
25:26complications of our history.
25:27As we continue to serve our the Community,
25:30we must often ward off our
25:32demons instituted by others
25:33who chose to steal us from
25:35our origins. Thank you.
25:43Thank you, Belinda.
25:45And I don't know how many people
25:48also realize how instrumental the
25:51spaces that we're talking about
25:54have been to progress and change.
25:57I mean, the Black Church offered.
26:00Space for convening if you're
26:02sharing and for planning for much
26:04of the civil rights movement, yes.
26:06And so those spaces continue
26:08to empower and there.
26:10But as Belinda has shared rights,
26:12not without complications.
26:12It's not all just black
26:14and white and so easy.
26:15There's a there's a lot of nuance there.
26:17But thank you so much for
26:19sharing that with us.
26:23And so now I will ask Miss
26:25Taryn Anderson to join us.
26:28And she's going to share her
26:29experience as being a member of
26:31the Divine Nine and she'll give
26:33us more information about that.
26:35Thank you, Terry.
26:36Hi, good afternoon,
26:38everyone. Please, please excuse my voice.
26:41So I am one week shy of 16 years in
26:44Alpha Kappa Alpha sorority incorporated
26:46and next week I will join 5000 of my
26:49sorority sisters from Maine to DC in
26:52Philadelphia for our annual notable
26:54North Atlantic Regional Conference.
26:56Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority Incorporated
26:58was founded on January 15th,
27:0119108 on the campus of Howard
27:03University in Washington DC.
27:04We are the oldest Greek letter
27:06organization founded by African American
27:08College educated women of the 25.
27:11Women that graduated from Howard
27:13University between 1908 and 1911.
27:15Sixteen of them were women
27:17of Alpha Kappa Alpha.
27:19The purpose of Alpha Kappa Alpha Sword
27:22Incorporated is to cultivate and encourage
27:24high scholastic and ethical standards,
27:26to promote unity and friendship
27:27among college women,
27:28to study and help alleviate problems
27:31concerning girls and women in order
27:33to improve their social stature,
27:34to maintain a progressive
27:36interest in college life,
27:37and to be of service to all mankind.
27:40For the last 115 years,
27:42Alpha Kappa Alpha has been an
27:44active force in black resistance.
27:46Alpha Kappa Alpha has continued to
27:48engage the community through service
27:49projects and advocating for those
27:51who cannot advocate for themselves.
27:53In 1915,
27:54Alpha Kappa Alpha hosted their
27:56first public action conference.
27:59In the 1920s,
28:00Alpha Kappa Alpha advocated for
28:02the passage of anti lynching laws.
28:04In the 1930s,
28:05the Mississippi Health project
28:07provided appropriate healthcare
28:08in the Mississippi Delta following
28:10the Great Depression and Alpha
28:11Kappa Alpha has a long lasting
28:13partnership with the N double ACP.
28:16In the 1940s and 1950s,
28:18Alpha Kappa Alpha continued to
28:20partner with organizations to fight
28:22against discrimination and inequality,
28:24along with making financial
28:26contributions to black businesses
28:27and sickle cell research.
28:29Alpha Kappa Alpha.
28:32Women have were actively participating
28:34in the civil rights movement,
28:36and Alpha Kappa Alpha opened the
28:38first federally operated job
28:39port for women in Cleveland, OH.
28:41In the 1980s,
28:42we began to see Alpha Kappa
28:44Alpha expand to international
28:46service projects and establish
28:48the Educational Advancement Fund,
28:50which provides scholarships,
28:52grants and fellowships currently totaling
28:55over $100,000 annually in giving.
28:56And this is only a mere glimpse of
28:59the work that Alpha Kappa Alpha
29:01has done for the last 115 years.
29:03So how did I become one of the
29:06114,000 active members today?
29:08I was born, raised and educated in New Haven.
29:12I'm a proud product of the New
29:14Haven Public schools.
29:15I am a daughter of two Jamaican
29:17immigrants who came to the US
29:19when they were in middle school.
29:20I've always done well academically.
29:22In school,
29:23I was usually chosen for special
29:26programs such as tag or the Macy's
29:28Honors program at Hill House.
29:30I was chosen to represent my school at
29:32various events and receive numerous awards.
29:35I was fortunate to have teachers
29:37who not only looked like me,
29:39but were supportive and spoke
29:41positively over my future.
29:42I began to notice early on that in some
29:46programs I attended outside of school,
29:48I would be one of few students of color.
29:50Although this was my experience
29:53in academic settings,
29:54my home life was filled with safe spaces
29:56similar to what had been discussed earlier.
29:59So I attended a black-owned dancing
30:01school here in New Haven for 11 years.
30:03My church was predominantly Jamaican
30:05and at home I was surrounded by
30:08my huge Jamaican family.
30:10My senior year of high school,
30:11a teacher suggested that I apply
30:13to Yale because I was the type of
30:16student they were looking for.
30:17All I knew about Yale was
30:18that it was the big school,
30:20famous school down the street,
30:21with all the smart kids.
30:23I didn't know who.
30:24I didn't know people who looked
30:26like me that were there.
30:28I told the teacher if they were
30:29willing to write the recommendation,
30:31I would apply.
30:33I was accepted to Yale,
30:34along with other state schools,
30:36small liberal arts colleges,
30:37all girls colleges, and HBC.
30:39I realized I could not pass up on
30:42the opportunity to attend an Ivy
30:44League University in my backyard with
30:47an amazing financial aid package.
30:49I was concerned about how I would
30:52connect with students on campus,
30:53even though I had become used to being
30:56one of few students who looked like
30:58me when I went to certain places.
31:00I remember visiting Yale for
31:01Bulldog Days which is Yale's
31:03accepted students weekend.
31:04I fell in love with the school.
31:06There were events that we can
31:08gear towards students of color.
31:09I was able to connect with other students
31:11who looked like me and explored the campus.
31:13I attended cultural connections
31:15which was a pre orientation program
31:17for students of color at the time.
31:20My safe space at Yale.
31:23Was the African American Cultural
31:25Center effectually known as the House?
31:27The house was established at a time
31:29when there was an increase in issues
31:31surrounding race and civil unrest at
31:33Yale and in the New Haven community.
31:36Everything happened for me at
31:37the house while I was a student,
31:39from student group meetings and events,
31:41conferences, guest speakers,
31:43parties, hanging out,
31:45watching TV and church on Sunday morning.
31:49The Dean at the time,
31:51the Dean at the Cultural Center at the time,
31:52was like a mother figure to all of us.
31:55We recently celebrated the
31:5750th anniversary of the happy.
32:00So it was at Yale that I became
32:02a member of Alpha Kappa Alpha
32:04sorority incorporated through the
32:06zealous Diamicron chapter.
32:07I am now a member of Theta Epsilon
32:09Omega graduate chapter serving here
32:11in the greater New Haven area.
32:12I have served in chapter and
32:14regional position.
32:15In 2010,
32:16I Co chaired our emerging young leaders
32:18mentoring program for middle school girls.
32:20I have also worked on our fundraising
32:22committee to plan events which raise
32:25money for community programs and
32:27our scholarship fund and actually
32:28while student at Hill House.
32:30One of my scholarships did come from they.
32:32That's not Omega chapter,
32:33so a lot of full circle moments
32:35for me here today.
32:36Our current theme is soaring
32:38to greater heights of service
32:39and sisterhood.
32:40Some of our current programs are
32:43focused on addressing childhood hunger,
32:44mental health awareness and
32:46creating home and community gardens,
32:49shredding and recycling days,
32:51and voter education,
32:52registration and mobilization.
32:53Our Youth Leadership Institute is for
32:56ages 11 to 13 and we're also focused
32:59on promoting women entrepreneurs and
33:01supporting black-owned businesses
33:03with our black dollar dates.
33:05We have also created the first
33:08black-owned woman LED sorority based
33:11digital credit union for our members.
33:14As I reflected on this year's theme,
33:16I know that I am blessed,
33:17and I have benefited from many
33:19of the safe spaces that have been
33:21created through black resistance.
33:23My purpose has always been to help others,
33:25whether through serving my community
33:27with my sorority sisters or now here
33:29working at the Yale Child Study Center.
33:31I want to see the next generation
33:33have a better lived experience
33:35and more opportunities than I had.
33:37I want young girls who look like me
33:39to know that success is possible,
33:41no matter how they define it.
33:43I want to continue to pull others
33:45up along with me as my sorority
33:47sister in the White House,
33:48Kamala Harris stated in her
33:50acceptance speech in November 2020.
33:52And I'm paraphrasing this a little bit.
33:54I may be the first. But I won't be the last.
33:58Thank you for your time this afternoon.
34:05Thank you so much for sharing as well.
34:08And you know you heard Terrence experiences.
34:11I'm actually from a number of different
34:14kinds of forms of resistance that she has
34:17actually been held in and empowered by
34:20and continues to contribute to financial
34:22institutions are another thing I didn't
34:25know about AKA's financial endeavor.
34:29So that's amazing. There are other just.
34:34She gave us a sampling that I wanted to share
34:38that there's also Alpha Phi Alpha Phi Alpha.
34:41She's from Alpha Kappa Alpha.
34:43There's Kappa Alpha Psi, Omega Psi,
34:45Phi Delta Sigma Theta, Phi Beta Sigma,
34:48Zeta, Phi Beta Sigma Gamma rho,
34:50and iota Phi Theta as other
34:53organizations that exist in support.
34:56And before we move on to Doctor Emmons,
35:00who has some who has been,
35:02she had, her sharing of prose
35:04has become a little bit of a.
35:07Tradition, I would say for our
35:09Black History Month events,
35:10and she always puts together
35:12something that highlights our theme,
35:14but we also in the past and also now.
35:17I would like to open up space if
35:19there's any questions for our speakers
35:21who have gone thus far or anything
35:23that anybody else would like to share.
35:39All of the presentations have been
35:42excellent, but that's what I would
35:44like to say and I hope that it's been
35:47enlightening for the participants.
35:51Thank you, Doctor Cooper.
35:54Yeah, this is Linda. I would,
35:55I would just like to say yes, they've been.
35:58Not just only excellent but incredibly
36:00moving and and I just want to hear more
36:03because each each one I've learned and
36:05I just want to hear more more said.
36:07So I think we could have a
36:09separate time for each one of you.
36:14Yeah.
36:25I guess that I'll just I'll just
36:28add I'll I'll let go that they were
36:31incredibly moving presentations
36:32and thank you thank you thank you.
36:34I love the word sisterhood sistership.
36:37Sister. Sister, Sister I love it.
36:39I I was missing a brotherhood and
36:42brothers brothers and male voices
36:44and so my wish list I would love that
36:47you know to hear men's perspectives
36:49but thank you this is a. Wonderful.
36:56Tara. Kyle Pruitt, I'm just
36:59following up on what Andre said.
37:03These conversations are
37:05so incredibly important,
37:08but I was struck by the absence of men
37:11on the panel as we really go to work on.
37:14On DII has to mean something.
37:18And I was kind of struck.
37:20I'm sure there's a good reason for it.
37:22But so that I can focus my attention
37:24on the rest of the narratives,
37:26I'd love to hear what what what
37:28the thinking was around that.
37:30Sure. And I'll be completely honest with you,
37:34it wasn't, it wasn't an act of omission,
37:38but what I realized.
37:39So in the three years that we've done this,
37:41I helped plan the first one.
37:43The second one crystal Finch helped us with.
37:48And I realized in this year that, of course,
37:51I've recognized her absence before that.
37:53But as we were moving on, I was like, oh,
37:55my goodness, I don't have this support.
37:57And so there was some time
37:59basically there wasn't as much.
38:01Time, as I would have liked to have
38:02reached out and had those conversations
38:04with other people to invite them in.
38:06And the truth is we have more women who had
38:09these experiences that were willing to share.
38:13And so if we're talking specifically
38:15about these topics of black resistance,
38:18we had primarily women who were able
38:20to participate and who I had access to,
38:23to be able to ask.
38:25So we certainly I know we have
38:28a social work fellow who has.
38:31Been part of.
38:33Or attended an HBC U, and I think
38:37we also have a psychic psychology.
38:40Practicum student who is a member of
38:44one of the Divine 9, but I did not.
38:47Have the opportunity to speak
38:49with them sooner.
38:51So that's really all all it was,
38:53but absolutely hear what you are sharing.
38:57And we'll we'll all help you
38:59bring them along. Thank you.
39:01I will take all the hands
39:03that we can get. That's great.
39:09Were there any other comments before
39:13we would have asked Doctor Comer, but.
39:18Well, I don't think. I'm sorry,
39:19doctor, I didn't think about that.
39:22That it's, it is an indication
39:24of some work to be done,
39:26not necessarily by the committee but
39:30by increasing the number of African
39:35American males that are working and
39:38engaged in research at the center.
39:41So you know, I think it's just.
39:44That this is an example of not
39:46being able to have that voice.
39:50Doctor Cooper, I couldn't have
39:52said it better myself. Thank you.
39:55And you're exactly right.
39:58And I I would add, I was
39:59thinking this the same
40:01and I appreciate you Belinda saying you
40:03may have asked Doctor Comer and and I
40:05think that we can have more variety of
40:08voices when there are more to choose from.
40:10And so it the question I think about
40:14male voices made me curious about
40:16how many black male people there
40:18are at the center in general.
40:20So I think it's a good question, absolutely.
40:34OK, I see some people invited,
40:36but I'm not sure if that means they want
40:37to contribute or if I should just move on.
40:41OK. So Doctor Emmons, thank you for.
40:47Agreeing to create and spend some time
40:50creating another work for us, and so I
40:53know you wanted to also open that up.
40:55Let me know when you'd like me to put it up.
40:58OK. You will know because I'll let you know.
41:03OK. Good afternoon,
41:04everyone and thank you for being here.
41:07I appreciate the opportunity
41:09to share my thoughts.
41:11Before I continue,
41:12let me just say that Belinda,
41:14I did see that documentary Queens of
41:18Africa and I do strongly recommend it.
41:22Now the content for the this poem,
41:25which is resisting to rise,
41:29was called from news articles
41:31over the past five years,
41:34except for the first haiku.
41:37I want to showcase just a few
41:40of the extraordinary things
41:42that black kids are doing.
41:45Even on the very difficult circumstances.
41:50They are often viewed.
41:53And treated as much older than
41:57their chronological ages.
41:59I remember an African-American
42:01professor sharing research at grand
42:04rounds that showed that black kids
42:07are viewed as four years older
42:09than their chronological age.
42:14This is borne out in the
42:16daily lives of black children,
42:18such as when a police officer tells a 9
42:22year old girl who is having a meltdown
42:26that she is acting like a child.
42:31And when a woman watching a
42:34girl spraying a Lantern flies.
42:37Called the police about a little
42:40woman who scares the ****.
42:43Tacky out of her.
42:46Kudos to you for inviting this
42:47girl to do a project here.
42:52This, therefore, is a resistance
42:55to the adulteration and negative
42:59stereotypes of black kids.
43:02Each haiku is a snapshot
43:05of an extraordinary child.
43:08It is followed by a chorus with
43:10which I am requesting your help.
43:14In the tradition of the
43:16African call and response that
43:19migrated across the Atlantic
43:21to the Americas and Caribbean.
43:23I am asking you to say the
43:26chorus after each haiku.
43:30If your first name starts
43:32with the letters from A to G.
43:35Please say the first line of the chorus.
43:39And if your second year if you're.
43:42First of them began begins
43:44with the letters between H2Z.
43:47Please say the second line of the chorus.
43:50If you would be so kind,
43:52please on mute so that we can practice.
43:59OK, so I will say it.
44:02I would say the first line and if
44:04your first name falls between A&amp;G,
44:06please repeat it after me.
44:08And if and I will say the second line and
44:12if your first name falls between H&amp;Z,
44:15please repeat after me.
44:17Are we ready? Yes, yes, yes.
44:22Are we ready? Yes. Let's go.
44:28When you look at me, what do you see?
44:32And you could please put it up now, Tyra.
44:36Woman, do you see when you look at me?
44:41OK, so I'm beginning resisting the
44:44premise called resisting to rise
44:48attribute to African American children.
44:52Small girl walks to school through violent,
44:57angry crowd. Proud. Determined. Calm.
45:01No, when you when you look at me.
45:07Do you need anything? Whom do you?
45:10Whom do you see?
45:13Yeah, look at me.
45:15Nine year girl. We talked to police.
45:19I am a child. Resilient. Brave.
45:25Strong. When you looking at me?
45:30Hey. Look at me. Look at me.
45:36Girl sprays lunch and flies
45:39so woman calls police.
45:42Curious, right? Bold.
45:48That means you see when you look at you.
45:53The way you look at me.
45:56Japanese Old boy dives into pool.
45:59Saves toddler. Courageous. Pure gold.
46:04When you look at
46:05look at me, what
46:07do you see? Do you see when you look at me?
46:11This nine year old boy graduated from
46:16high school. Driven, focused, cool.
46:21When you do you see, do you see?
46:27You look at me.
46:30Village girl, 13, medical school,
46:34accepts her first. Caring. Clever. When
46:40you look at me, do you see?
46:46Look at me. That's only seven youngest
46:51opera singer unique excels dreams.
46:58You look at me.
47:00Did you see the
47:02you see when you look
47:03at, when you look
47:05at your
47:0817100 schools wanted brilliant, the cream.
47:15If you look at me.
47:18See you see when you look at me.
47:23**** plus accepted 100 into college.
47:30Power of knowledge. When you look at me,
47:34what do you see? You see this
47:37look at when you look at.
47:40A boundary breaker smashing cheeks.
47:43A treasured dreamer and unexpected surprise.
47:48Like a powerful muscle being trained,
47:52I am resisting to rise. Thank you.
48:00Christine, that was awesome.
48:03Thank you. Thank you.
48:05Loved it. Thank you so much for sharing and
48:10for helping to continue that tradition.
48:13I just want to circle back for a second.
48:16You know, we were talking briefly right,
48:18about inclusion and wondering
48:20why there weren't voices here.
48:23And I asked a question in the beginning,
48:25right, which was how do we help and hinder?
48:30How do we support? How do we not?
48:33And what are the ways that we create
48:36supportive environments to bring people in
48:39and if there's a clear missing piece for us?
48:42And So what does that mean for you?
48:44And how do you help us to be able
48:46to make sure that we're expanding
48:49the definitions of excellence and
48:51making recognizing because is there
48:54all of them excellence that exists?
48:58So. I appreciate the conversation.
49:02I also want to give a shout out to
49:05the black women who shared their
49:07stories and their time today.
49:09So yes, we want to be inclusive and
49:11we know that men often get the stage,
49:14and so it is also an act of resistance
49:19to have your voices centered today.
49:21So I thank you for that.
49:26So we, I don't know,
49:27we've got 10 minutes before we go.
49:30You might have a little time.
49:31I don't know if there's any
49:33other thoughts or questions.
49:36I just don't know how
49:38you're going to follow that.
49:40Well done everyone.
49:41That was really moving and just fantastic.
49:43Great energy as well.
49:44Thank you, doctor Emmons.
49:46Yes, and thank you to our speakers
49:48and thank you for everyone for
49:50joining in for, for listening for.
49:52I heard some offers to lend your hands
49:55to some of this work and I heard some
49:58recognition of some places that we can grow.
50:01And so I look forward to
50:02having you all there.
50:03I thank you all for your
50:06time and for your attention.
50:08And I can't thank our speakers
50:10enough for sharing their gifts
50:12with us today and always.