The Black Student Association (BSA) will host a panel discussion Friday, Feb. 24, at 7 p.m. in the Administration Auditorium that will feature Rizelle Aarons, Arkansas’ state representative from the NAACP.
“It’s a good opportunity to listen to something you might not hear on a regular basis, a topic that’s not discussed in regular talk,” junior BSA member Taylor Flewellen said. “It’s good to come with an open mind, and I think it will really help people receive another perspective on how to relate to others.”
According to BSA president, junior Jewels Edmerson, the theme for the panel is “It’s not my fault, but it’s my problem.” Edmerson said the goal is to discuss racism and how it has changed over the years and is still present today.
“We want to connect how racism was here before anyone on this campus was even alive or thought of, but how it continues to morph,” Edmerson said. “We’re still in the same situation, it just looks different now. We can combat that by having diversity on campus and building relationships with one another.”
Assistant professor of Bible and faculty sponsor for BSA Tim Westbrook said Edmerson formed the organization and invited him to be a part of it in the spring of 2016. It became an official organization at the beginning of the 2016 fall semester.
“I saw that it would probably be better for the university and more representative of the body of Christ if it’s not just an exclusive group, but opened up to everyone to join,” Edmerson said. “I think one of the biggest problems we have in society is that we like to stay in our clusters of people that we’re comfortable with. We often don’t get to meet people that are different from us. When you live in a society that’s like that, you’re missing out on people, and you don’t get to know them.”
According to Westbrook, the BSA meets to discuss black history, culture, Civil Rights and equality. He said the organization supplies students who may feel underrepresented with a place they can gather to share common experiences as well as build relationships with those different from them.
“The overall message that BSA is trying to convey at Harding is one of support but also education,” Westbrook said. “Together we would like to see progress on campus to raise race consciousness towards peaceful reconciliation.”
Flewellen said she became a part of the organization in August of 2016 and hopes the club will encourage equality.
“Coming to Harding, I kind of struggled with being a minority and looking out in my classrooms and feeling alone sometimes,” Flewellen said. “I felt like I couldn’t really connect with others as well, but (BSA) just breaks barriers and allows you to see that we are all equal … we’re Christians, and we’re striving toward the same goals.”
Edmerson said the BSA meets every other Thursday in McInteer 125 at 8:30 p.m. and extends an open invitation to any student who wants to be a part of the meetings, service projects or events. The next meeting will be held March 2. For more information about the BSA, email Jewels Edmerson at jedmerson@harding.edu.
