At 8:40 am on Thursday morning, I got to sit down with Student Body Vice President and long-time friend Stacey Pierre. It was the morning after her twenty-first birthday, and she did physics homework as I interviewed her. Before we started, she played me “It’s Hard out Here for a Pimp” after threatening to revoke my Black card because I’ve never seen Hustle & Flow.
Name: Stacey Pierre
Major: Biology
Hometown: Miramar, Florida (Crib)
Age: 21
Fun Fact: I have scoliosis actually, I can make a butt tongue, I fell off a fence trying to buy a hot sausage in sixth grade and had to go to the hospital but I was begging them not to call my mom.
Her Campus: I have known you for years now, and I think I can count on one hand the amount of times I have seen you in a bad mood. How do you stay positive?
Stacey Pierre: I think I grasp the magnitude of every situation in my life. I look at all the things in my life and what’s going on in the world. I think about the person and if they’re worth my anger. I have a love of life, and I’m happy to be in college and be here with these people. I do get angry but I hide it very well, sometimes I chew my cheek.
HC: Student Body Vice President is not an easy job, but what is your favorite part of it all?
SP: I’ve always liked being around different people. My mom worked for hospice and sometimes she would take me to work, and I would just enjoy being around the different people. The VP is the people’s president, I get to work with agencies, bureaus and class councils. It’s cool because I don’t actually work with each board and question them, but I still get to work with different identity groups. I also like working with younger students because a lot of them believe there is one way to do leadership.You don’t have to change who you are to be who you want to be, you can be yourself and still be an efficient leader. I’ve learned that you can be true to yourself and efficient.
HC: You have recently been announced as Unite’s Presidential Candidate. Tell me about that and your plans if you were to get elected?
SP: Well, first of all, the people that know me know I’m bubbly, but I get nervous, so this is really exciting, especially since in the past years minorities have been tokenized (picking people from different groups not due to qualifications but to garner votes). Something that excites me about the Unite Party is that they took a bold stance by choosing truly qualified candidates. Before me, there has only been one other Black woman Student Body President, Michelle Pletch in 2002. Since then there has been no other Black woman Student Body President. I am excited to, in a way, represent a different community but also represent a different face of what people think that leadership looks like. So often times people, whether we believe it or not, think of leaders as authoritative men but since I have worked on being sure of myself I am excited to influence a new set of students that didn’t think they could be in a leadership position. Something that I do very well is I care a lot, which causes me to not sleep a lot. When it comes to what we want to do, it‘s not about platform points that are about us. It’s about what the students want.
HC: To me, you’re Black girl magic. What does that mean to you and why is that important at Florida State?
SP: BGM is the essence of being yourself unapologetically despite what we’re going through and have gone through in this country particularly. We as Black girls have to work four times harder yet we’re still shining and rarely get recognition. Not only that, but we have a grace about it. Black women right now are popping, I remember growing up with insecurities about the texture of my hair, my skin color and so many other things. So when I think of BGM I think of shedding your light on this world. As Black women, we’ve been through a lot with every single group including Black men, but we still manage to be the pillar of society essentially. I strongly believe that without Black women a lot of things wouldn’t have happened. For example, look what Dr. King did but also look at what Coretta did and how she was also a big part of the Civil Rights Movement. BGM is being willing to do things despite what others do and feel about you which is incredible. It’s doing what others expect of you without ever getting credit.
HC: Do you have any advice for young Black collegiettes who want to make a difference on campus?
SP: When I came on campus there were a lot of Black women on campus that I was intimidated by but my argument is, your perception of someone else is a reflection of who you are. So if you want to be like that person you need to go and talk to them. Find a mentor, an older Black woman who you can follow in your steps and who will not use you for all your greatness. A lot of young student leaders coming in have great ideas but get no direction. Overall it’s important to find a mentor. If someone wanted a mentor and they asked me, I would help.
HC: What do you want to do after graduation?
SP: I have 4 different paths. I’ve always wanted to join the Peace Corps – it’s not a matter of if, but when – and right after college is a convenient time. I’ve always wanted to be a doctor focused on global health and focused on the social part, finding adequate healthcare for people who need it. My medical dream school is Howard University. I plan on going to graduate school if medical school doesn’t work. I am also applying for fellowships.
HC: Florida State is big on legacies. Is there a legacy that you want to leave behind when you go?
SP: I think I want to leave behind a legacy of just being true to yourself and just being a good genuine person. Often times we get so caught up in what other people do. For example, if my decision to run for President was dependent on seeing someone who looked like me, I wouldn’t be here. I think that being true to yourself and being genuine to who you are leads you where you want to be. There are going to be a lot of people who try to lead you to places you don’t need to be because they are projecting what they want onto you. I hope that through my leadership I’m leading by example. I hope that when people look at me I help them believe in themselves a little more by the time I leave.