As I close my sophomore year, I’ve learned a lot through my classes, friendships, my work life, and being affiliated with the SUNY Oswego community. Being a student leader and balancing my personal and business life is molding me to be more tenacious. Every year I find myself setting and achieving new goals. My mother always instilled in me, “if there’s a will, there’s a way” and every morning I wake up, I strive to be better than the day before. I hope to focus more on community service, student affairs, BelleBy KaeKae, elevating my network, maintaining excellent academic standing, and fighting against social inequalities.
Community service has always been an integral part of my life. I love doing community service, more involvement and assisting the community in and outside of school is on my agenda. This year all together, I participated in 6 community service projects: Densens House, Rise Against Hunger, Clear The Stream, Positivity Rocks, Miss A Meal, and Pumpkin Festival. I really enjoyed my experience and plan to continue to help the community in any way I can.
I was offered an internship position this fall (Fall’23) with the Vice President of Student Affairs, Kathleen Kerr. Kerr insisted this was a genuine opportunity and offer. Hence, which is why I accepted the position. In this role, I’ll work closely with her to improve student dynamics across SUNY Oswego. There is a lot of work that needs to be done to reconstruct and form what student life used to be like pre COVID-19. Current graduate student and prominent student leader, Ziyah Myers has been by my side as a mentor this semester. Myers has contributed a wide range of initiatives to help improve student life here at SUNY Oswego; educating scholars on African American history, sex education, and spearheading and organizing movements that vocalize concerns on how students feel. In this internship role I’m hoping to apply all my knowledge and experience being involved with student organizations. My junior year will focus on how I can help the student population at large. I appreciate Dr. Kerr for extending this offer to me. This can be transformative work as we collectively aim to promote welfare amongst student affairs.
BelleBy KaeKae, my passion will always be a priority in my life. However, due to my other commitments, time was sparsely allocated this year. I’m excited to share the new projects and unreleased products. BelleBy KaeKae will be going crazy all 2023 and 2024, so stay tuned! There have been a lot of people and individuals who’ve reached out to me and want to work! I am looking forward to more networking and creating innovation, on top of maintaining my grades. School is very important, without a doubt spending more quality time at the library. Monday through Sunday in the library doing homework and studying. I find this to be a part of my daily routine.
In addition to my responsibilities to my family and the community, I’m working harder to advance radicalism and devote more time to social justice. Whether that be through increased community and civic engagement on my part or through collaboration with organizations that focus on this task. I’m educating myself on more important subjects that affect or help communities. The problems that black and brown Americans face are numerous. It is a start, in my opinion, to charter unity with the intention of changing systems via public participation. Despite the fact that this task might be difficult and that one must start with themselves, myself and many others are not giving up! I receive the strength and inspiration to continue fighting against the racism and oppression that many black and brown people experience by working with people who have a shared end goal.