This week we had the absolute pleasure of sitting down with Majestic Jordan, a beautiful, talented, and inspirational woman who is making serious moves on our campus!
1. What are some of your passions and how is UIC helping you explore them?
I honestly have passions for numerous things. My biggest passion resides in wanting to help build and empower the communities in not only Chicago, but other parts of the Nation! Indeed, a passion such as this can be very difficult to accomplish because what I want to do is so much bigger than me. That is why it is vital to build a support system that sees your vision and is willing to help you collectively reach that goal. At the same time, my passion resides in children. I truly believe that children are extremely bright and brilliant and they can make impact on us instead of us making an impact on them! I work at an after-school tutoring program and I love engaging with my students because I get to understand where they are coming from in terms of how they view society and what they think is best! With the involvement of UIC, I am given opportunities that actually help me collect resources and expand my mindset in how to be a leader. For instance, if I hadn’t attended the first Black Student Union meeting in the beginning of the year, I wouldn’t have gotten the tutoring position that I have now. So really, UIC is helping me take the opportunities that’ll help the way for me as I reach my goals and build teamwork!
2. What’s your radio show about?
My radio show, “The Afro Talk”, is about addressing societal issues within the Black community and also giving knowledge that is extremely important for all of us to know about when thinking critically and observing the ways of society. I also bring guests for a segment of my show called “Recognizing Greatness”, and these guests will have the opportunity to talk about their talents (artists, rappers, singers, etc.), businesses in progress, growing organizations and so much more!
3. What do you hope to achieve with your radio show?
Learning is extremely important to me. Therefore, I’d really want my listeners to uncover the truth amongst themselves and spread it to whomever. I’d want to build a circulation of information that’ll have people really question the world that they live in and what we can do to change it. We shouldn’t be afraid to speak the truth and have understanding that not everyone has the same perspectives and privileges as others. Regardless of where one stands, it is good to be open minded and comprehend where people are coming from in certain situations. On my show, I encourage people to really be aware of what goes on around them and take action instead of letting situations slip by just because they think it won’t happen to them. Moreover, I’m a big believer in recognizing people’s special talents and goals, especially if it helps the community somehow.
4. What is your involvement with the African American Academic Network like?
Mainly, I meet up with my AAAN advisor, Alex Sainviller, and discuss the progression of my college experiences here at UIC and what I plan on doing for my future! I also attend plentiful events that AAAN hosts that promote cultural, educational, social awareness. These events tend to be fun and really engaging!
5. You’re involved with the organization Woman 2 Woman. What is that organization about and how are you involved?
So Woman 2 Woman is a UIC Experience program where women that are of African descent such as myself come together and read stories and novels pertaining to Black women and evaluate those readings. Another thing we do is do community projects and volunteer work. For instance, we went to a showcase displaying the Black women who were killed and/or wrongfully detained through police brutality or White supremacy. It was a very moving showcase and it really made me realize that the media really does try to make it seem as though police brutality occurs to MOSTLY black men. This showcase showed me that Black men aren’t the only victims of such violence, but Black women as well. Sandra Bland, who was a Black woman that was wrongfully arrested and found dead in her cell in a jail, is one of the most publicized examples of such brutality. Overall, Woman 2 Woman expands in Black Sisterhood and prompts us to view ourselves in a light that society doesn’t see so well.
6. How did you get involved with Black Student Union? What’s your favorite part about being involved with this organization?
I actually wanted to be in BSU before I got into college! I used to watch the television show “A Different World” and had seen so many of the main characters come together to a BSU meeting and I felt that what they represented was simply amazing! So earlier this year, I received an email saying that BSU was having their Mixer and we were able to sign up. Without any doubt at all, I went! [she laughs] My favorite part about being with Black Student Union is honestly engaging and having fun with people who are like me. We’d have interesting discussions, we were involved in the Hot Chocolate Run (Might I add that our water table was the runners’ favorite simply because we made beats with water jugs, danced and cheered the runners on! It was so much fun!), and we had a Heritage Ball not too long ago! The best thing about BSU to me is that BSU is simply composed of people of African descent who really want to make a huge difference. Just like me. :)
7. Who has inspired you and why?
Wow! I really don’t run into that question a lot! [she laughs] There’s so many people that inspire me politically and personally. I’d say my mother and sisters (Shoutout to Brandis and Chee Che!) for really instilling real world knowledge into me that would be so vital to me as a young, growing adult. They really taught me how to think for myself and go for what I want out of life. They are such a huge support system and I could count on them for anything! On both a personal and political, I’d say women like Angela Davis (who was a part of the Black Panther Party), Fannie Lou Hamer (who was involved in the Student Nonviolent Coordinating Committee during the Civil rights movement), and Sarah Baartman (who was a Khoisan performer who was known for her voluptuous body during the late 18th and early 19th century). These women helped me to understand myself in ways that I couldn’t even imagine. These women were examples of the reactions and/or product of how society shaped them out to be.
8. What is your favorite thing about the UIC community?
My favorite thing about the UIC community is really interacting and getting different points of views from people that I don’t know. More importantly, I love the diversity around the campus. I’ve honestly learned so much from people of other cultures that simply amazes me!
9. How has your time and involvement at UIC shaped who you are as a person?
At first it was challenging, especially since I was trying to transition from high school to college. I became depressed because of my living situation, how people were stand-offish, my grades being bad… The first semester of my freshman year, I was a complete mess and I really considered dropping out because I couldn’t take the pressure that I had felt. After seeing my first semester grades, I was honestly disappointed but it was for me to make changes, especially since I was a first semester freshman! At UIC, I had the ability to really understand the person that I am becoming. I really reevaluated my interests and dropped everything that was detrimental to me. It was difficult but when it comes to doing what’s best for you, you have to make it easier on yourself to let go of the things that hold you back! I had my best interests at heart, which lead me to dropping my Biology major and picking up Communication because I was involved in Broadcast Journalism during my curriculum in high school (which I really loved!). My grades have gotten so much better and now I have a peace of mind! Again, just reevaluating myself and growing such a transition really made me understand that responsibilities are a given no matter who you are or what you do. The real issue is when one CHOOSES to handle those responsibilities in an effective manner. At the same time, thanks to my Freshman Dialogue class here at UIC, I have become more open-minded and understanding of other people’s trials and tribulations. Now, I have the ability to engage in thought-provoking dialogue without involving myself in any judgment whatsoever! UIC has shaped me to really understand myself as a hard-working, understanding individual!