He’s only a freshman but he’s graduating in the Fall! I have never in all my life witnessed someone drop the F bomb so much in an interview and say “Nah, I’m jackin’” more than once. AND … Karter was literally snapchatting throughout this whole interview, but I mean hey, he’s Karter with a K so I guess its okay! Check out our interview below!
Name: Karter Etchin
Year: Freshman
Major: Double major in Sociology and Political Science
Minor: Criminal Justice
Hometown: Madison, WI
PGPs: He/Him/His
J: Do you have any nicknames?
K: Karter with a K … Mhm … you gotta say the whole thing! That’s the only appropriate one; they call me Lil Big Man. Nah, I’m jackin’, but I think that’s it, I mean some people call me Karter Barter but I don’t f*** with that so …
J: Are you involved in anything on campus?
K: What am I not involved in? … Black Student Unity, I serve on the exec. team as the Diversity Organization Coalition Representative. [Laughs] I don’t tell people that, people ask me, “Oh, what do you do?!” I be like, “You know, a little bit of errrrthang.” I do a lot when it comes to random panels and stuff. I’m kind of like the go-to guy. I work a lot and like to tutor on campus. I’m on a couple of R.E.C. teams too.
J: What are some of your favorite things to do?
K: I like to be active but I also like to play video games, and I’ll talk about social justice issues at any point and time. I love discussing current events!
J: Why did you come to UW-La Crosse?
K: I love the campus… and I feel like I’d be able to make a difference or an impact here, and so far I feel like I have. It was either here or Madison or an HBCU (Historically Black College/University) but I’d be one of a million there and here I am one of eight Black people so … it’s like, ya know, it’s got its good and its bad sides. Plus, La Crosse is a smaller campus, and if I went to Madison I feel like I’d never go to class, like that’s too big. I don’t like to walk. Plus I blame Shaundel; he told me there were Black people here! [laughs]
J: If you could do anything in the world as a career, what would it be?
K: I want to be President. I aspire to be President, but I also want to buy my own island and start a new form of society, but I mean that’s not really lucrative so I’ll go with President. I guess if there was a way to start an organization, I really want to buy a hotel and work with kids that have gotten in trouble, and I want them to be able to live in the hotel and all they got to do is go to school. I’d be like a supervisor that just watches over them. All they gotta do is go to school and stay out of trouble; that’d be dope. They can turnup on the weekends or whatever, just don’t get in trouble.
J: Do you have a favorite food?
K: I like uh … I guess fried chicken …. or sloppy joes, but I love Jambalaya, so I’ll go with that.
J: What does your ideal day off look like?
K: Like here in La Crosse? I guess I would like to chill out. Maybe play some basketball or football or something. I love working with kids, so maybe play some games with some kids and then chill out, play some video games and eat (homemade food – my dad’s spaghetti).
J: What is the best advice you’ve ever received?
K: I guess it’d just be to follow your heart. That you’re young and whatever you want to do will come to you and not to rush. Yeah! That’s what it is! Just take your time with your life aspirations and it will come. Just one step at a time.
J: What are you most likely doing on a Saturday night?
K: Let’s see I can’t incriminate myself. I like to play games, watch movies, or go home. Ideally, I love hanging out with my little brothers – that’s a fun one. Probably take them out for pizza and then playing video games with them. Ahhh … I miss my boys.
J: What’s the most embarrassing thing that has ever happened to you?
K: Well … at an oasis, just this last week on our way back from White Privilege Conference, it was like three in the morning and we stopped and, you know how people pretend to dripple around you– I was doing that– and I tried to spin around a wet floor sign and I tripped and fell over it and kicked it and it hit some old lady. [laughs] Yeah, she was mad. I just walked off and dipped into the bathroom.
J: Who’s your biggest role model?
K: I’m my biggest role model, nah I’m jackin’. That’s a tough one! I’d have to say President Barack Obama because we have the same birthday and he stole my dream of being the first Black President. I just love the way he interacts with people and he’s got a level of charisma that I don’t think we’ll ever see again in a President. Plus, what he’s been able to accomplish WHILE dealing with immense racism is incredible. He’s just that dude!
J: What are some of your biggest pet peeves?
K: I hate when people chew with their mouth open, like if I’m sitting close to you I don’t want to hear it, I don’t want to smell it. I also hate ignorance. I hate when people say dumb stuff. I hate when people are racially intolerant. I hate when people walk slowly in front of me. [Gets louder] I hate it when people look at me and don’t say nothing, like that pisses me off. And I hate when people don’t say ‘please’ or ‘thank you!’ Like I will take it back if I hand you something and you don’t say thank you – I’m snatching it back!
J: What’s one of the coolest things you’ve ever done?
K: Hm … one of the coolest things I’ve ever done … It’d just be helping in the process of adopting my younger brothers, like as a family collectively – that’s the coolest thing I think we’ve ever done. Getting to be a role model for them and challenging myself to be better for them–it’s awesome.
J: What is something you’re secretly obsessed with?
K: I love reading social justice issues; that is my biggest obsession. I constantly find myself reading about some s*** that I’m not supposed to be reading about.
J: Do you have a favorite candy?
K: Mambas … Sour Mambas!
J: What’s your go to turnup song right now?
K: “March Madness” by Future or “Controlla” by Drake!
J: Describe yourself in three words:
K: Intelligent, charming and compassionate.
J: What’s your favorite catch phrase?
K: “Bruh”
Thanks so much for the interview, Karter; it was dope! Make sure ya’ll say “wassup!”