Committed to raising awareness about critical issues and the academic or community-based work being done to solve them, Sharieka Shontae Botex, a third-year Ph.D. student in MSU’s Writing and Rhetoric program, created the Shaping Society Through Scholarship and Action event, which featured Black women scholars and their community-focused work as well as the important work of local leaders and community organizers.…
The Cube, which is housed in the Department of Writing, Rhetoric, and American Cultures (WRAC) and offers publication resources for the Michigan State University campus community and beyond, has won a 2021-2022 Creating Inclusive Excellence Grant (CEIG) to support three of its projects. CEIG funding is awarded to projects that aim to create a more inclusive educational and work environment for all. The Cube…
The Michigan State University Department of Theatre presents Ike Holter’s Hit the Wall, a story of the Stonewall Uprising and the generation that disrupted the marginalization and invisibility of the LGBTQIA+ community. The production runs from March 18-20 and 22-27 in the Auditorium Building’s Arena Theatre. Masks are optional but encouraged for audience members. It’s the summer of ’69, and…
Diana Cisneros, a junior majoring in Linguistics, won the Most Out-Of-The-Box Award at MSU’s fifth annual Social Justice Art Festival (SJAF) for her painting, titled Mikia Nemi Tunal Tit (The Fire of the Sun Is Dying). The Most Out-of-the-Box Award is given to the artist or performer with the most unique artistic concept or creative medium. The winning piece is…
In the midst of student protests over racism nationwide and on campus, Barry D. Amis helped found the Black Student Alliance at Michigan State University in 1967 and served as its first president. He has notebooks filled with news clippings and photos from his years as a student activist. “What we did at the time at MSU was groundbreaking,” said…
Morgan Braswell said she is not the first in her family to attend college. But she is the first to stay the course. A sophomore, Braswell expects to graduate from Michigan State University in 2024 with her bachelor’s degree in Psychology. She’s also on track to complete a second major in African American and African Studies. It’s a scholarly path that…
A $2 million grant from The Andrew W. Mellon Foundation has helped launch the Diaspora Solidarities Lab (DSL), a Black feminist digital humanities initiative that supports solidarity work in Black and Ethnic Studies with a commitment to transformative justice. The DSL will help build knowledge communities through technology and serve as a co-creating space. It is a hub for Black feminist modes…
Growing up, Camille Jackson set a goal to pursue higher education. Now that she’s close to receiving her bachelor’s degree from Michigan State University, she’s expanded her goals to attend graduate school and to preserve the cultural works that shaped her trajectory as a first-generation college student. When she graduates from MSU this May, Jackson will conclude one leg of…
Dear College of Arts & Letters and Honors College Community, This weekend’s hostage standoff at Congregation Beth Israel in Colleyville, Texas, was frightening and traumatic to members of our community. Each instance of violence that appears to target a specific community can send shockwaves that are felt by many — particularly those who identify with the victims closest to the…
Deon Bennett came to Michigan State University intent on becoming more independent and open to new opportunities. He achieved that and more through academic and leadership activities that have inspired him to learn more about his culture and leave a legacy for others facing similar challenges as young Black men. Bennett started his scholarly exploration of the Black experience by…
