Activism lacking in college community

As president of the Psychology Club, I persistently work to create events to help improve the conditions of our black people. I work closely with members of SANKOFA, a group that believes in knowing where we come from in order to know where we are going. Both of our organizations strive to empower and strengthen blacks. So why aren’t many students at an HBCU interested in such a goal?

The excuse I seem to get all the time is that people are too busy. I am involved in other organizations aside from the Psychology Club. I have a full class load, and I have a job. I can assure students there is a sufficient amount of time for campus activism.

Where there is value, there is time. Time is not what students are lacking. Students are lacking passion; passion for liberation, knowledge and helping the black community.

In SANKOFA and the Psych club, we put in hours of hard work and dedication to ensure that business gets done. However, we don’t receive the proper respect from our administration because we’re not Greek.

What’s worse is that it’s difficult to get people to come to our events or weekly meetings.

Oftentimes I want to say Lil’ Boosie or some artist will be there, knowing this will attract more people. But why must I resort to this? What has Lil’ Boosie, or any entertainer for that matter, done for our community or better yet, YOU?

On Set Fridays, many students convene to show off their best outfits and latest sneakers and dance to the most recent dances. If we needed to come together to fight for a cause such as the mis-education our youth are receiving, would The Set still be full?

Adom Ali, president of SANKOFA, said that as an HBCU, FAMU should be more instrumental in the awareness of black issues and enrichment of our people. He suggested that students read the paper more. We need to use all means of communication to get the word out.

The black community is in a constant state of disarray, and we as “educated” blacks have the responsibility to save our struggling communities.

We have forgotten how to survive as a people.

We have forgotten the family values and love blacks once had for one another.

Are we holding up what our ancestors expected of us?

Have we really overcome?

Or are we just becoming what other people have set in place for us to be?

We have become comfortable being ignorant to what is going on in the world around us. Our lives are being controlled by our activities. Change is needed in our community. The time to start is now. Are you ready?

Jiquanda S. Smith is a psychology and Spanish student from Zion, Ill. She can be reached at superwomanj@gmail.com.