BSM charged for productive year

The days of local sit-ins and headline-making protests might be fading away, but the Black Student Movement at UNC is still very much alive.

Because although overt racism might be a thing of the past, discrimination still exists, said Brandon Hodges, BSM president.

"In a lot of ways, those things are here but more subtle today," he said.

One of the largest on-campus groups has hit the ground running this year, drawing hundreds of people to its first meeting of the year Sept. 7 to advocate for their perennial goal of eliminating residual discrimination.

The political action committee, a BSM subcommittee that advocates for workers' rights, is asking everyone to report any manager who mistreats an Aramark Corp. employee.

"We really can be a strong voice and make a big impact in these workers' lives," said Christina Lee, co-chairwoman of the committee, at the group's second meeting of the year Wednesday night.

Hodges said one of his main goals is to increase diversity on campus.

"We're making strides, but as a progressive university in the South, we need to set a better example," he said.

Hodges said BSM members should reach out to minority students who might not feel comfortable coming to UNC. He said he is working with the Diversity and Multicultural Affairs office and going to local high school recruitment meetings to show potential students what BSM is all about.

"We need to put a face to what we're doing on campus," Hodges said.

BSM also is involved in numerous public service projects - ranging from Hurricane Katrina relief efforts to working with Habitat for Humanity - to keep in contact with the community.

But Hodges said it would be a shame to contain the organization's positive message to Chapel Hill town limits. "I want to carry the messages of BSM past the walls of UNC," he said.

The group is working to bring a bus load of people to the Millions More Movement in Washington, D.C., in October. The march will celebrate the 10 year anniversary of the Million Man March, one of the largest demonstrations in the history of the nation's capital.

But make no mistake - the BSM is not all about business.

The group's top priority is to embrace black culture and strive for unity among its members, according to the preamble members recite at the beginning of each meeting.

As members begin each meeting with a verse of "Lift Ev'ry Voice and Sing," by James Weldon Johnson, and end standing in a circle to share the week's news, one thing is clear: The BSM cares about unity.

Freshman David Sneed said it was this aspect that attracted him to the organization.

"This is a really positive group," Sneed said. "I came from a high school that had three African Americans, so this is an amazing thing for me."

 

Contact the University Editor at udesk@unc.edu.