New Campus Y co-presidents elect aim to build Y's community

Courtney Staton and Alexander Peeples, who were elected the 2017-18 co-presidents of the Campus Y on Tuesday, have big plans to build on current work and put their new ideas into action. 

Peeples, who is currently one of the Campus Y’s directors of development, said he was nervous during election season, but is ready to get to work at the place he is passionate about.

“I love that (the Campus Y) serves as the central conscience of the University. Part of that is that it creates a physical space for social justice, which can be very difficult,” Peeples said. “The other part of that is the people who fill that space, who are dedicated to the work of making UNC, North Carolina, the United States and the globe a more just place.”

Peeples said he and Staton want to continue a lot of the work started by Regan Buchanan and Lauren Eaves, the current Campus Y co-presidents.

“Courtney and I really want to continue a lot of the work Regan and Lauren, the current co-presidents, have been doing, creating closer ties with on-campus activist groups,” Peeples said. “That means facilitating a more engaging understanding of ethical service.”

Staton, who is currently a co-chairperson of Criminal Justice Awareness and Action, said she feels inspired and at peace.

“Right before I found out, I was just walking around and making sure that no matter what happens, I know that is what is best for the Y,” Staton said. “I wanted to make sure I knew that the results weren’t about me and Alex winning, but what is best and what the Y wants.”

Staton said she and Peeples aim to amend the Campus Y constitution.

“One goal is to propose an amendment to the Y constitution that basically says any activist group who aligns with the Y’s values, the Y will support them,” Staton said.

Eaves said she is excited to see what they are going to do. She said they have a platform that is firmly rooted in social justice and she likes many aspects of their plan.

“Something Regan and I have been working to get funding for is domestic orientation. Akin to global orientation, but about serving in the community ten minutes down the road where you still encounter the same power dynamics and cultural competency issues that you may encounter when you go to Ghana,” Eaves said. “They really want to see that through.”

Peeples said his and Staton’s experience in different levels of the Campus Y allows them to implement smaller changes because they understand how it functions. He said they have specific ideas that they are ready to put into action.

“Specifically, actionable things, the domestic orientation, an amendment to the Campus Y constitution, to sort of create those closer activist ties we were talking about. The social issue showcase will be one of the big things we do,” Peeples said.

Buchanan said this election went smoothly and both candidate pairs handled themselves admirably.

“They both introduced really important ideas to the Y. The thing is, even the campaign itself shapes the trajectory of the Y even if we can only have one pair be victorious, because you just get a general sense of how the Y wants to move,” Buchanan said. “Even the winning pair can incorporate some of the ideas from the losing pair.”

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