Senior marketing major I’Ja Wright, the student representative to the college’s Board of Trustees, created a new weekly series to advocate for students.

The Empower Hour, held in the Student Center Loft every Wednesday from 5 to 6 p.m., is designed to offer students a platform to discuss pressing issues, share experiences and explore solutions in an environment that encourages honest, meaningful conversation.

Through each session, students are invited to reflect, engage and connect on topics that shape their lives both inside and outside the classroom. Recent topics included media representation and leadership.

“When you think about the word empowerment it is intentional and when we think of meetings, we come in wanting to not only have an agenda, but a great dialogue about something that affects us all,” said Wright, who leads the Student Affairs Committee for the Student Government Association.

The Empower Hour takes place during the Student Affairs Committee meeting.

“We welcome everybody at the Student Affairs Committee meetings, and we would love to have different people engage in different conversations and be in the space,” Wright said. “That’s one thing that we’re missing a lot within the community.”

While the first session for Black History Month served as a collaborative conversation, session two, “The Power of Storytelling: Black Narratives & Media Representation” that took place Feb. 19, examined how Black creatives navigate media, journalism and entertainment, particularly in an industry where representation remains inconsistent.

Senior and television major Quonyel Shelton joined as a guest speaker to talk about her experiences as a social media influencer.

“It’s like, just knowing really what you want to do when it’s okay to pivot and change around, and going with a creative mind,” Shelton said. “Don’t let people that don’t really have a creative mind make you feel some type of way, make you feel crazy because they can’t see the vision.

The room buzzed with energy as students shared their frustration with how the media industry often only offers Black creatives limited room to tell their stories.

“Inclusion isn’t just a box to check, it’s something that constantly needs to be nurtured,” said senior film and television major Mar Wynn.

In the most recent session on Wednesday Feb. 26, students talked about leadership roles.

Co-led by Tiana Hill, a social worker co-director of the Center for Student Wellbeing, the event provided a space for students to reflect on their experiences while gaining tools to balance advocacy with self-care.

Hill emphasized that self-care is a necessity, not a luxury. She encouraged students to redefine wellness for themselves and take advantage of campus mental health services.

“It’s hard to make mistakes, because this is a reflection of me as a Black person, [me] as a woman,” Hill said. “Now I have all these people looking at me, and I got the whole weight on my shoulders because of the stereotypes that come in.”

One participant noted how difficult it can be to step away from advocacy work, fearing that their absence would mean important issues go unaddressed.

“Embrace whatever mistakes that you make that’s a part of the journey, and like let go of that expectation that you need to be strong,” Hill said.

The events addressed important issues with honesty and depth with ongoing conversations about campus climate, providing students with the chance to celebrate their identity, address real challenges, and most importantly, be heard.

“Being a Black student leader is a unique experience, and it’s hard, but finding the beauty in it is knowing that you’re not alone, and having these conversations helps out a lot,” Wright said.

“Collaboration is key; it just helps us recognize that we’re not alone in these struggles, and figuring out the best way to support each other effectively is going to keep us going outside of everything else that is happening.”

Copy edited by Matt Brady

Resumen en Español:

“Empower Hour” está en sesión durante las reuniones de Student Affairs, uno de los comités de Columbia’s Student Government Association.

En cada sesión, los estudiantes son invitados a hablar sobre temas que los impactan adentro y afuera de las clases.

La sesión más reciente fue el Miércoles, Febrero 26, donde los miembros discutieron las partes en liderazgo.

La sesión anterior se trato sobre las limitaciones de representación Afro-Americana en la industria de medias.

“Empower Hour” se enfoca en tener discusiones honestas sobre compartiendo experiencias, y hablando sobre problemas y explorando soluciones.

Resumen Por Uriel Reyes