With there being an influx of new students at Blue Mountain College due to the GrowBMC initiative that sprang into action over six years ago, there are some students who do not necessarily associate with the majority around this campus. Different backgrounds. Different cultures. Different ethnicities. Some students have flocked to Blue Mountain from a completely different side of the earth. Some students simply have disabilities. With this influx of new students from many different places and backgrounds it can become difficult to adjust, especially when a majority of the campus is predominantly southern.
On the outside looking in, one could say “just put forth the effort to fit in”, but it is easier said than done. Not knowing who to go to or feeling awkward because of how you may look can be extremely overwhelming, yet two students on this campus saw this overt problem and attacked it head on.
Thus, the Minority Student Association – or MSA - was born.
In the words of its president Aminatta Sherif, the “Minority Student Association is a society that brings minorities together, especially those of color and of different ethnicities or races.” It was formed to celebrate those that are not of the majority, and to bring light to the problems that the students of the minority face on this campus.
Though people of color are automatically included in the minority, Aminatta and Kobe Christian shared why they steered away from being a simple “Black Student Association”. Kobe explained that the name of the Association sounds better because it comes from an exclusive group to a more inclusive group, and because Blue Mountain College has other minorities on campus that many people overlook.
Kobe mentioned that Ahbee Orton, a blind student, is an active member of the group. “There were things that she said she needed that I would’ve never thought about.” Kobe further expressed that group is a “voice for the voiceless across campus” including “black students, international students, and students with disabilities.”
The MSA plans to spread the word about the organization by opening an Instagram page. The organization has many exciting plans. They both mentioned that they sat with their advisor Dr. Andre Isbell, the first black faculty member at Blue Mountain College, and discussed some of their ideas which they hope will come to fruition.
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