Name: Chelsea O’Neil Karcher Title: Assistant Director of Social Justice Education Department: Campus Inclusion & Community Where are you from? Madison, WI What brought you to Student Affairs? I am so grateful for the opportunity to create spaces for connection, creativity, and transformation where students of all identities can thrive. Student Affairs is such a
Name: Briana Newkirk (they/them/their) Title: Administrative Assistant 3 Department: Campus Inclusion & Community Where are you from? Rural Wisconsin What brought you to Student Affairs? Ironically, an English internship. I thought I would be a magazine editor when I was in my undergrad and ended up in the Women’s Resource Center for an English internship…
Fifty years ago, Northwestern was forever changed. In an effort to diversify Northwestern’s historically white campus, admissions had begun to recruit more Black students. Instead of the less than 50 Black students enrolled in 1966, Black student enrollment was up to 160 in 1968. Despite this small victory, Black students on campus were still treated unfairly. They faced racial violence and discrimination, and they knew they weren’t receiving the resources and support from the University that they could be.
After months of one-on-one meetings with administrators, Black students saw very little change in their conditions on campus. They knew it was time to do something bigger.
Queer and Trans* Empowerment Month, celebrated each October, honors the triumphs that have been made in the LGBTQ+ movement. This year, Northwestern’s theme for the month is Building on Progress, to commemorate recent victories like the Supreme Court decision supporting marriage equality and focus on the work that still needs to be done.
To celebrate, Multicultural Student Affairs (MSA) is hosting events that will focus on pride, liberation, diversity, and the wellness of LGBTQ+ communities. Above all, MSA will create more critical conversations about identity on campus during this month.
A series of four Listening Sessions will begin Wednesday, October 14, for Northwestern students, staff, faculty, and alumni to give feedback on the proposal for Campus Inclusion & Community to move two of its offices into the Black House. A committee of Northwestern students, faculty, and alumni is charged with providing recommendations on the purpose and use of the Black House.
Members of the Northwestern community are welcome to attend any of the four sessions, and will have the opportunity to comment on the proposed changes to share their concerns and ideas before their peers and the Black House Facilities Review Committee.
