Daniel Clayton, 22, Senior at the University of Florida "For me, it's about knowing that I never have to explain myself to anyone. I occupy a somewhat strange space as a queer black man, especially one in a STEM major. It's hard to find that delicate balance between standing up for yourself and making sure … Continue reading What’s Your Why? Week 2
I'm black and I'm a student at the University of Florida, that should make me a part of Black UF, right? Seemingly, yes. However, we all know that differing social hierarchies, political structures, and cliques of friends make it easy for some students to get lost in the midst of what's supposed to be your … Continue reading Bridging Black UF
During Winter Break, I got the email every business major dreams of. I'd been selected to interview for Facebook's competitive sophomore internship program, Facebook University. I'd never felt such excitement about my future before. I prepared perfectly—or so I thought. I researched company history, culture, and current events—I even knew exactly how much money … Continue reading I Interviewed with Facebook and got Rejected – Here’s What I Learned.
In late November 2014, a grand jury in St Louis County declined to to indict Darren Wilson for the fatal shooting of Michael Brown. Brown was previously seen stealing cigarillos from a convenience store. Wilson shot Brown, who was unarmed, a grand total of twelve times. I was infuriated. At the time, I was smart enough … Continue reading I’ve Said #AllLivesMatter Before – Insight on Unlearning
Let's be real—I've been going through some shit recently. I've come to realize that the only way I could get through it was to first: process all of the negative emotions behind it. Then I had to tell myself that it's going to be okay. Lastly and most importantly, I had to actually believe that. The … Continue reading Steps to Unconditional Self-Acceptance
A few hours ago, I found out that I'm one of the newest Florida Cicerones. I'm supposed to be really excited, and I am. It's a huge deal. But something has just felt.. off... All day, I've been reading about the executive orders that have been signed by y'all's president and I haven't known what to do. … Continue reading This Still Is Not Over.
This morning, I overheard a group of colleagues watching the inauguration as our new president was sworn in. Like any normal conversation, they were stating their opinions and making inferences on what the newest White House initiatives would be. It wasn’t necessarily my place as I was sort of eavesdropping, but I just had to … Continue reading This Isn’t Over.
In his well-known 1963 "Letter from a Birmingham Jail," Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. wrote: I have almost reached the regrettable conclusion that the Negro’s great stumbling block in his stride toward freedom is not the White Citizen’s Counciler or the Ku Klux Klanner, but the white moderate, who is more devoted to “order” … Continue reading MLK Didn’t Die for This.
Black girl magic. I love this phrase. I love seeing it on shirts, on sweaters, in captions, and in social media bios. Coined by CaShawn Thompson so that black women could unite against stereotyping, misogynoir, and colorism, black girl magic has caught on strongly in popular culture to show how multifaceted and beautiful black women are. It's empowering … Continue reading The Universality of Black Girl Magic
