Kenya Hunter
“When I first got to the campus of Brenau University on Winter Weekend 2014 and saw that I was one of few black girls who were set to be in the upcoming class of 2018, I decided there was no way I was going to fit in at Brenau University. I just knew deep down in my heart that from the sororities on campus that I’d never heard of, to the music I listened to, to my experiences being the only black girl in her classes, I was going to hate Brenau University.
However something in my heart kept telling me this was the school I was meant to attend. My gut feeling told me the first time I toured this campus, Brenau is where I am supposed to be.
I have always been passionate about black lives. That is never going to change. From the injustices of wage gaps between white people and people of color, to the tragic killings of black people by police, the things that affect black people are things not only capture my interest, but they are things that I am and always have been very open about. Students at Brenau have come to figure out that fact about me.
At Brenau, I was scared to be open about these things. I was scared to bring up the topic of white privilege and racism in my classes because I knew it would make people uncomfortable. But when I first started being open about racism, especially some small instances of racism and ignorance on my campus, my classmates didn’t get defensive. Instead, they became open and willing to learn.
At the end of the day, that is why I love Brenau. I love that Brenau has given me an opportunity to be 100% unapologetically myself. I love that Brenau has given me the courage to speak up against issues that are important to me, no matter how controversial, how taboo, or how unknown these issues are. I think through all of my pro-blackness, my pro-womanhood, and my constant Facebook rants about equality for all, I became the “black girl on campus who loves black people.” In a way, I’ve become a part of a group of people who are the voice of African Americans at my school.
It is good to know that people at my school actually want to listen to my voice. Brenau has given me countless opportunities that I wouldn’t have gotten at UGA or KSU. I’m thankful Brenau, and I know this is where I am supposed to be.”
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