Chad
The African and African American studies department is one of the oldest African American Studies departments in the country, founded in 1969. We're an interdisciplinary department that focuses on teaching and researching the history, culture and politics of African Americans and other peoples of African descent.
Marta
I am here to be of service. Whatever that means. I am prepared to do as much or as little as is deemed necessary. I just want to be able to support the mission.
Chad
I feel reinvigorated to continue to push to grow the department. You know, I think we have an incredible opportunity to build on this momentum, to think about ways in which the department can continue to grow, what type of new initiatives programs we want to to now prioritize, to think about more endowed professorships in the department. So the future is really exciting.
Marta
It took me a long time to begin to understand how I internalized systemic racism, and I've been working really really hard to become an ally, anti-racist, and this seemed to me to be a way that I could participate in the conversation from a white woman's perspective. I hope it becomes the leading AAAS department in the country. I hope that this department gets everything it needs financially and can continue to engage students, and I hope it widens. I hope it takes in, you know, that it becomes a part of not just studying in this context but, you know, being able to spread out through the other courses that people take that there are things one has to learn from this department that should be included in science courses and mathematics courses.
Chad
To have this actually happen is the culmination you know really of over 50 years of struggle, you know which really speaks to the remarkable history of this department, of its students, of its faculty, of its alumni, and how the work that we do matters. Even if it's slow, even if the rewards you know, come decades later, the work that we do matters and it pays off.
Marta
People forget that giving to an institution is what i call exponential giving. It seems like it's only going here, but then these professors are teaching these students who then go out into the world and they do good work and they run for office and they teach other people, and you are giving not only for the health and longevity of the department, but also for the future. My greatest hope is that more people will do this, that more people will recognize the crucial work that's being done here and not just support it emotionally but support it financially.