“My vision would turn your world upside down, tear asunder your illusions, and send the sanctuary of your own ignorance crashing down around you.” -Huey Freeman

Public Service Announcement: The support of Black bodies is never divisive, and has never been mandatory. The celebration of black culture has never been exclusionary. Black people do not owe you anything for your support; not a space at their tables, not a photo-op, nary a hug, nor a handshake. If your acceptance of a collective is based on what they do for you in return, or with the intention of getting a cookout invite, it is not real. True acceptance, tolerance, and love is not transactional. To my skin folks, don’t let these losers pressure you into anything either. You don’t have to do shit in life but be Black and die, and that second one is a maybe.
Anyway.
Happy Black History Month to… (Vermont Edition)
Happy Black History month to students at Predominantly White Institutions. Happy Black History Month to student activists. Happy Black History Month to those who were born here, to the immigrant student, and to the only Black kid in the classroom. To the light skins, “white” skins, “white-washed” Black and the mixed with Black students. To the Black student athletes. To the tired Black students. To the Black farmers and homesteaders, and the Black students who are eating trail mix and jerky more often than they thought they would. Happy Black History Month to those of you that like country music. To the students with locs and braids and afros, to the students with wigs and weaves, and those who let their new growth grow out a little too long. (They don’t notice. I promise you.) To the Black students who haven’t figured out the best way to stay moisturized. (Use a body oil in the shower.) To the students figuring out their Blackness, and to those who’ve already got it down. To “The Black Friend” and to Black students who are afraid to speak out. To the students used in diversity photos.
Happy Black History Month to the students at Lyndon. (A petition? Really? Sir, you don’t even go here!)
Happy Black History Month to the Queer, the Autistic, the cringy, the bilingual and the Black students making history. Happy Black History Month.

Are you a student of color on one of the five the VTSU campuses?
The Coalition of Minority Students is a student-run group housed at VTSU-Johnson, committed to creating a safe, welcoming environment for ALL students of color.
What we do:
– Provide physical resources, such as dorm and school supplies and personal care. Residential students can stop by the Mamadou N’Diaye Resource Center (Dewey 149) during open hours for access to supplies, or reach out to the information below to set up a one-on-one to discuss other needs.
– Host cultural events, activity events centering POC, and informational and discussion sessions ranging from recent cultural issues to self-care.
– Advocate for a community that is safe and equitable by establishing unity and recognizing diversity.
– For students on the Johnson campus, the Mamadou N’Diaye Resource Center serves as an open community room for students, staff, and faculty of color who need a break, space to work or study, or the space to express grievances. The room houses a computer with Zoom abilities, comfy couches, and a shelf of books for all students of color to enjoy.

The Coalition of Minority Students is working with Oyibo Afuaku, VTSUs Chief Diversity Officer, to hold discussion sessions for the VTSU community.

For more information, assistance, or ways to get involved, please reach out to: me.
COMS President: Dayne Bell – [email protected]
Dayne Bell