UVa Student Council

What does all of this mean? Why am I still rambling? Alright, to the point: image matters. To individuals, like myself, who attend a predominantly-White institution (PWI) built by my enslaved ancestors, I am almost always acutely aware that I am different. Incidents like spray-painted slurs and others that occur on Grounds (see 4th Year Taylor Gist’s article here) exacerbate a deep-rooted discomfort and anger. I know when folks envision a UVa student, I am not the first person who pops into their mind. Sometimes it takes people a minute to wrap their minds around the fact that I am a doctoral student here.