My experience in the Webinar last week was amazing. With time to digest the webinar, I can definitely say that it was an important moment. I felt over these few weeks that just by having the program this semester and being up and running regardless of the circumstances in inspiring. To have space to still have these important conversations gives me hope that not only our program is resilient, that so many can stay resilient. Diving into the talk, there was so much that resonated with me. The talk centered around education, COVID and education, and inequalities in education Whether it was powerful sentences from Tressie McMillan like “Your job isn’t to change the institution, the job is to not let it change you”, “extract as much from the institution more than what they’re doing to you”, and “People will encourage you to forget where you came from, don’t let it break you”. This resonated with me because these are words that everyone doesn’t have the privilege to hear and internalize. In the webinar, Carla Shedd mentioned the unfortunate situation that many students at Georgia State University face. She gave a concerning statistic that stated students were seven times more likely to drop out because of money, not because they couldn’t handle the work. The determinant for them was two hundred dollars. This statistic made me truly grateful for the opportunities I am afforded. This webinar truly reinforced that change happens with education. I truly believe that a first step to bringing more equity in higher education is through conversations. We need conversations that have all parties open to learning how progress happens and how to cause the change. Being able to be apart of these conversations sparked the thought in me that I can bring change on many different levels. I can bring change on my campus by being apart of clubs and organizations that can be open spaces for conversations about change in High Ed to happen. In my community, I can continue giving back to my high school programs and be a guide for students to help them get to the next level. A song I leave you with is “Lifeboats” by Jorja Smith. This song fits the ambiance of where my mind was during the conversation. I recommend taking a listen. Until next time I hope you’re doing better than you were the day before.

“Have a good time, enjoy life. Life is too short to be bogged down or discouraged, you have to keep moving. Put one foot in front of the other, smile, and just keep on rolling” – Kobe Bryant

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