Seven Wesleyan Student Ambassadors, Dr. Khalilah Brown-Dean and Dr. Clifton Watson, attended the inaugural HBCU Democracy Day hosted by the North Carolina Agricultural and Technical State University (North Carolina A&T) Center of Excellence for Social Justice on Wednesday, Oct. 16, in Greensboro, North Carolina.
The nonpartisan event brought together scholars, journalists, and civil rights activists to discuss the current state of American democracy and the long legacy of HBCUs as incubators for critical thinking and civic engagement by exploring the roles of HBCUs in shaping democracy while promoting its stability and advancement.
“HBCU Democracy Day is the perfect occasion for us to come together and celebrate the rich culture of HBCUs and their profound influence on civic life across our nation,” said Jelani Favors, Ph.D., CESJ director.
The day’s event included a keynote address from Dr. Melanye Price, a professor at Prairie View A&M University, followed by panels, stories, films, and town hall discussions that invoked conversations around the current state of America’s democracy and the legacy of HBCUs as incubators for civic engagement.
The discussions on democracy’s power, the need to preserve it, and the event’s camaraderie made me reconsider my initial skepticism about Wesleyan’s involvement. As one of only three Black students selected, I initially felt that inviting non-Black students to an HBCU conference seemed counterintuitive, knowing many of my Black friends would have been eager to attend. However, as I engaged deeply with the challenging knowledge shared, I realized that limiting this experience to Black students would be a missed opportunity. Conversations with white, multicultural, international students, professors, and community innovators taught me that sustaining democratic practices and civic participation demands a collective commitment beyond the Black community.
Wesleyan Student Ambassador, first-year student Zoey Bea said, “I feel grateful to have been in a space that fostered constructive and meaningful dialogue about democracy and voting, spanning across generations of students and teachers with diverse perspectives.” Wesleyan’s campus is often described as a “bubble” shaped by limited educational partnerships with other universities and our NESCAC rivals. Although there’s been an increased effort to involve students in the surrounding Middletown community, the lack of collaboration with universities of diverse demographics, such as HBCUs, can restrict students’ exposure to varied perspectives. Continuing to engage with students from institutions with different cultural and social backgrounds would allow Wesleyan students to broaden their outlook, deepen civic connection to communities, and foster networks beyond the grounds of Foss Hill.
– Katie Williams ’28, Civic Engagement Intern