The winner of American Idol Season 6, Jordin Sparks, speaks to me (and Pat Benatar) when she asks in her chart-topping song, “Why does love always feel like a battlefield?” I love you, UA, for so many reasons that I will soon explain, but for the past four years, to me, you have been such a battlefield.
I love you, but looking back, I wish that I didn’t have to spend so much of my four years here fighting you. If you’re reading this article and you know me, I would guess that you’re snapping your fingers right now, thanks!
However if you’re reading this and you don’t know me, I’d like to be upfront about who I am. I am a queer black female born-and-raised Alabamian. While I’m really proud of all of these identities, my high school friends’ first reactions to learning that I applied only to The University of Alabama for college were “whhhhhhy?!” (direct quote).
To be honest, the main reason why was because the Presidential Scholarship is mighty nice, thanks! But my friends still wondered, “Don’t you just want to get out of here?! Are you worried that you won’t be safe there?!” And yes, I was worried, but I was committed to coming here and once I got here, I fell in love with our campus – and with all of the work that needs to be done to improve it.
Perhaps I’ve been too critical to use words like “battle” and “fight.” In truth a lot of the work that needs to be done remains conversational, which is really encouraging, but when it comes down to it, our campus is nowhere near as inclusive and respectful of all identities based on race, nationality, gender identity, sexuality, etc., as it needs to be. It baffles me that making our campus safer and more inclusive has to take so long, and that’s why it feels like a fight.
I’m not trying to be ignorant of the fact that progress is usually slow in all movements with reason. Activists and everyday people fighting for change stand on each other’s shoulders as we work through efforts, both big and small, towards goals of change. However, I will hold on to being an optimistic young kid for as long as I can.
Given that there are are things like this that I want to see changed, there is so much that I love about living in a place that is ready and working to make those changes. I have come to love so much about being here and working with the many people who want to see progress happen. In places such as this, the community of people who wants to change things is so much more united than they tend to be elsewhere.
Struggle gives birth to solidarity. I have loved being involved with Spectrum, a student organization that comes together to discuss ways to better the quality of life for lesbian, gay, bisexual, trans, and queer students. Alongside Capstone Alliance, the faculty/staff/grad student LGBTQ+ advocacy group, and The UA Safe Zone Program, which promotes a visible network of allies for LGBTQ+ people, Spectrum is engaged in a community of folks who are bonded strongly to make our campus safer and more inclusive.
This is why I love that I came to UA, my battlefield. I personally love that I did not go to a school where everything was easier and policies were perfect and inclusive because it means that I got to contribute to and affect that change. It has been an honor and an absolute blast to belong to such a community.
Keep fighting the good fights and maybe in the future making improvements to our campus won’t need to be fights, but rather obvious no-brainers. Also, install a giant, musical, lighted swing set. I always wanted that. That would be an improvement.
Lauren Jacobs served as an officer of Spectrum for the past three years.
