In March, a group of faculty, staff, and students from MSP attended the in Montgomery, Alabama. The symposium brought together a variety of individuals committed to social justice, civil rights, and education.
Very rarely have I experienced an event that affirmed I am in alignment with my true purpose. When Dr. Stogner first mentioned the Fred Gray Symposium, I was eager to attend. I felt honored to be in a room filled with people who used their personal gifts to change the world. I was inspired by how normal, everyday individuals committed themselves to making a difference. This conference allowed me to see roadblocks where I would normally see stop signs.
For me, traveling to Montgomery felt symbolic, as if I had been chosen by my ancestors to walk the same roads and acknowledge what I carry within me. I learned things about my history that I was never taught in public school. I felt new emotions. I thought about the people who came before me, and what it meant to sit in a room with Fred Gray, recognizing how his legacy informs the responsibility I now carry as a developing professional.
Ironically, the session that deeply stayed with me focused on justice and the responsibility I hold as a professional. During that session, I reflected on the many ways I intend to use my degree to create change. To my surprise, I was called to the front of the room to receive the Deborah Gray Champion for Justice medal. This moment solidified that I am on the right path and aligned with my destiny. It was truly an honor to be entrusted with such a meaningful duty to my community.
Another speaker expressed concern that conversations about race are being pushed out of classrooms and history books. Not surprisingly, this shift is occurring with the authority of national leadership, not because race has stopped mattering. Rather, telling a more accurate story about our nation can make people uncomfortable. When lived experiences challenge the preferred narrative, the response is often to remove the topic rather than explore solutions or spread awareness.
Although I learned a great deal at the symposium, one statistic in particular stayed with me. In Alabama alone, there are over 900,000 registered Black voters, yet more than half are labeled inactive or infrequent. This raises many questions: How many Black voters in Michigan are considered inactive or infrequent compared to other voters? Is there an issue with how the importance of voting is communicated? Is there a disconnect in access or ability to vote? Or is there another underlying reason that has not yet been identified? It made me wonder whether the system was designed this way? If so, why, and is there anything I can do to change it? I left with the understanding that the deeper work lies in addressing the barriers that limit full participation for some communities. This topic is urgent and current, particularly as the proposed SAVE Act introduces additional challenges that many are unaware of.
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Kierra Poydras is a graduate of MSP’s MA program and current student in the PsyD Program.听听