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Everyone stood for a moment of silence to reflect, pray or think. At Berry, we have started to bring attention to racial injustices and we need to continue to do so in order for us to grow and it all starts with understanding and supporting our black peers.”Īfterwards, Taylor and Churchill lit their candles and passed the flame around the group. “It is important to bring attention to these uncomfortable issues that people seem to brush off just because it does not affect them.

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“Listening to Macilah speak gave me a different perspective of what she faces every day of her life just because of her skin color,” Gutierrez said. Rising junior Leslie Gutierrez said that this part of the vigil allowed students to better understand the impact of race from a personal point of view. Taylor’s story gave insight into an experience unfamiliar to many Berry students. But I was able to tell part of my story, and I thought that it was really heartwarming to see the support from students and faculty.” “I didn’t really know what it was going to be like, or how many people were going to be there, so I was nervous about the event but more so I was nervous about being vulnerable on such a large scale. While she was nervous at first, she explains that her testimony proved powerful and impactful to those in attendance. Macilah stood on the steps of the College Chapel and we opened the event.”ĭuring the vigil, Taylor shared about her experience as a black woman in America and a student of color at Berry. we got started and everyone got in a circle. “We met in front of the College Chapel and just let everyone talk in small groups before it began and explained what we were going to be doing. “We passed out candles to everyone who joined our circle,” Churchill said.

According to rising senior Julia Churchill, the other Solidarity Week chair, candles were passed out before the event began. Many participants wore masks, and all engaged in social distancing. on the day of the vigil, students, faculty and staff gathered outside of the College Chapel. “Although there’s not many of us here on campus for the summer, the prayer vigil showed me what it’s like to have a family here at Berry that’s concerned about my well-being with all that has been occurring in this nation.”Īt around 8 p.m. “This event showed me that I don’t have to go through this alone,” Cooper said. This was a way for students to come out and speak about it.”Īccording to rising sophomore Haikal Cooper, the vigil served as a place of support and community during this difficult time for black people in America.

“As a minority at Berry, a lot of the time it feels like you’re being ignored. “It really was about solidarity and encouraging students on campus to be an advocate,” Taylor said. According to rising sophomore Macilah Taylor, Solidarity Week chair, the vigil also aimed to help initiate conversations on how students are forced to deal with racism and what it’s like to be in the minority at a primarily white college. The Saturday night vigil strived to enhance the Berry community’s understanding of and unity with these events. Black Lives Matter demonstrations began in all 50 states, and in many other countries across the world, protesting not only the murder of Floyd, but general police brutality and systematic racsim in America. According to the BBC the horrific incident was filmed and posted online, going viral quickly. Protests around the country were sparked on May 25 by the murder of George Floyd, a 46-year-old black man, by a Minneapolis police officer. The vigil gave students, faculty, and staff the opportunity to consider the unique problems members of the black community face when learning, teaching, and working at Berry. Members of the Berry community gathered in front of the College Chapel to express support for ongoing national Black Lives Matter protests. On May 30, the chairs of the Solidarity Week committee hosted a candlelight vigil for students currently living on campus. By Taylor Corley, Campus Carrier Editor-in-Chief and Annie Dietz, Campus Carrier Managing Editor