Black Student Alliance aims to combat microaggression

By Emely Cruz, '22

|Photo: Alinoe Roussie, Nautilus Staff

Black Student Alliance host Q&A session with Carol-Bunch Davis, Daisey McCloud, Derrick Ford and Branston Harris.

With the hope of creating campus recognition for black history, Texas A&M University at Galveston’s Black Student Alliance (BSA) celebrated Black History Month by hosting various events and presentations.

On February 6, BSA organized a presentation titled “You’re Pretty for a Black Girl: A Presentation About Microaggression.” The lecture aimed to inform students about microaggression and the negative effects it inflicts onto individuals.

Microaggression describes how everyday comments could unintentionally reflect prejudice towards a person or group. The term is used in cases where a person may not mean what was said in the form it was translated. In most cases microaggression targets lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender (LGBT) individuals, minorities, or groups who are not perceived as common.

BSA aimed to help educate students on the comments that cause harm whether intentional or not. Sabrina Roberts, the president of BSA, explains these negative connotation covered quips may not cause immediate harm, but over time these phrases may accumulate and damage a person’s self esteem while also creating identity problems.

Comments such as “you’re pretty for a black girl” or “why do you sound white?” are examples of microaggression. BSA explains, comments like these imply that speech or appearance has its limitations when it comes to race.“No one race should be tied to speaking with eloquence and great vernacular,” explained Roberts. Remarks of this form not only create unfair boxes to limit people when it comes to their capabilities, but it changes the way people believe in themselves.

In many cases, people may begin to question if the comments are correct and doubt their true selves. In order to combat microaggression, BSA stresses society must no longer brush the comments over with an awkward laugh.

BSA aims to create an open environment for all ethnic groups. “Black History Month, while it celebrates black history, is about alliances between ethnic groups,” explained Roberts. The intention is to create a place where all students can come together to work towards improving the community. BSA has made it their mission to give all students a voice at Texas A&M University at Galveston.