Eukela Little wanted to create a space for the black community on Elon’s campus to celebrate, to educate and to be together. Now, one Friday a month, Little creates that space.
The junior Center for Race, Ethnicity and Diversity coordinator decided last year to start Black Fridays, a program that focuses on different aspects of Black identities. On March 6, Black Fridays hosted a panel of five Black women from across campus to speak to the theme "Black Girl Magic," for International Women’s Day, Little said.
“I really try to make Black Fridays an educational component, but also celebratory,” Little said.
The panelists for Black Girl Magic included freshman students Dani Toma-Harrold, Trinity Battle and Soniyah Robinson, graduate student Nika Battle and lecturer in human service studies Sandra Reid. The conversation ranged from what the panelists believe black girl magic is and how to embody it to being a Black woman on Elon’s campus and what that means to them.
Toma-Harold said black girl magic starts young. As an elementary education major, she said she tries to keep that in mind when she goes into classrooms.
“Even with that younger generation, you can kind of start them early with 'I see you, I hear you and it's going to get better and here's how we can start like lifting each other up,'” Toma-Harold said. “Through inclusive stories, like the whole hair love stuff, that book, and just making sure those narratives are being told”
The panelists also talked about what piece of advice or word of encouragement they would tell their younger self. Reid said she thinks a lot of black women prioritize being there for others, but not always themselves.
“I think what I would say to my younger self is be your best friend first,” Reid said. “And then extend grace, the grace you extend to others, extend it to yourself.”
Following the panel, panelists and participants were able to write letters to black women in their life, an activity Little chose to continue the International Women’s Day theme.
The next Black Friday event will be to celebrate black senior students, Little said.