by POWER Commissioner, Lex Fernander
Hi All! I’m Lex Fernander (she/they), and I’m super excited to be kicking off the Commissioner’s Blog! I thought I’d get the ball rolling with a quick guide to who I am and what I do!
WHO ARE YOU?
I’m a senior Political Communications major with minors in Hearing and Deafness and Peace & Social Justice, and I’m the Chair of POWER (Protesting Oppression With Educational Reform), and the POWER Commissioner in SGA.
WHAT IS POWER?
POWER is a coalition of students of color on Emerson’s campus dedicated to holding our community accountable for issues of diversity, inclusion, equity and cultural competency.
WHAT DO YOU DO?
As SGA’s POWER Commissioner, I serve as the liaison between the students in POWER and the members of Student Government. My job is essentially to insure that the needs and concerns of students of color are heard and addressed by as many people with the capacity to effect change as possible.
WHEN DID THIS START?
Students of color have been fighting for equity at Emerson for decades. This Saturday is the 50th anniversary of EBONI (Emerson’s Black Organization with Natural Interests), our black student union which was founded after a demonstration at Emerson in the wake of Martin Luther King Jr.’s assassination.
POWER was founded by a small group of students who organized a protest on campus to draw attention to the major lack of diversity at Emerson in the Spring of 2015.
In the Fall of 2017, POWER staged a second demonstration, and presented the college with a list of demands to improve the climate and culture on campus for people of color.
The position of POWER Commissioner was created in Fall 2018 as an official sign of SGA and POWER’s dedication to working jointly to achieve the goals that each organization has for the betterment of the institution.
WHAT CAN I DO?
Get Involved! If you’re a student of color interested in joining POWER, apply here!! Applications go live February 22nd and will close March 25th. Tell your friends!
Otherwise, be an ally! Hold yourself and your community members accountable for creating a socially just campus. Show up for your friends and peers of color. Use your voice and stand up against incidents of bias on campus. Vote and/or run in the upcoming SGA elections!
HOW CAN I LEARN MORE?
Get in touch with us! Here’s how:
Email us at ecpowerchair@gmail.com
Or, check out the Social Justice Center’s page for updates on the progress of the 2017 protest demands.