Pepperdine's Black Student Association and Seaver Faculty Senate to Discuss Racial Justice

On Monday, February 22, 2021, at 6 PM PST the Pepperdine University’s Black Student Association (BSA) and the Seaver College Faculty Senate will hold a virtual discussion titled “A Night to Listen: White Supremacy, Christianity, and Racial Justice.” The event will feature Seaver College senior and BSA president Amani McCalleb and junior Shemie Daniels alongside associate professor of biology Donna Nofziger and professor of religion and president of the Seaver Faculty Senate Chris Doran.

“Our hopes for these conversations are to foster informal spaces where students can share their voices while members of the Pepperdine community listen and, hopefully, provide ways to support and care for one another in learning about said experiences,” McCalleb shares.

This is the third installment of the “A Night to Listen” series. The events were developed early in the fall 2020 semester to allow a safe environment for students to share their experiences so that faculty may be better prepared to support students in the classroom and beyond. Conversations have included topics surrounding racial injustice and LGBTQ+ concerns.

“The immediate feedback from the first two conversations was so encouraging,” McCalleb reflects. “I was surprised at how many people tuned in, but I also felt a sense of relief in knowing that my story was heard and received by at least one person. People expressed how grateful they were for the discussions and how they want to hear from more students.”

Although this is McCalleb’s last semester before graduating, she is hopeful and optimistic that the events will continue to support Seaver College students, especially students in underrepresented and underserved communities, in the semesters to come. 

To learn more about the event, view the event’s poster.