Positive affirmations | Photo by Bethany Althauser | The Wright State Guardian
Black Welcome Week started on Monday, Aug. 28, with an affirmation workshop hosted by Black Women Striving Forward.
Why affirmations?
According to BWSF President Jaelyn Hunt, a senior sports science major, affirmations are words of encouragement or emotional support to oneself or to someone else. Hunt believes affirmations work because if people repeat something to themselves long enough, they will start to believe it.
After explaining affirmations and why affirmations work, Hunt led a discussion on what affirmations people like to use.
“You are strong and you are beautiful” is an affirmation that Daleasha Moore, the community service chair, likes.
Moore explained that this is to instill strength in black women.
“We are told otherwise,” Moore explained.
For Jaylyn Sanders, the BWSF treasurer, affirmations are part of breaking generational trauma patterns on a daily basis. An affirmation that Sanders likes is “I am God’s child.”
President Hunt felt that this was the perfect event for the first day of classes to kick off Black Welcome Week because sometimes college can leave students feeling defeated. Having these affirmations in dorm rooms or on walls is a great way to start the semester with something students can always have as a reminder, Hunt explained.
On the organization
Hunt described BWSF as an organization that empowers women.
“Personally, it is very difficult to be a minority in any space, so having Black Women Striving Forward and being able to go to events is very impactful and helpful,” Hunt said. “It's a place to be seen, it's a place to be heard, it’s a place to be appreciated, it’s a place to be loved. It's very rare that we get that in other places than with each other.”
As an only child, Hunt described this organization as a great way to be lifted up by like-minded women who have the same culture, career and education goals.
“Our hope is to continue the legacy of empowering and encouraging black women on campus to grow culturally, socially and academically as well,” Hunt said.
BWSF not only hosts events on campus, but the members also get together personally to strengthen the bonds of sisterhood and connect with one another.
For more information on the organization, visit @bwsf_wsu on Instagram or visit the organization’s Engage page.
