After the loss of Wright State student, Pierre Damas Bel, the student community comes together to grieve, heal and demand action.
First-year student, Pierre Damas Bel, passed away from suicide on Aug. 31. He was attending WSU with plans to study physiology and neuroscience. He and his family moved to Springfield, OH from Haiti in 2024 to pursue education.
Bel, like many others of the Haitian population in Springfield, was fitted for a GPS tracking monitor following the end of their Temporary Protection Status (TPS) on July 27. The alleged bullying and shame Bel posted about the monitor is what many are pointing to as the cause behind Bel taking his life.
During his time at Springfield High School, Bel was remembered for his high academic honors and his skills in soccer. Earning an initial soccer scholarship from Wittenberg University in Springfield before deciding to become a student of WSU.
On Sept. 9, the WSU community came together to hold a candlelight vigil in Bel’s honor. The vigil was a group effort from WSU’s Student Government Association (SGA), The Black Student Union, and Black Men on The Move.
In a joint statement from the groups posted on social media, Bel was more than a statistic, he was a member of the community. He was a person.
“Pierre was not an immigration status. He was not a case. He was not a talking point. He belonged here with us,” the statement said.
SGA president Eimaan Virani followed up at the vigil, saying that students must remain united regardless of tragedy.
“Tragedy unfortunately does unite us” Virani said, “I hope that in the future when we have to organize for our neighbors and for our brothers and sisters that we do not have to let tragedy strike before we take action."
Bel’s passing has hit the student population of WSU hard, as students like Jai’anah Wilkerson, a Motion Pictures major, who thought the vigil was impactful. The event also emphasized that in matters of emotional wellbeing, division must be looked past.
“It has affected me because I am a black woman,” Wilkerson said, “I feel like we belong together no matter what. Our black community will be strong together no matter what. People need to know their emotions matter, and no one should be judged from their looks or color. This event has brought us together in a way and I feel like we overall just need to be there for each other more.”
Other students like Jesus Carachure Jacobo, one of the speakers at the vigil, understand the effects of othering that immigration may bring to someone.
“I was born here but I grew up in Mexico, and when I came to this country, I was 11 to 12 years old. I didn’t understand how everyday life was here. Quickly, I understood that people are quick to put certain labels on you and judge you for certain characteristics without even speaking to you, just knowing you,” Carachure Jacobo said, “it made me feel like I wanted to assimilate, I wanted to feel like every culture imaginable. When you leave everything that you call familiar, it is quite hard to feel like you belong anywhere else. I can’t help but feel like Pierre felt this way too.”
During his speech, Carachure Jacobo called the community to action to end bullying and division to prevent this tragedy from happening again.
“This country is in distress. There should be no way that in our society that an institution made a young, black, immigrant man want to kill himself. You guys have to think about what this means,” Carachure Jacobo said. “You guys need to be kind to each other, say hi to each other and support each other. There is no reason why you should not go out of your way to be nice to someone.”
The speeches were followed by a five minute moment of silence where students were encouraged to pray and grieve the loss of their friend and community member.
For anyone struggling with thoughts of suicide or need support, students can visit Counseling and Wellness services for help. In addition, call or text the Suicide & Crisis hotline at 988.
