This story appeared in the Spring 2021 Letters & Science magazine.
As a graduating senior, I have recently been taking the time to reflect on my past four years at the University of Wisconsin-Madison.
Some of my fondest memories begin and end with The Black Voice (TBV), which quite simply is my family.
Joining TBV my sophomore year was one of the best decisions I could have made.
As a Black journalism student on this campus, I wanted to be surrounded by people who shared the same values and were interested in the same things that I was.
Soon after I joined, TBV staff were asked by University Communications to help with the project of celebrating the 50th anniversary of UW-Madison’s 1969 Black Student Strike. Members of TBV were in charge of interviewing alumni who participated in the strike.
It was with my TBV family that I was able to feel a part of something greater. Working on this project took a lot of time, but I was so happy that I got the opportunity to do it. After hours of interviews combined with even more hours spent transcribing the interviews, the final product was outstanding, and it told such an important and relevant story about black activism on this campus.
TBV has been able to teach me many different things related to the journalism field like networking skills, professional development, and confidence. As one of the current co-editors-in-chief, I feel that being a member for so long has taught me so much that I will take with me even after graduation.
TBV is more than just an online publication; it is also a class that students can take for credit. I have taken TBV for credit for the past six semesters. This means that I have spent quite a bit of time with other TBV members and especially our academic advisor, journalism professor Sue Robinson.
Professor Robinson is one of the best people on this campus. As a white professor advising an organization for Black students, she is always making sure to acknowledge her white privilege.
I cannot thank Professor Robinson enough for her constant and overwhelming support. She is truly a professor dedicated to her students and making sure that we feel supported, seen and heard.
You could say I have grown up in TBV alongside my friends Enjoyiana Nururdin and Nile Lansana. They have been with me during some of my very low points, they have been with me during some of my very high points, and they have even celebrated with me.
I am from Los Angeles and TBV has felt like a home away from home at UW-Madison. As I approach graduation, I am saddened at the thought of having to say goodbye to such an important part of my life. But in the end, I am happy and utterly grateful to have made memories and stories that will last me a lifetime.
As the great Winnie the Pooh once said, “How lucky I am to have something that makes saying goodbye so hard.”
Chelsea Hylton, co-editor-in-chief of The Black Voice, graduates in May 2021 with degrees in Journalism and Spanish, along with a certificate in Gender & Women’s Studies. She is a proud Posse scholar, plans to pursue a master's degree in journalism, and hopes to work in media.