If Not Us, Then Who?: Black Excellence Edition by Tyrin Sykes

IfNotUs,Then Who?

SHYNE HART

KALABI KAMAU

JAHARI SCOTT

LINA FARKAS

In the spirit of Black History Month, photographer Tyrin Sykes and videographer Eduardo Cisneros felt like it was only right they highlighted some black students at Illinois Wesleyan University that are making some kind of impact; whether it’s on or off campus “The process of choosing only 9 Black students to highlight was very challenging because they’re so many Black students here that do amazing things and have interesting stories to tell,” said Sykes. In the end 9 black students were chosen and each of them have a different story as to why they do what they do.

Prosper Luvunzu, Jordan Colin, Davi Lemon, Kiera Henderson, Juanise Foster, Shyne Hart, Kalabi Kamau, Jahari Scott, and Lina Farkas. 9 Black students who all come from different backgrounds but share similar stories. These 9 individuals, aren’t just a Black students at a PWI, they are artists, athletes, STEM Majors, future nurses, Presidents of a clubs, record breakers, and role models We see Black Excellence

“THIS WORLD DOES NOT MOVE WITHOUT BLACK CREATIVITY” - MELISSA KIMBLE

These 9 Black students all come from different backgrounds but all share some of the same dreams and aspirations Being a black student at a PWI is never easy The odds are already stacked so high against them in a system that’s built to tear them down However, these students beat the odds each and every time making a name for themselves in their respective fields

We’ve chosen to do this photoshoot idea not only because there are so many Black students at Wesleyan that are doing great things, but because no one else has take the time to do so. The Black students at Illinois Wesleyan University that are doing great things deserve to be highlighted and celebrated for all that they do. We bring something to this school that no else could copy or attempt. We don’t do the things that they do because they want to, they do it because they have to Because if not us, then who?

LINA FARKAS

Lina Farkas is a freshman Biochemistry major from Amherst, Wisconsin Although Lina hasn’t taken on many leadership roles while attending Wesleyan, she has taken this time to find her sense of community and belonging on campus For Lina, coming to Wesleyan was her opportunity to become her own person. This has given her the opportunity to grow and mature away from home. During Lina’s time at home, she was a part of the all-star cheer team where she’s won multiple championships. Although there were many ups and downs during her time apart of the team, it was overall a great experience “I think I’ve become a better because of cheer, and I appreciate all the people I’ve met along the way” said Farkas Because of her involvement in cheer, this allowed Lina to blend in much more at Wesleyan IWU has taught Lina how to patient and allow herself to take things a day at a time Alongside this, Lina’s family is the root of motivation for her to pursue a college education

Lina wants to make her family proud and with the opportunities given to many after graduating college is endless When thinking about her future, not going to college was never an option for Lina She knew the journey of finishing college would be tough, but with determination and having the right people around her, the possibilities are endless. Farkas has been able to find that support through many of her friends here at Wesleyan. Farkas states “ many of the friends I’ve made here have been really accepting so it makes me feel pretty secure...I know I have people like that to turn to ” With the time Lina has spent at Wesleyan so far, she hasn’t taken up any leadership positions at Wesleyan However she’s played a key role in many of the photoshoots HC Magazine has put on this academic year Lina has sacrificed a lot of time and effort to help and support our team throughout many of our projects, including this one So it’s only right she gets the recognition she deserves WE LOVE YOU LINA!

SHYNEHART

OH! AND MY DMS ARE OPEN. SHOOT!SHYNE HART

Shyne TheGreat Hart is a freshman Business Major, from Springfiled, IL. At Wesleyan, Shyne is a part of the football team and Black Student Union. Attending IWU has changed Hart’s mindset and how he approaches certain things in life For him it has opened up worlds of opportunities and a part of him that he never knew he had. IWU has allowed Hart to meet new people, travel, and become a better person overall. The root of Hart’s motivation to take advantage of all of these amazing opportunities comes from his son Hart expresses that “I want him to grow up better than I did not having to figure things out on his own like I did.” Hart wants to show his son that one can achieve things ten times further than one’s imagination could ever have. All of these play a key role in what keeps Hart going and growing

Before attending IWU Hart accomplished many things in high school, but his proudest accomplishment out of them all was playing quarterback for all four years of high school This was something Hart never thought he’d be able to accomplish leading up to his high school years Being a parent while also attending a university is never easy, but Hart is defeating the odds ,chasing his degree while also making time to be a great role-model for his son

PROSPER LUVUNZU

“AS A CREATIVE PERSON, I AM VERY MUCH DRAWN TO ACTIVITIES THAT HAVE TO DO WITH ME EXPRESSING MY CREATIVITY SUCH AS FASHION AND DESIGN, PHOTOGRAPHY, MUSIC, ETC…”PROSPER LUVUNZU

Here we have Prosper Luvunzu, a freshman Studio Art Major and Pre-Engineering Track, born and raised in Rockford, Illinois As far as inspiration, Prosper believes that his inspiration has always been from his parents and grandparents. In his upbringing they taught him taught him things like responsibility, respect, hard work, and humbleness. These are some of the same values that Prosper believes that heavily shaped him into the person he is today Before coming to IWU Prosper was more of an introvert, but coming to Wesleyan has helped him to learn how to be more involved within his campus community Luvunzu expressed, “ as an artist I have realized the im-

portance and value of making connections with people in my community whether that is on or off campus ” This pursuit of finding a sense of community also helped play a role in why Prosper chose to further his education at Wesleyan specifically Luvunzu’s high school art teacher encouraged him to find a school where he could grow as not only an artist, but as a person as well. Although Prosper is only a freshman at Wesleyan, he has only used his time there to progress as an artist and make a bigger name for himself. Some of his biggest accomplishments as an artist includes: winning a gold and silver key in Scholastic Art competition, winning gold at the Illinois High School Art Exhibition (ArtConnectED), exhibiting my art work at the Rockford Art Museum, along with his entire senior high school portfolio Luvunzu hopes and plans to showcase much more

of his creativity through his art. As of recently, Luvunzu has been working on is growing my personal brand “PROSPER” (Achieve Zenith Potential) “The main focus of the brand is to encourage everyone to become the best version of themselves in all aspects of life,” said Luvunzu The project is still being developed but Prosper hopes to share his work to the world soon. It’s only up from here for Prosper, and we can’t wait to see what he has in store!

JORDAN COLIN

The one and only, Jordan Colin is an Entrepreneurship major from New Orleans, Louisiana. For Jordan, leadership has always been something that has seemed to find him. Colin states, “I never asked to be the section leader of the trumpet section in the marching bands I played for, I never asked to win the awards I have won, and even with me being a POSSE Scholar, I just happened to stumble upon the form to enter the interviewing process and now here I am.” So far, Jordan has taken advantage of all of these leadership opportunities that have been placed in front of him, and has done amazing things. Colin has acccomplished a lot over the years He’s worked under great people like BMike, a muralist from New Orleans, and Donald Harrison, a Jazz Musician from New Orleans These opportunities have led Jordan to do many projects and community service back in the city of New Orleans called “BElite” where they commit themselves to community and disrupt systematic oppression through their different art forms. He’s also been a part of a number of

internships/fellowships such as Eternal Seeds, NOYA, 826 Writer’s Council, & Tipitina’s Jordan also put together his own concert with some of his friends at the age of 17 “When it comes to being the first or being innovative and a part of history, I find myself really excelling in those spaces” says Colin Before attending Wesleyan, Jordan was busy 24/7, 7 days a week Jordan juggled school, passion projects, his music career, and internships with ease and enjoyed every minute of it. Once he arrived at IWU, he was basically forced to sit still and go to class and be left with time to ponder on his thoughts of what his life would be like after college “I always struggled with being present and I think IWU has taught me how to truly sit still and appreciate the smaller things in life If anything, IWU has taught me

that when I don’t know where to go: sit still and be patient” says Colin. Since Jordan’s arrival on IWU’s campus he’s made his mark From being Vice President of Men of Color to being a part of BSU’s first ever homecoming court, this is only the beginning for Jordan Most people may know Jordan for his stage name “MIKAL,” however that era is coming to a close He has a song coming out soon and will be the start of this new era. The new name he will be going by is Vril Vres (April Ares). “I came up with the concept in my dorm room freshman year and I think this will perfectly encapsulate the music/art I’ve been making and will continue to develop now into the future So expect to see a lot more of me this year moving forward and in 2-3 years time, I’ll be worldwide. Believe dat!” - Jordan Colin

KIERAHENDERSON

Kiera Henderson is a sophomore Kinesiology and Allied Health major from the Quad Cities Before coming to IWU, Kiera was strictly focused on her academics and the extracurricular activities she was a part of She never really had the desire to pushed herself to get out of her comfort zone, try new things, and talk to new people In High School, Henderson made National/Spanish National Honor Society, Quad Cities All-Metro Girls Bowling Second team, Junior Rotarian, along with a list of other accomplishments However, since attending Wesleyan she’s broken out of her shell and have made an effort to get involved. With these new goals implemented, Kiera has already accomplished so much more than she thought she could back home. “I chose IWU because it reminded me of home. I knew I wanted to venture out of my comfort zone a little bit...I thought IWU would be a good choice for me because it had that home feel when I was here” said Henderson.

Getting involved on IWU’s campus has pushed Henderson to do some amazing things that only few can say they’ve done In Fall of 2023, Henderson was apart of BSU’s first ever Homecoming Court She also tied and broke the school’s record for high game in bowling These type of accomplishments come naturally to Kiera, because of the amount of work she puts on on a day-to-day basis The people that she has chosen to place herself around has also allowed her to progress as a leader and person Henderson expresses, “having a community of people on campus who have amazing work ethics and a drive for something has really inspired me to step up and do the same...seeing them doing great things for themselves and their community has made me try to do the same.”

KALABI KAMAU

Kalabi Kamau, a sophomore Business major with a minor in Finance, from Atlanta, Georgia. Kalabi is a part of the men’s soccer team, Spanish club, and plays in the intramural basketball league For Kalabi, his mom and dad has always been his inspiration Both of his hard-working parents are from Zambia, Africa and have been the reason for his push to success “My dad pushes me in everything I do He has a sayin, ’how u do anything is how u do everything,’ that’s why I go into everything 100% give everything my all” says Kamau Kalabi’s mom is no different, she reminds him that he should never be a follower and always lead. The words of Kalabi’s parents words carries him to be himself and be successful while doing it his own way and paving his own path.

Before attending Wesleyan, everything seemed pretty easy for Kalabi But upon arriving to IWU, everyday was a grind, whether it be on the soccer field or in the classroom He knew that coming to Wesleyan and keeping up with school would not be easy, but he was prepared for the challenge He loved the challenges that came with being in college, which is what motivated him to pursue an education and play soccer at Wesleyan. Kamau says “People probably look at me crazy when I say I love hustling 8-12 hours of my day away and only getting 1-3 hours of me time or social time, but for me it’s not about what happens now It’s about my future and how the grind I do now will pay off in the future ”

Luckily for Kamau, all that hard work has continued to pay off In his freshman year at Wesleyan, he was named All CCIW Second Player for men’s soccer in Division III which makes him the first African American player in the history of IWU men’s soccer to receive an award of that caliber. Accomplishing things like this at such an early start of one’s college career has only pushed Kamau to go harder and continue to make a name for himself Kalabi expresses “I want to be is great; a great friend, a great brother, a great soccer player, a great boyfriend, a great dad, I just want to be great Every day I work for my future for when I can say I am great in all aspects of life ”

JAHARISCOTT

“I JUST BE CHILLIN” -JAHARI SCOTT

Here we have Jahari Scott, a sophomore Sociology and Psychology major, from Lake Bluff, Illinois Jahari is on both the track and football team where he’s a made noise the moment he stepped foot on the track/field In only his freshman year, Scott broke the 60m dash record for the track team and also made 4th-Team All-American for football this year When it comes to what drove Jahari to take on such big roles at Wesleyan, the main motivation came from his friends that left Wesleyan after his freshman year. “My friends from last year are no longer here but they told me before I left that if I came back then I would have to look out for the other players because no one is really looking out for us so we have to look out for each other I don’t really lead, I'm just a hard worker and passionate about what I do, and people notice it” said Scott.

Before coming to IWU not much was different for Jahari He sees much of IWU in his high school, which has helped him to adapt to the environment. This has also helped him keep the same mindset going into college, because his home is the reason for him coming to Wesleyan Scott states “I grew up the way I grew up and IWU can’t change or alter my plans for life My mom liked the school and I wanted to play football. And I get to keep running track as a bonus.”

Scott’s way of thinking has helped progressed him into the person he is today which is what has led to his constant success The sky is the limit for Jahari, and we can’t wait to see what’s next for him

JUANISE FOSTER

Juanise Foster is a junior Biology Major, from Chicago, Illinois At IWU, Foster has accomplished and is a part of many groups on campus, but the things she’s most proud of are being the President of Women of Color, a ChangeMaker for MakerGirl, being on the Dean's list, and making it to my junior year of college; which to her is the biggest accomplishment of them all. For Foster, all of these accomplishments and more have shaped her into the person that she is today. “They serve as a constant reminder that I CAN and WILL accomplish whatever I put my mind to want no matter the obstacles that may arise” says Foster Along with accomplishing so much here at IWU, Foster’s biggest motivator is her aunt Foster’s aunt attended Wesleyan which was a part of her reason for attending Wesleyan In the beginning of her collegiate journey, Foster was nervous to take on these leadership roles in fear of failing, but has since

thrived making her mark in Wesleyan history Before coming to Wesleyan, Foster lived in a predominantly black neighborhood so being around her community was the only thing she was used to So when it was time to further her education at Wesleyan, it was a big change and resulted in Foster’s mindset changing. Foster states “When I’m at home, I am more comfortable in my skin and respected.” Coming to IWU, Foster had to learn to advocate for herself which is something that she wasn’t used to doing back at home. However, it was something she’s since been able to do and has led to all of her many accomplishments Around campus, Foster is loved by so many individuals and she’s guaranteed to leave a smile on people’s face with her presence Juanise Foster is only getting started in her journey of success, and we can’t wait to see what she accomplishes next

DAVION LEMON

Last, but certainly not least, we have THE Davion Lemon, also known as Davi, a junior Nursing Major, from New Orleans, Louisiana. Since stepping foot on Wesleyan’s campus Davi has been involved in different organizations and groups on campus She’s currently a member of Black Student Union, Black Student-Athlete Alliance, and Black Nurses Association of Central Illinois where she’s received multiple scholarships. She’s also a part of the track team where she’s earned three “AllConference Awards” and two varsity letters. While attending Wesleyan, Davi has been able to go out of her comfort zone and use her voice to make change around campus

“Before coming to IWU, I was more reserved I was never the quiet type of person, but I also wasn’t very vocal with my beliefs in school because of the people around me” said Lemon. However, at IWU Davi has learned to use her voice and resources to share how things on campus affect her She

goes on to say “Even though most of the time, the punishment isn’t equal to the crime; it is comforting to be able to speak my opinions. My outlook on life in general has changed as well Life is way too short not to speak out. However you interpret that is up to you, but at our big ages, there is no reason to not be vocal about SOMETHING ” Just like our other featured students, Davi has had some sort of motivator/motivation that pushed her to take on leadership roles at IWU. For Davi, her motivation came from always having a lack of Black female representation in her life Nonetheless, this only pushed Lemon to use the resources on IWU’s campus to find that sense of comfort to be the best version of herself she could possibly be She’s been able to

find this mainly through her track team Davi closed expressing, “I love my teammates and how they always push me to be my best, on and off the track I’ve gained so many life long friends on that team and I love them all so much.” Davi has gone above and beyond to not only find her safe space but also help create a safe space for students who look just like her. Students like Davi deserve to be highlighted for all the good they bring to a campus like Wesleyan Because if not her, then who?