BSA Elects Executive Board

With the election of its 2000-2001 board last week, the Black Students' Association (BSA) marked its commitment toward balancing its social function, emphasized in the past year, with its traditionally more assertive political role.

"We want to make BSA a more politically focused and advocacy-based organization this year," said newly elected President Aaliyah N. Williams '02.

"This year [BSA] kind of lost its focus, and we're just trying to motivate the black community on campus and we want to do a lot of projects [with other student groups] and get that unity going again," she added.

Typical activities the BSA hosted this year included House study breaks and parties, as well as various lecture panels and discussions.

Former President Alicia E. Johnson '01 said the past board's emphasis on its social position stemmed in part from a desire to strengthen the black community on campus.

"You can go for weeks without seeing someone when you are in the

Houses when you might have seen that person everyday in the Yard," Johnson said.

But in February, BSA joined with other student groups to protest the acquittal of the police officers who shot Amadou Diallo, an unarmed black West African immigrant.

Aside from donning black clothes for a day and wearing black armbands, BSA helped organize rallies and supported the ongoing efforts of other black student groups that invited prominent black leaders like Johnnie Cochran to speak about racial issues.

BSA is also kicking off an "Electric Blue Campaign" where they will pass out blue ribbons to protest police brutality.

Johnson said the campaign is, in part, a response to the motto of the New York Police Department's Street Crimes Unit, "we own the streets." The officers who shot Diallo belonged to the special unit.

"[With this campaign] we are taking back the streets and we're taking back this color," Johnson said, referring to the police blue she said has come to be associated with police brutality.

Williams said she hopes to continue organizing projects that raise social awareness.

"I want to continue that sense of connectedness with the outside world; what's going on in the broader community," Williams said. "That's the direction that BSA wants to take for next year."

Williams said the numerous first-year board members will be an asset in redirecting BSA next year.

"We have a lot of fresh blood on the board, a lot of freshman who haven't necessarily been clouded by this idea of bureaucracy going through Harvard," she said.

Of the new board, only Williams and Vice President Kourtney L. James '02 have previously held officer positions.

The other new board members are: Secretary Justice C. Reid '03, Treasurer Zhalisa L. Clarke '02, Lecture Series Chair Kim Thomas '03, Online-Technology Chair Margaret C. Anadu '03, Publicity Chair Victoria A. Shannon '03, Arts and Entertainment Chair Kimberly N. Marshall '03, Alumni Representative Kelly C. Epps '01, Publications Chair Kirtiana Freelon '02, who is also a Crimson editor, and Public Service co-Chairs Tiffany S. McNair '03 and Brandon Gayle '03.