Earlier this week, North Carolina A&T became the epicenter for a conversation about what happens when culture and civic duty collide. For HBCU Out Loud Day, an annual celebration honoring Black queer students nationwide, the Human Rights Campaign’s HBCU Program and the NAACP teamed up to host an event centered entirely on the stakes of the upcoming midterm elections.
Anchoring the day was a fireside chat featuring Jordan Aaron Hall, star of the A Different World revival, and HRC President Kelley Robinson. For Hall, stepping onto the legendary campus to talk movement building felt deeply personal. In the revival, Hall plays Amir, bringing a vital narrative to Hillman College. “It feels like a blessing and a homecoming,” Hall tells GU. “He provides long awaited representation to the queer folks who have always been a part of the fabric of our culture.”
Hall emphasized that television has always served as a vital catalyst for real world campus organizing and voting because the show is unafraid to address hard hitting issues like civic duty. Bringing that energy directly to North Carolina A&T was intentional, as Hall wanted to engage with the community face to face and meet the student body where they are. “I always want young black and young black queer people alike to feel empowered through my work,” Hall said.
With the midterm elections approaching, young Black LGBTQ+ voters face unique legislative hurdles. HRC President Kelley Robinson, the first Black queer woman to lead the organization, explained why Get Out the Vote partnerships between HRC and the NAACP are so critical. Robinson noted that every election brings immense stakes, especially when communities lack a seat at the table after the Supreme Court gutted the Voting Rights Act and the administration stripped away critical protections. “Every election gets called the most important election of our lifetime, but in recent years we have seen what is at stake when communities do not have a seat at the table,” Robinson tells GU.
To combat voter fatigue, Robinson explained that meeting students on their own campus with practical resources is essential. Through partnerships with the NAACP and Prism, North Carolina A&T’s first and only LGBTQ+ student led organization, HBCU Out Loud Day provided tools for civic participation like voter registration logistics and poll transportation. “Voter fatigue is real. A lot of young people are looking at everything happening in the world and wondering whether their voice is being heard. I completely understand that feeling,” Robinson said. That relentless energy was already on full display when students from North Carolina A&T, Bennett College, and UNCG marched nearly an hour to the polls after North Carolina A&T was not included as an early voting site this year.
Earlier this week, North Carolina A&T became the epicenter for a conversation about what happens when culture and civic duty collide. For HBCU Out Loud Day, an annual celebration honoring Black queer students nationwide, the Human Rights Campaign’s HBCU Program and the NAACP teamed up to host an event centered entirely on the stakes of the upcoming midterm elections.
Anchoring the day was a fireside chat featuring Jordan Aaron Hall, star of the A Different World revival, and HRC President Kelley Robinson. For Hall, stepping onto the legendary campus to talk movement building felt deeply personal. In the revival, Hall plays Amir, bringing a vital narrative to Hillman College. “It feels like a blessing and a homecoming,” Hall tells GU. “He provides long awaited representation to the queer folks who have always been a part of the fabric of our culture.”
Hall emphasized that television has always served as a vital catalyst for real world campus organizing and voting because the show is unafraid to address hard hitting issues like civic duty. Bringing that energy directly to North Carolina A&T was intentional, as Hall wanted to engage with the community face to face and meet the student body where they are. “I always want young black and young black queer people alike to feel empowered through my work,” Hall said.
With the midterm elections approaching, young Black LGBTQ+ voters face unique legislative hurdles. HRC President Kelley Robinson, the first Black queer woman to lead the organization, explained why Get Out the Vote partnerships between HRC and the NAACP are so critical. Robinson noted that every election brings immense stakes, especially when communities lack a seat at the table after the Supreme Court gutted the Voting Rights Act and the administration stripped away critical protections. “Every election gets called the most important election of our lifetime, but in recent years we have seen what is at stake when communities do not have a seat at the table,” Robinson tells GU.
To combat voter fatigue, Robinson explained that meeting students on their own campus with practical resources is essential. Through partnerships with the NAACP and Prism, North Carolina A&T’s first and only LGBTQ+ student led organization, HBCU Out Loud Day provided tools for civic participation like voter registration logistics and poll transportation. “Voter fatigue is real. A lot of young people are looking at everything happening in the world and wondering whether their voice is being heard. I completely understand that feeling,” Robinson said. That relentless energy was already on full display when students from North Carolina A&T, Bennett College, and UNCG marched nearly an hour to the polls after North Carolina A&T was not included as an early voting site this year.
Reflecting on how to sustain the movement without sacrificing personal well-being, Robinson offered timeless advice to young changemakers. Acknowledging the heavy toll of fighting for equality, Robinson reminded readers that looking out for one’s own community starts with refusing to shrink and leaning into authentic joy. “Joy isn’t a distraction from the work. It’s fuel for the work,” Robinson said. Hall echoed that message of endurance for the road ahead in conversation with Essence, emphasizing the importance of self-care and community support. “The battle is not going to be won in one day,” Hall shared. “It’s going to take showing up again and again, but we can’t give anyone anything if we aren’t giving ourselves what we need. Keep shining, keep living in your joy, keep speaking up, and keep showing up”