Dillard University Student Ambassador Update

Written By Akilah Northern

This week I updated my outreach plan with the rest of March and April. I put the categories of meetings, presentations, and social media for each month.

I also met with Dr. Dorian Williams, Dean of the College of Business and my Microeconomics professor. I demonstrated the archive for him, showing him a video of William Bonaparte, Jr. talking about entrepreneurship since we had been talking about that lately in class. William Bonaparte, Jr. was the first African American private business exchange installer for Illinois Bell and he also went on to found his own company Bonaparte Connections. I also asked Dr. Williams about presenting during business week and he said that I can present on Monday of next week before another speaker. I have been researching the archive to determine which clips to show to the class during business week.

On Instagram, I posted a recap of the Black History Month Contest Showcase and began working on the next woman to spotlight for our Women’s History Month Series: WomanMaker Spotlight. I chose mathematician and researcher Trachette Jackson because her science and math background will appeal to a lot of STEM majors and diversify from the business and activism angle from Jean Boone, our last feature. Jackson is from Monroe, Louisiana as well so she ties into the location and culture at Dillard University.

Additionally, I told some friends of mine about the archive in casual conversation and explained how the ambassadorship worked. It was fun to be able to show mention to them the people I had discovered through the archive and the stories that people tell in their interviews.

Akilah Northern

Akilah G. Northern (she/her) is a third year student at Dillard University. She is pursuing her Bachelors Degree in Business Administration with a concentration in Marketing. Originating from Nashville, Tennessee, an influential civil rights city, has deepened her love for Black history and culture. And her rich family history of Black excellence has grown her love for Historically Black Colleges and Universities. Akilah is inspired by poet, writer, and activist Audre Lorde and her work in womanist thought and literature. She loves to support small Black businesses and learn about Southern Black tradition! She is passionate about advocating for underrepresented groups and promotes cultural awareness through her involvement in In Our Own Voice: National Black Women’s Reproductive Justice Agenda. Furthermore, on campus, she is involved in Dillard Collegiate DECA and the Melton Foundation Global Fellowship. She is excited to be a HistoryMakers Ambassador and help spread Black history through modern oral tradition.

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