Quick Questions with Thomas Caldwell

The Talon staff sat down with Thomas Caldwell, a junior art student, media coordinator for Oklahoma Christian University’s Black Student Union (BSU) and head of the university’s Student Government Association’s Multicultural Committee, to discuss Black History Month, diversity on campus and how the BSU influences the university.

Q. What made you decide to attend OC?

“It was really my dad’s suggestion that I should go. I’m an art student, and I went to different art schools, but coming to OC, I feel like I have a more long-lasting enjoyment being here.”

Q. How would you describe BSU for students who don’t know what it is? 

“BSU is a resource and organization that highlights black students and minorities on campus. When I was here freshman year, we didn’t have much of a group. We did have a BSU, but it wasn’t that involved on campus. Right now, the current BSU is more active in helping out black students and giving us an avenue to help out on campus as well.”

Q. How did you get involved with BSU?

“My freshman year, they had an ice cream social. That year, we didn’t do many events, but I got involved as a social media and graphics coordinator. My sophomore year, someone approached me and asked if I wanted to have a leadership role in BSU, and I was happy to do it, too because I want to see this organization flourish.”

Q. What are the main goals of the BSU?

“I think the main goal is being active on campus, getting more black students on campus and having more black student involvement on campus. I think it’s an important thing we should have on campus—more minority activity.”

Q. What is your role in working with the Multicultural Committee in the SGA? 

“Right now, my role is to help out organizations on campus and help develop more Ethos events and stuff on campus to help minorities get more highlights, and help get more interactivity between the white students and minorities on campus as well. Right now, we’re mostly helping ISE [International Student Exchange] but we’re helping anyone else that wants to encourage diversity.”

Q. How impressed have you been with OC’s ability to attract speakers like Andrew Young and Bryan Stevenson?

“I’m really impressed. I think we need more speakers like that on campus to encourage conversation. I think that’s the main thing we need in times like this. I think currently, with our world right now and our country, we’re not really opening up more conversation. We’re going more to an immediate solution and a more hurtful solution than trying to encourage people to talk it out, think more and come to a more positive solution for everything.”

Q. Why is it important for OC to recognize Black History Month?

“I think it’s important because it’s American history, too. My ancestors and the people throughout history actually put their all into helping each other out and making everything better for people that are of color and not of color.”

Q. What is your favorite part about being in BSU?

“My favorite part is being active. Most of the time, I’ve been busy helping out making flyers, helping out social media, making sure it’s healthy and getting the word out there about our events and making sure we get the maximum amount of activity and involvement.”

Q. In light of the recent events on the OU campus, how do we bring that conversation to Oklahoma Christian and do you fear events like this on our campus? 

“As far as events like that happening on our campus, I don’t really fear that at all. If it does happen on campus, personally, I wouldn’t get up in arms about it. I would be calm and try to get to a solution about how we can change ourselves for the better. As far as the OU campus, I’m honestly not surprised. For the past five years, we’ve had events like this where people go on Snapchat and say [racial slurs] or have blackface on and really try to hurt black students.”

Q. How do you think we can relate that conversation to Oklahoma Christian and make it more of an open conversation?

“I think we just talk about it and really get our opinions out there, so we come to an understanding. I don’t think we really fully understand the situation. We don’t understand each side of the situation as well.”

Q. How can non-black students support the Black Student Union?

“Just come out to our events and support us. That’s all we really need. I think we got to that point last Friday with the Jabee concert. We had a good turnout at that event, and people enjoyed some good music and learned the story of our former OC student, Jabee, and his life story. I really think what we need is support and for people to come to our events and know more about us.”

Q. Why would you encourage people to attend the activities during Black History Month?

“I think it’s really enlightening to attend those events, especially with Andrew Young, Jabee and soon Bryan Stevenson. I think people really need to understand the other side of America.”