At a predominantly white institution like Baylor, what is the Person of Color experience like? While we all love Baylor and chose to come here for a reason, there are a lot of problems with how the university and community approaches race. As a Baylor Family Member of Color, you may feel routine instances of otherness, isolation, or soft racism. You may be wondering if you’ll ever find acceptance, community, and self-fulfillment in a place so different from your culture.
In this episode, Jon discusses how to find a community built on shared values and experiences, acceptance, and open-mindedness; so that you can feel a part of both a small community at Baylor and like you’ve found your place in the Baylor Family; and how to ensure that your community not only accepts you, but helps you grow as a person with our guide, Rae Jefferson (‘16).
Rae is the communications director at Waco Family Health Center. Previously, she served as the director of marketing and communications for Creative Waco. Her work has appeared in numerous publications. She lives in Waco, Texas, and is back at Baylor, pursuing a Master’s in journalism.
In this episode, you will hear—
- Who Rae is, and how she has made Waco her home since graduating from undergraduate in 2016
- What it’s like for Rae to be back at Baylor as a master’s student, and how the COVID-19 pandemic has changed the classroom experience
- How Rae came to understand and embrace her identity as a Person of Color during her undergraduate years at Baylor
- How Rae found a community at Baylor that helped her to love and accept every part of herself
- Why it is so important for Baylor Students of Color to find communities that can help them discover the joys of loving their cultures and themselves
Resources Mentioned in This Episode:
- Follow Rae Jefferson’s Instagram
- Find out more about Waco Family Health Center
- Learn more about Creative Waco
Have you reviewed Direct Line?
If you haven’t reviewed our podcast yet, would you do that right now? You are our very best source for new listeners! And, we’d love to hear your thoughts. You can post your review on Apple Podcasts or wherever you get your podcasts. We’re eager to hear from you and we do read every single review. Good, bad, or indifferent, your review helps us make the podcast better and remain your voice in the Baylor Family!