ASUI members form BLM Committee to start conversations and projects on campus

A Black Lives Matter Committee, recently created by the Associated Students University of Idaho, aims to promote legislation and individual projects. 

Last fall, ASUI President Lauren Carlsen sent an email about the committee, along with a survey, to students. The survey received over 200 responses vastly ranging in their viewpoints, according to Carlsen. 

“It was a way to gauge the student population on how they are feeling about the BLM movement and how they would feel about a space on campus for Black students,” Carlsen said. “We put together a committee to go through those results and see if there’s anything tangible we’re seeing.” 

The responses, though confidential, varied in levels of extremity. The responses ranged from students in support of the movement to students questioning the validity of BLM, according to Carlsen.  

ASUI Senators who read the survey results commented on their authenticity in past legislative sessions.  

The committee is chaired by Yasmine Tovar, ASUI’s director of diversity. She explained the committee is separating into sub-committees who will address different issues individually. 

“We are trying to better serve our students regarding to the topic of Black Lives Matter, and more permanently towards Black students at university,” Tovar said.  

The committee plans to tackle these topics by introducing more opportunities for education on BLM and what the protests are about. This includes working with the Moscow Police Department regarding national outrage with police brutality, opening conversations within the community about what others can do as allies and highlighting Black students’ voices on campus. 

“Many of us within ASUI don’t know the struggles within students who identify as Black,” Tovar said. “We really want to amplify their voices. We want to pursue something better within the community.” 

As it stands, the committee is only operating under ASUI but hopes to open to other groups and areas of student involvement in the future. The committee hopes to work with the Office of Multicultural Affairs, MPD and directly with UI President Scott Green, according to Tovar.  

Right now, the best way for non-ASUI students to get involved is by contacting members of the committee with comments, questions or concerns. 

The committee met for the first time two weeks ago and plans to irregularly meet every month with updates on each sub-committee’s projects. According to Tovar, the past months were focused on setting up the foundation. 

Depending on how the sub-committees operate this semester, Tovar and Carlsen hope the BLM Committee will continue in the future. 

“I don’t think we have a set a goal, but Lauren and I agree the committee will exist as long as it needs to be,” Tovar said. “It’s a topic we are going to talk about within the years coming and even more as topics and conversations enlarge.” 

Carter Kolpitcke can be reached at [email protected] or @carterkolpitcke on Twitter