Medgar Wiley Evers was a prominent civil rights activist during the Civil Rights Movement until his assassination in 1963. During his life, he served as the first NAACP Field Secretary in the state of Mississippi, starting in 1954. He was on the front lines of the movement, leading boycotts of segregated businesses and large protests, and getting thousands of Black people in Mississippi registered to vote. He was even instrumental in the desegregation of the University of Mississippi in 1962. Medgar Evers College (MEC) was established as a part of the City University of New York (CUNY) in 1970 to serve the community of central Brooklyn. Over 40 years later, I want to know: what are we doing as a college to fulfill the legacy of our namesake?

There are other questions we could address to answer this larger one: Are we reaching out into the community to ensure that central Brooklyn is being taken care of? Are we, as a college community, active in politics to make sure our voices are being heard? Are we seeking morality and justice on our campus and in our community? I also have simpler, more in-house questions for us: are we serving the needs of our student population? Does faculty and administration have everything they need to be proud of our institution and work hard for our students? Does administration run effectively in order to ensure the continued function of our college? Unfortunately, I can't say that I have affirmative answers to all these questions. As a senior student at Medgar Evers College, I can only attest that we have a lot of work to do before we can truly say that we are fulfilling Medgar Evers's legacy.

What is it really like to be a MEC student? I would say most students who come here either love it or hate it. Regrettably, the one word I can use that best encompasses my experience at MEC is disappointing.

For one, communication is a huge issue on our campus. I remember that when I first came here in 2011, there was an issue with my financial aid. That happens. The real issue was that although this issue existed and the school had all my information on file, I would not have discovered it had I not come in just to check on everything. No mail? No email? No phone call? This was the first time I realized I would have to do things for myself here. Since then, I've realized that the lack of communication is a sickness that affects all the organs of our college. The bulletin boards are flooded with flyers for events long past, and new ones don't always get posted where people can see them. There are really great events hosted here on a regular basis, but what good are they if no one knows about them?

The next huge issue is the lack of campus life. Why don't we have parties and other exciting events? Why doesn't the student body at large come out to join and support our sports teams? Why hasn't our student newspaper continued to be productive? I find that there is a gross lack of interest in the MEC community, despite the numerous clubs and organizations available on campus, including the Student Government Association (SGA). We have a diverse student demographic ranging different nationalities, interests, and especially age, which could make it harder to engage a majority of us in campus events. Medgar Evers's mission was to unite us, so why can't we get it together?

One of the biggest concerns I've had during my time here at MEC has been what seems like administrative opposition to any student autonomy whatsoever. As an Executive Board representative of our Student Athletic Advisory Committee (SAAC), I have seen firsthand the lengths to which members of the College's administration will go to suppress students' voices. I simply cannot understand why we are taught to vocalize injustices and concerns and then squashed at the roots of our own movements. Even in an institution created in the spirit of such a passionate civil rights activist, students have to go to war with administration to get the voice we feel we deserve. I have heard of students proposing ideas that are then taken by administration and twisted to suit their aims rather than ours. I've have also seen on several occasions administrative leaders with their hands all over student-run establishments like the student newspaper. When will our voices be heard?

I don't mean to make it seem like the college is not doing good things, because we are. What I do mean to do is to say that we need to do more. To my fellow Medgar Evers students, here is a way we can live up to our college's namesake: I urge you to be more active on campus, in your majors, in your clubs. Be more vocal, and speak up when you have something to say. Don't be intimidated by the odds or anyone who may stand in your way. If you have an event, spread the word! If you want to see something happen on campus, make it happen. Don't wait for administration to take the first step, and don't let them hinder yours. This is our college, and it is up to us to make it the best it can be.