The teenage years are not easy for anyone. Between first kisses, extracurriculars, and college decisions, adolescence is no walk in the park. But Flora Billen has more on her plate
Around two dozen students gathered around the Jayhawk statue in front of Strong Hall Thursday morning to protest University of Kansas Provost Barbara Bichelmeyerâs lack of action on BIPOC and GTA issues at KU.
Attendees included members of GTAC and the Diversity, Equity, Inclusion and Belonging Office, with the organizers of the protest being from the Black Student Coalition. The protest was led by Black Student Coalition co-founder and president Niya McAdoo.Â
âWe are here today to peacefully protest the recent actions that have been done by the provostâs office, KU administration as a whole, Chancellor Girod, and everyone else who has continued to be complacent in the system of white supremacy and racism on the KU campus,â McAdoo said.
A group of University of Kansas students created Lawrence Freedginâ Kansas, or LFK Eats, a mutual aid project seeking to help food insecure people in Lawrence by setting up community fridges. The group got the idea from a similar project in Wichita, ICT Free Food, and plans to establish a total of three fridges in Lawrence.
LFK Eats is meant to be a mutual-aid project, with the aim of, âbuilding community solidarity and fighting food insecurity throughout the Lawrence community,â according to the groupâs Instagram account.
âThe fridge will be filled with healthy foods for the community and by the community,â said Sayan Grover, an organizer of LFK Eats and student at KU. âBasically, itâs take what you need and give what you can, which is what our slogan is.â
After a significant reorganization to the University of Kansasâ diversity and equity office and calls for more transparency regarding the decision, KUâs provost met with a small group of students within student government and varying university advocacy groups Friday. Â
KU Provost Barbara Bichelmeyer set up the meeting after months of students, staff and faculty asking for more information about a large change to KUâs now-named Office of Diversity, Equity, Inclusion and Belonging. Bichelmeyer said she wanted to listen to more concerns and provide clarification, but many inquiries still remained unaddressed.Â
The provostâs office sent an invitation out Thursday afternoon to members of the Student Senate Diversity Equity, and Inclusion Committee and members of the Black Student Coalition naming the time and Zoom invitation. On Thursday evening, other students received invitations upon request to meet with Bichelmeyer Friday afternoon.Â