On Wednesday evening, February 6th, at 7:00, a group composed of student leaders and faculty assembled in the Library Gallery to listen to a young, debonair, activist named Wesli Spencer. After describing his success with the Neo Underground Railroad, the audience voice was halted; by his charging words capturing their minds. “I thought Mr. Spencer was inspiring, his presentation laid out a clear plan for students to bring change,” commented Arcadia faculty member Rochelle Patterson.
At the end of his presentation Mr. Spencer opened the ground for questions. At first, the silent spell of thinking was cast over the audience. After the mute moment passed, few questions sprung up from the group. Students asked questions ranging from leadership to getting involved. His response to them would also lead up to another round of discussion. An example of this was when Spencer responded to a question asked by Black Awareness Society (BAS) leader Mya Stuart. “Not everyone is going to stay, but, constantly remind people what the vision is.”
Vision according to Spencer, was one of the ingredients needed in making a social change. When describing how activism worked through history Spencer said it often included six main ingredients. These ingredients are the cause, passion, education, vision, organization, and most important action. In explaining his experience with the Neo Underground Railroad, he learned about the problems that was affecting African American communities throughout the nation. This issue with African Americans became the cause which created in him a passion to do something about it.
When hearing about the problems that affect African American communities, Spencer and a group of people decided to educate themselves about these problems. Then, “our vision was a letter writing campaign that would be launched to Dr. Caroll F. S. Hardy National Black Student Leadership Development Conference. We were then able to put together a conference where we promoted the workshop non-stop. At the conference, about 500-600 students attended our workshop. It was a magical day.”
Along with hosting conferences, Spencer in 2005 along with others helped start a movement to aid hurricane Katrina survivors. Though it took some time this task was able to be accomplished. “We were able to raise $80,000 dollars to send students down to New Orleans. But the best thing about it was actually giving,” mentions Spencer.
In all the things that Spencer accomplished in his youth he kept stating to the audience that anyone can be a social activist and a leader. This may come as a hard concept, when one does not see themselves as a leader. The advice he gives for that is, “You are a leader. Though you make not say much, know you have a voice.”
