S.O.U.L Rebirths Itself for a New Semester

Poster of S.O.U.L. (Courtesy of the Nyumburu Cultural Center)

S.O.U.L has officially re-established its campus presence and is here to stay. The Nyumburu-sponsored organization had its first general board meeting on Monday, featuring ice cream and icebreakers for attendees. 

S.O.U.L, which stands for Sisters of Unity and Love, was founded by Anne Carswell, associate director of the Nyumburu Cultural Center, in March 2007. During the 2020 lockdown, S.O.U.L suffered the fate of many other campus organizations - it became inactive.

Carswell was driven to restart the program after the loss of members due to the pandemic.

“It's mostly what Mrs. Carswell wanted to do because she was sad that the pandemic kind of got rid of S.O.U.L.,” said Brittanie Reed, a senior criminology and criminal justice major and president of S.O.U.L.

Reed says an organization like S.O.U.L can help Black women feel less alone on campus. 

“I think it's really important for women to kind of have that sense of togetherness, especially for Black women,” said Reed. “If you're on a PWI, you definitely feel kind of ostracized.”

Junior cinema and media studies major D’Airra Clark, a transfer student, expressed her excitement for meeting new people, who she sees as powerful. She said that the organization will provide her opportunities to be a part of communities - something she is not afforded as easily because she is transferring as an upperclassmen. 

 “I'm not coming in new so I can't be with the freshman and I’m not coming in like I know everybody so I'm not with the other juniors,” said Clark. 

Junior criminology major Elizabeth Akpala shares a similar hope, to build bonds and get to know more about the people in the club. 

“One thing I really struggle with is being social and learning how to talk to people,” said Akpala, "like I've always just been by myself.”

Reed hopes the reboot of S.O.U.L will have Black women on campus not only engaged with the club but with Nyumburu too.

“I feel like starting small with having the Black women on campus together and like fellowship, like that's definitely a really good start to like getting more programs going, getting more engagement," said Reed.