Our Crowdfunding Groups
Mission
The African and African Diaspora Studies (AADS) major is a necessary training in anti-racist and restorative practices that make for a more just society. We believe it's important for AADS, or Black Studies, students to pursue experiential learning that moves their training from the classroom to the outside world. Experiential Learning includes volunteering, research, internships,and studying domestically or abroad. These experiences allow Black Studies students to learn more about themselves, deepen their critical thinking, begin practices that positively impact their communities, and make decisions that help shape the trajectory of their careers. These experiences are capable of changing student's lives. Unfortunately, financial obstacles make them incredibly difficult to obtain.
When students attempt to study abroad or study domestically, they're met with the burden of paying for student health insurance, UT tuition, plane tickets, meal plans, and housing. Now, as students forgo traveling due to the pandemic, they still have tuition, housing, textbooks, and meal plans to stress over. We're creating this scholarship to ease the financial burden for Black Studies students pursuing any type of experiential learning. With your donation, they'll worry less about program costs, decline fewer opportunities, and begin diving into rewarding experiences.
The Impact of COVID - 19
We know travel right now is limited for our students, the reason we are fundraising now is to support the ability for students to travel as soon as they are able. Many students may have already missed an opportunity to study abroad putting them further behind their peers who were able to do this before COVID-19 hit. Please know that these scholarships will be put to good use in 2021, as soon as it is safe to travel. The funds will be allocated towards simple student financial aid during Spring of 2021 if the pandemic pushes continues to restrict our hands on learning and travel.
Why Donate?
1) You should donate to provide students with life changing experiences that teach them about themselves and their community
"Not only did it make me more proud to be black, but it made us pay close attention to the history of the country and how it still affects black people today."
- Nina H. delighted after her Study Abroad to South Africa
“There is so much to learn about human rights and social justice in Ghana.”
-Kasia O. said with excitement when reflecting on her month in Ghana, Africa.
"Even though I can't volunteer there all the time anymore, I'm so glad I did. I was just tutoring some kids, but it made me feel really fulfilled. It also up showing me how deeply our prejudices can injure our youth."
-Mmeso O. said on her experience volunteering with Students Expanding Austin Literacy in East Austin
2) You'd be helping to make Black Studies students more competitive job candidates.
When you give to support Black Studies Experiential Learning, you're ushering a student out of their comfort zone and expanding their ability to think innovatively. You help students’ education become more well-rounded and meaningful. Better-equipped students graduate from UT more prepared for their future lives and careers.
"There are all these opportunities in all these different fields that students can take advantage of. The arts, finance, legal advocacy. All these opportunities exist that students can find possible internships with."
Dr. Eric Tang on the benefits of the New York Domestic Study Program
3) You'd be bettering our communities and ultimately our world
When you donate to students in Black Studies, you give them an opportunity to put anti-racist educational practices into the world. This is the first step all students and their communities must take to a more equitable and just world.
In Conclusion
Support Black Studies Students and Support Black Studies! We believe in the work Black Studies students are doing and we know you do too.
Black Studies at UT is "a collective rooted in activism, committed to the advancement of scholarship, creative expression, and research, with an aim to improve the lives of black people in Texas, and around the globe."
The AADS department is the academic unit of the collective and is joined by three others at UT:
John L. Warfield Center for African and African American Studies,
Art Galleries at Black Studies (AGBS), and
the Institute for Urban Policy Research Analysis
This is the fee all students must pay in order to apply for Study Abroad programs. Unfortunately, this is usually the first financial obstacle students encounter before they are even accepted as participants.
In order to travel abroad, students must pay for a passport. This expense is necessary but difficult for some students to overcome. Therefore, a donation of this amount will significantly impact a student who in gaining access to international transportation.
This is the typical fee to register and attend an undergraduate research conference in the United States. Experience in research is extremely valuable to students who intend on completing a graduate/doctorate degree later on.
Students who take part in Domestic Study programs are subject to high costs. Airfare is one of the most expensive yet important components of this Experiential Learning opportunity. A donation of this amount will fund one student's round-trip in a Domestic Study opportunity.
Many students are unable to take advantage of internship opportunities due to the financial burden of relocating (i.e. rent). This donation will assist one student's relocation costs for a summer internship.
