“If we could do anything to acknowledge people and the good things they are doing in the community, then we should,” said Kayla Solomon, fundraising chair for the NAACP Youth and College division chapter at UTSA, about the two winners of the Black Royalty Court.
The Black Royalty Court, an event created by the NAACP, acknowledges those who have a great platform, do well academically and are involved in the community. Jessica Givens and Andreall Meyer met those standards and were crowned winners of the Black Royalty Court this year.
The opportunity means a lot to both winners. Givens, crowned Ms. Junior, is a junior communications major with a concentration in public relations at UTSA; the win gives her the opportunity to get her name out there, show herself in a good light, get more involved on campus and build up her platform. With Givens’ platform, she wants to have a mentorship program where black Americans who have done well mentor young children, which gives these children the chance to “see something other than what they see on T.V.” Through this experience, Givens has been growing as a person and loves who she is becoming.
Meyer, crowned Ms. Senior, is a senior accounting major, said the win will allow her to get minorities involved in different organizations on campus, allowing minorities to network, branch out, build and make a difference both on and off campus.
“The more there is, the more powerful we are,” said Meyer. “The more numbers, the different things that we can do and the impact that can happen.” This win for Meyer will reaffirm her belief that “there can’t be change without stepping out of your comfort zone.” Meyer didn’t want to apply for the Black Royalty Court because she does not like to be put on a pedestal, but with the help of her friend who thought she deserved it, she applied and won.
For Meyer and Givens, the UTSA chapter of NAACP is an organization that ensures political, educational, social and economic equality for all citizens, and has given them an opportunity to be acknowledged for all they do for themselves and the community and a voice to build up their platform.
In addition to ensuring equality for all citizens, NAACP’s goal is to achieve unity on campus and in the community by bringing all minority organizations together; they can collaborate on events or resolve conflicts as a unit.
“The goal is that we are one,” said Solomon.
Meyer and Givens applied for the Black Royalty court not expecting to win, but they did because they did not allow their fear of failing be a deciding factor in their lives. So, whatever you need or want to do but are too scared to do, put your fear aside and go for it.
