Florida gubernatorial candidate promoted unity within a divided country

Alysa Bainbridge ’21 co-wrote this article 

Andrew Gillum, former mayor of Tallahassee, Florida and Florida gubernatorial candidate, spoke as part of a diversity lecture series in the Cardinal Foley Campus Center on March 6.

Gillum, who made history last year as the Florida Democratic Party’s first African American candidate for governor, discussed topics such as diversity, unity, democracy and voter rights.

Susan P. Liebell, Ph.D, associate professor of political science, said she thought the most important aspect of Gillum’s speech was his ability to connect with the audience.

“[The students] seemed to connect particularly to the fact that he was so young, only 23, when he began his activism,” Liebell said. “My takeaway was that people with charisma and intelligence and energy can make a difference, and that’s a message to everyone in the audience that they can also do something very special.”

Gillum opened by commending the university’s Jesuit values and commitment to inclusion and diversity.

“It is good to be on a campus where diversity and inclusion are a part of the living experience,” Gillum said during his speech. “It isn’t just one moment, one month, but it is something you all try to instill in the lives in this institution.”

Jeanne Brady, Ph. D., provost and vice president for Academic Affairs, who attended the event, said part of our responsibility as a Jesuit institution is to have these conversations.

“[Gillum’s message] is important for us to hear all the time,” Brady said. “It’s not only a part of our Jesuit values, but it’s also about creating a more democratic society. We are a microcosm of society and we need to address these issues.”

Alyvia Benson ’22, who attended the event and serves as an advocate for inclusion and diversity on campus, said she found Gillum to be relatable and inspirational, especially for people of color.

“For people to hear how someone who wasn’t super rich and came from a different background made it, it really inspires especially people of color to strive for better,” Benson said.

The overarching theme of Gillum’s talk was to encourage people to enact change for the issues they care about, or as he put it, “take their seat at the table,” or else they are “on the table.”

“I believe each one of us is born to do a particular thing, at a particular time, in a particular way,” Gillum said during his speech. “If we don’t do them, the work will never get done. Those are the things we’re willing to get knocked down for and get back up.”

Throughout his speech and in a conversation with The Hawk, Gillum said that we’re not as divided as some make it seem and that it’s important to come together and recognize that.

“If you look at what is happening nationally and the degradation of the conversation nationally, people would think one is on planet Mars and the one is on Venus,” Gillum said to The Hawk. “The truth is, we are not.”

Andrew Jones ’20 said Gillum’s message of togetherness is especially important in a time when the country is so divided.

“[Gillum] represents the changing dynamics in our country,” Jones said. “It makes a statement that the issues people in Florida are facing are issues that we in Philadelphia experience. I just thought his message of coming together was so important, especially in this era.”

Natalie Walker-Brown, director for Student Inclusion and Diversity, said she thinks events like this one will help the St. Joe’s community achieve that togetherness and understanding.

“The more we can diversify the perspectives that we hear on campus, the more we can come together as a community,” Walker-Brown said. “My favorite thing about the diversity lecture series is that it brings so many different people on campus and gives us the chance to learn and grow together.”