"Agwu, an 18-year-old gay student activist at George Washington University in DC., laughed at the recollection, but who could blame a young person today for thinking that white people are coming after people of color? Or, perhaps, that the so-called 'normal gays' are targeting trans folks? It's on screens everywhere - from the couches and kitchens where three-year-olds roam, to the college campuses targeted by the likes of Turning Point USA and the young conservatives enchanted by its mission."
"Dinner conversations like the one her brother sparked are what spurred Agwu to activism. 'My parents were always very cognizant about teaching us about different political systems and inequalities that exist in the United States,' she said. Nowadays, Agwu feels disappointed that her fellow students aren't rising to the moment that Trump has forced upon them. 'We just need to do better,' she said."
Amaka Agwu recalls a childhood exchange in which her three-year-old brother warned their darker-skinned father that their lighter-skinned grandmother was 'coming to get him,' reflecting early racial fears. Her parents intentionally taught political systems and systemic inequalities, which motivated Agwu's student activism at George Washington University. Agwu describes how media narratives and conservative campus organizing amplify fears among young people, including threats perceived by LGBTQ+ and trans communities. She expresses disappointment that many peers are not sufficiently mobilizing in response to political challenges under Trump. Historical examples show students have long led civil rights and protest movements nationwide.
Read at LGBTQ Nation
Unable to calculate read time
Collection
[
|
...
]