WGST Event: Ella Baker Celebration 4/15/26

 

Public Strategist, leadership consultant, and also Coastal Carolina alumni Kelli Williams. In the celebration of Civil Rights activist, Ella Baker, Williams used the younger generation as a way to fight for change and how to find hope. A question she asked that stuck out to me was “How do we cultivate hope while fighting for a change?” What is the hope that keeps us motivated for a change? “Hope is a decision” she explained to us. Hope was used to guide us through her discussion of what it means to want change and fight for it. She really looked to us students in the room, trying to activate and spark something in us when it came to change as it doesn’t come or happen overnight. 

We discussed moments in which change has happened, but the struggles that are still lingering in our society: We discussed things such as Civil Rights for African Americans, how that fight is still there and even among LGBTQ+ folks when it comes to gay marriage. We discussed the changes within the culture as well and how to achieve the steps of making a difference within our communities. these steps include Awareness, Engagement, Mobilization, Institutional Change, and Cultural Transformation. We learned what it meant to get involved into a community and “Good Trouble” — challenging systems responsibly and strategically such as boycotting, researching, educating yourself and others, building non profits, etc. 

Toward the end of our discussion, she challenged us to make some kind of accomplishment in 30 days. The whole discussion was eye opening as well as inspiration to rally for chnage and use my voice more.