The Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Council in the U of A's Fulbright College of Arts and Sciences will soon be accepting submissions for a new self-published anthology called YOUofA: An Anthology of UARK Student Voices.

Two of the college's DEI Council members, Samantha Robinson, teaching assistant professor in the Department of Mathematical Sciences, and Warrington Sebree, second-year graduate student pursuing a master's in political science, will serve as co-editors of the anthology.

"The anthology is expected to give voice to our diverse student population during this unprecedented year of racial injustice, political unrest, global pandemic, remote learning, and financial recession," Robinson said.

"Motivated by the experiences shared via the hashtag #BlackatUARK, we would like to provide a venue for voices on our campus community. We wish to include a mixture of voices in the anthology, and a mixture of experiences — both good and bad. We often emphasize the YOUofA but what does this mean and how do our students — with different backgrounds, different circumstances, different everything — experience our community?" Robinson added.

Robinson said she and Sebree plan to solicit undergraduate and graduate student submissions that can take any form — prose, poetry, etc. — but should be between 350-400 words.

Submissions will be reviewed by faculty members on the Fulbright College Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Council for possible acceptance into the self-published anthology, and a formal call for submissions will go out prior to the beginning of the spring 2021 semester.

Ideally, Sebree said, the anthology would then be published near the end of the semester in both digital and print formats available to share with all.

Sebree, who is a graduate assistant in the African and African American Studies Program and president of the Black Graduate Student Association, added that "as students, we are not always encouraged to allow what's in our minds to flow freely."

"I truly believe that the problems of our society can be solved by the youth, but we must have the opportunity to get in the fight. So, what I hope this project provides is an opportunity for students to have a voice and use it unashamedly," Sebree said.  

"Young people — stand, unite, and use your voice to fight for the world you want to see. Stand not for the change you want to see when you are your parents' age, but for the change you want to see right now. The time is past time," Sebree added. 

Romona West, director of diversity and inclusion for Fulbright College, said more details about the anthology and how to share submissions will be available soon on the college's DEI website. 

"The DEI anthology project is dynamically creative since it creates a single platform capturing student voices and their lived experiences as it relates to diversity, equity and inclusion," West said. "It will be both current and historical as well as collaborative, yet individually unique."  

"I couldn't be prouder of the work this council has begun to do. It is through the council's great faculty, staff and students — such as Samantha and Warrington — where innovative solutions are born to create the inclusive environment we desire here at the U of A," West said.