Date: August 2, 2024
Hello all. My name is George Black. I am a Postulant for Holy Orders in The Episcopal Church, a resident of New Haven, Connecticut, and a rising Senior here at Virginia Theological Seminary. I am also President of the Student of Color Union (SOCU).
Historically, SOCU has been a force for advocacy here at the seminary. That advocacy has been a vital and life-giving cushion for students of color who often find themselves having to process an experience of the seminary that differs vastly from our white siblings. When VTS alum Claire Wang and myself took on the task of being co-presidents of SOCU last year, we were excited about broadening SOCU’s vision and mission to include creating spaces of joy and care for students of color. With this vision and mission in mind, we launched a SOCU Bible Study which became a place where students of color could come together to read scripture, pray, and receive the support necessary to navigate the pleasures as well as the struggles of being people of color living here on the Holy Hill.
This year, SOCU will continue to envision and create spaces of advocacy, joy and care for our students of color. In addition to our cornerstone events like our annual Fish Fry and our bi-weekly SOCU Bible Study, we will also be hosting game nights, worship nights and meals together. These spaces are meant to encourage our students of color, and to remind them of their fundamental belovedness in times and places where that belovedness may seem out of reach.
For any student of color, be it our Middlers and Seniors already familiar with VTS, or our incoming Juniors new to the seminary, SOCU seeks to be a force committed to making you feel safe and welcome here at Virginia Theological Seminary, to assure you that you belong here, and to make clear that this place is your home too.
May it be so.
George Black
President of SOCU