John Jay’s celebration of Black History Month traditionally culminates with our annual Malcolm/King Awards Breakfast, which pays homage to the two Civil Rights giants, Malcolm X and Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., while also recognizing the incredible talents of our student award winners and present racial justice visionaries. While this year’s celebration may be a little different, the vigor in how we honor their legacy remains the same. In anticipation of this year’s virtual Malcolm/King Awards Breakfast on February 26, 2021, we spoke with the student award winners to understand what Black History Month means to them and to learn how they hope to advance the goals of justice and equality for all.
Jonathan Arias ’22, a Political Science major from Queens, New York, has dreams of becoming a public official where he could help reimagine the current policies and practices that currently disadvantage African-Americans. “The system we’re currently living in was designed to hold back minorities,” he says. “A month to celebrate Black excellence and African-Americans pushing past this unequal system doesn’t seem like enough.”
“The system we’re currently living in was designed to hold back minorities.” —Jonathan Arias
What goals do you have for advancing equality and fairness for all people—especially African-Americans?
I plan on finishing my Political Science major and then try to make an effort politically. There is so much unfairness in this world, especially in this country, that it seems almost impossible to overcome. As a public official, I would try to right historical wrongs, or die trying. There is so much that I want to tackle. I want to negate the impact of redlining, fight the school-to-prison pipeline, eliminate private prisons, and implement the proper distribution of funds for schools to all communities. Whether as a congressman or even as the future President of the United States, I plan on making a positive impact for all underrepresented communities.
“There is so much that I want to tackle. I want to negate the impact of redlining, fight the school-to-prison pipeline, eliminate private prisons, and implement the proper distribution of funds for schools to all communities.” —Jonathan Arias
If you could talk to Malcolm X or Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., what would you ask them? What would you want to say to them?
I would talk to Malcolm X about his Ballot or the Bullet speech; it is one of my all-time favorites. In his speech, it is the white man who is the common enemy. He specifically said he is not anti-white but rather anti-exploitation, anti-degradation, and anti-oppression. I would like to ask him his stance on politicians since I’m a Political Science major who is interested in becoming one. Due to the speech, I know his perspective on politics and politicians, but what if my intentions were good-hearted? How do I make an impact then? Would I gain his respect then?
Dr. King once famously said, “Let us realize the arc of the moral universe is long, but it bends toward justice.” As a student at a school focused on justice, what does that quote mean to you?
The quote means that we shouldn’t lose hope. Even though minorities have been suffering due to hatred and oppression, we are meant to have justice sooner or later. Our sense of equality and fairness may not come within our lifetime, but it is bound to happen. In my political life, I hope to continue the work toward achieving true equality and that moral universe.
The last 12 months have been challenging, with a global pandemic that has disproportionately affected our Black and brown communities, and a national reckoning on systemic racism. What steps can we take to move forward as a society and a country to make equality for all achievable?
One of the few things that need to happen is delivering the second round of stimulus checks to people. There have been many minorities who have lost jobs, lost their homes, lost lives, lost family members, and can barely afford to live life. These people were struggling before the pandemic, so imagine now. Beyond the second round of stimulus checks, the government also needs to grant tuition relief for the past year, especially for public and state universities.
“If I can’t change the world, I can change the life of the kid who will change the world.” —Jonathan Arias
If everything goes according to plan, where do you see yourself in 10 years?
I see myself with a master’s degree in Political Science. I hope to be giving my all for my constituents as an elected official. If I’m not able to make a change politically, I could see myself becoming a professor or a teacher. If I can’t change the world, I can change the life of the kid who will change the world.
