Elijah Davis, president of IC Asian American Alliance (AAA), was recently
informed that AAA has been awarded “Student Organization of the Year” by IC’s Office
of Student Engagement and Multicultural Affairs (OSEMA). How did this budding
organization obtain such high praise? In this interview, Elijah discusses the obstacles of
his unconventional presidency as well as his insights on what makes a student
organization shine. Elijah’s formula for success harkens on the classic principles that
many organizations uphold: collaboration, ambition, and lots and lots of commitment.
Easier said than done.
Major: Computer Science
Year: Junior Class of 2013
Extracurricular Activities: President of IC Asian American Alliance
Interests: art, drawing, fashion, manga, and the occasional movie and tv series
Favorite place to study: The 3rd floor of the Center for Natural Sciences building
How did you get involved in IC Asian American Alliance?
I came to a club meeting. Growing up in a pretty mixed community in Brooklyn, NY –
there was a mixture of Asian people and black people in the public school I went to so I
have always been used to being exposed to people who look different from me. A lot of
my friends are of Asian descent growing up and I’ve always been the most comfortable
with familiarity.
In that regard, does AAA offer a familiar environment and safe space?
Familiar, yes. Safe…well, I do get the occasional criticism or strange look from people
who often remark “Oh, who’s this black guy, and why is he interested in Asian
cultures?” Some people automatically look at me and the community I involve myself in
and assume I have some suspicious motivation, and it’s because of my identity as a black
man. The first question I always get is, “Oh, so you’re the president!?” and I’m like
“Yeah” and they respond, “Oh…Are you Asian?” and I’m like “No” and the conversation
ends somewhere awkward for them, at least. People are surprised that it’s me and not any
of my Asian/Asian American e-board members holding the title of “president” although I
don’t think president means that I hold a special status within the group or that I’m
appointing myself the position of representative or voice for Asia/Asian America. I view
my other e-board members equally as leaders who have built this club alongside me
regardless of what position they hold.
Why do you think reactions of surprise and suspicion arise when someone outside
of an organization’s focal identity participates in a very central way to that
community? What is there to be said about the possibility of allies? This
organization is called Asian American Alliance after all.
I think it has to do with the way society is still segregated based on race. It’s this idea that
everybody needs to be grouped together according to perceived similarities. So all the
ethnic identities within Asia are grouped together under the very limiting term “Asian.”
So if you want to be part of a community or lead a community that you are not of or don’t
look like, it’s difficult. To an extent, it makes sense to have people leading a community
that they are from in terms of culture and heritage, because you understand and can
empathize with their experience and struggle more directly. However, there’s still the
importance of interconnectivity and intersectionality between all groups of people. Some
people think I’m betraying my own race by involving myself in the Asian/Asian
American community, but when I get those reactions I don’t get angry, I try to start a
conversation where I can communicate that yes, I do identify with this group and that I’m
not here, because I know everything about Asian cultures. I’m here because I want to
learn. If we don’t take the time to learn about other people, how are we going to
understand and help each other? That’s why I love being president of this club. I disrupt
this idea. I may not look like you, but that doesn’t mean I can’t identify with you and be
an ally in your struggle. Yeah, I’m the president of IC Asian American Alliance. Why
not?
We’re not trying to get people to back away from leadership roles, but the fact that it’s
Focus Asia Month certainly adds another dimension of hardship on top of the ones
you’ve experienced because of race. Can you tell us more about the obstacles you
confront during the daily grind of leading and managing an organization?
Working in an organization you’re dedicated to is very time consuming. You’re up a lot
of nights figuring things out the logistics for each event (like the ones we’ve been
planning for Focus Asia Month) or you’re in the Student Activities Center wrecking
havoc with glitter until 12AM in the morning, because you need to make decorations.
There’s also the hardship of group dynamics, which I’ve come to realize is a very central
thing that I encourage group leaders to acknowledge. It can get very tense at times even
though you respect and love your e-board. Managing and being responsible for a lot of
people has been quite a challenge for me. Of course, working in a group long-term has its
fun sides as well. When we’ve just had a successful event or when we’re doing group
things and bonding with each other – it’s the best. Even though it’s been a rigorous
semester, because of Focus Asia Month, I feel like we have a very strong group bond.
Without it, we really couldn’t have pulled anything off.
What qualities do you think make an “effective” leader? How do you define an
“effective” leader?
You need someone who’s caring, dedicated, respectful, and respected. You need
someone who’s willing to listen and willing to take criticism. Being understanding is also
very important. There are many times when you know something is not going to get
done, but you must try to find out why and realize that your e-board members are human
beings who have other things going on in their lives as well. As a leader, you must be
able to take in everybody’s point of view – even the oppositional ones – because you want
to avoid group think. In the logistical sense, leaders need to be able to delegate tasks and
make sure things get done. Management and organization is very crucial to any group
work’s success. I truly think the only reason AAA received “Student Organization of the
Year,” is because of the collective dedication and ambition coming out of every area of
this e-board. We’re very lucky to have such talent and commitment. The ad campaign
“Misrepresented: We Are Not a Stereotype” is an example of that. The Vice President,
VP of Advertising, VP of Public Relations and I had an idea and tried our best to execute
it with the resources and skills we have.
What are your hopes for AAA’s future?
My hope is that AAA extends outside of Ithaca College. We’ve created our buzz here and
got our reward, but I hope to continue on. I don’t just want to start and end with this
school. It’d be cool to branch out to other colleges and universities. I hope that we can
keep building.
Finally, what’s your advice to student organizations that are just starting out?
How can they gain more visibility on campus?
Don’t limit yourself. There are so many resources already in your tool belt. One example,
the Student Activities Center and people who are there to help you out in all the
important areas student organizations need to cover from finance to event planning. Be
ambitious, have a clear vision of your organization’s goals, remember to thank and treat
your group members well, and take advantage of the resources that are already laid out
for you to succeed.
Join IC Asian American Alliance and the Committee for Inclusive Education’s
collaborative event: Wednesday April 25, 2012 7PM-8PM in Clarke Lounge: A
discussion about debunking the colorblind ideology, and follow AAA on Facebook for more updates!
http://www.facebook.com/pages/IC-Asian-American-Alliance/160205287397066