Get the latest Syracuse news delivered right to your inbox.
Subscribe to our newsletter here.

Update: This post was updated at 11:16 a.m. on Sept. 16, 2024

When reflecting on the legacy of People of Color at predominantly white institutions, Ryan Nkongynu drew similarities to his time running track in high school.

“It’s a race; it’s a marathon we are all running,” Nkongynu said. “As People of Color, we experience that as we get closer to that finish line, it seems that they always move it.”

This weekend, Syracuse University hosted the 14th Coming Back Together Black and Latino Alumni Reunion and welcomed over 1,500 people, according to the Office of Multicultural Advancement. The events, which took place from Thursday to Sunday, are a triennial celebration of alumni of color, providing a space to connect with their former classmates and current students.

Nkongynu, a senior at SU, was a panelist for a workshop highlighting the success stories and impact of the Our Time Has Come scholarship program. OTHC is a program where alumni mentor and donate to support underrepresented and first-generation college students at SU. The success of OTHC, Nkongynu said, helps students see how People of Color have continued to exceed “the bar.”

Rachel Vassel, associate vice president of the Office of Multicultural Advancement and one of CBT’s organizers, said CBT is a special legacy of people coming together to give back to the community.

Vassel said one of her favorite things about the weekend is its ability to inspire current SU students.

“We say, ‘We come back to give back,’” Vassel said. “It’s important to be able to see people like you that have made it through because then you feel like (you) can do it, too.”

Cassandra Roshu | Digital Managing Editor

Alumni were invited back to Syracuse University this weekend for an event centering them, Coming Back Together. The event aims to inspire current students at SU.

While accepting praise and advice from alumni, current students expressing their gratitude for those who came before them is CBT’s goal.

“It’s a time to appreciate the people who have helped us get here and have believed in us every step of the way,” Sofia Rodriguez, a CBT student co-chair and OTHC scholar, said.

Nkongynu echoed Rodriguez and shared his gratitude for alumni investing in the next generation. He emphasized that relationship-building with alumni is a two-way street. Nkongynu wasn’t just talking about SU undergraduates like himself. CBT’s scope extends to younger students, like those in the Syracuse City School District.

“To be in this space, when kids see us, they see themselves,” Melanie Littlejohn, CEO of CNY Community Foundation and a sponsor of CBT, said.

Littlejohn looked to her grandson standing beside her on the court, but also to the SCSD kids in attendance. Wearing pinnies and waving orange towels, a group of elementary students rose from the bleachers in applause with every basket scored at the Celebrity Classic basketball game.

On the first night of CBT, that energy was already coursing through the veins of the JMA Wireless Dome.

“The community is just so big,” Jada Marie Knight, the other student co-chair, said, gesturing to the crowd. “I’ve been seeing people dap each other up, giving each other hugs. And I hope that’s me one day.”

Isabella Flores | Staff Photographer

Celebrations for Syracuse University’s Coming Back Together event continue at the Dome where alumni and current students pose with the school’s mascot, Otto the Orange for a photo.

Throughout the weekend, excitement spread to other spots on campus like the Schine Student Center where alumni caught up with their old classmates. It was so contagious that Nkongynu said he felt energized while doing his homework in the lobby and could hear the cheers through his noise-canceling headphones.

In addition to the celebration, the weekend was also reflective and emotional.

One of the weekend’s workshops, featuring Arthur Vaughn ‘92 and three other alumni, was a discussion surrounding mental health and wellness in communities of color. Panelists talked about their own mental health journeys, looking to destigmatize mental healthcare for current students.

“Therapy and psychiatry are not bad words,” Vaughn said during the panel.

For alumna Joanne Patterson ‘98, the transparency of the conversations was a theme carried through Friday’s panel sessions when it came to questions and comments.

At a panel highlighting the success stories of the OTHC program, Knight initially had a hard time bringing to words the impact of the program.

“I talk about this a lot,” she said as her eyes started to well up. “How at PWIs people forget about the students of color who are present. And because of this program I feel seen. I feel seen, and I know all of the (OTHC) scholars feel seen.”

The audience applauded Knight as co-panelist Kalila Nelson ‘12 handed her a tissue.

For both current students and alumni of the program, building and maintaining a legacy for People of Color at SU and beyond was a prevailing theme of the event.

“The legacy that you all have left here is my motivation, and my legacy could not be left if it wasn’t for y’all leaving yours first,” Knight said.

Nelson views the idea of a legacy as the main reason for alumni to keep returning to SU for CBT; she comes back to share her story. By bringing everyone together, CBT creates a space for students to affirm sentiments like Nelson’s.

“I’m not afraid of that finish line,” Nkongynu said. “(I’m) not afraid that they’re going to move that bar, because if the people behind me found a way to exceed expectations, to take the stage and make sure their voice is heard and their story was told, then why should I be afraid?”

Disclaimer: Ryan Nkongynu is a contributing writer for the Daily Orange. He did not influence the content of this story.

Published on September 16, 2024 at 12:04 am