Importance of voting impressed upon Big Ten students in Alabama

Importance of voting impressed upon Big Ten students in Alabama

Five Ohio State student-athletes join third annual trip

When he listened to Lynda Blackmon Lowery speak about her experiences as the youngest person to participate in the Selma to Montgomery Marches in 1965, Cullen Brown was struck by two things: how young Lowery was and how recent her memories were.

"There are people who are still alive, who are still speaking, who didn't have the right to vote," he said. "That was the most meaningful thing. These people are still alive. These people, who are younger than my grandparents, had to go through this. History really isn't as far away as we think it is."

Brown, a rising third-year finance major at The Ohio State University, and more than 125 of his peers from other Big Ten schools spent several days in Alabama over the summer, touring famous sites in Selma and Montgomery, including the First Baptist Church of Selma and the Edmund Pettus Bridge.

This is the third year that the Big Ten Conference has hosted the trip to the heart of the civil rights movement as part of its Big Life Series. Brown, a men's lacrosse player, was excited to learn in community with other student-athletes.

"People wanting to go on this trip are applying themselves," he said. "Student-athletes aren't going because they're getting dragged. The people at these events are the top of the top athletes in the Big Ten, which is one of the best conferences in the country for almost every sport. And, on top of that, to take a weekend off from your workouts to learn about history? Those people are incredible to be around."

Brown recommends the experience "100%" and was thrilled to travel with his fellow Buckeyes. He was joined by Nyah Funderburke, women's swimming; Lillian Warren, rifle; Chase Davenport-Milles, men's gymnastics; and Ayush Shah, fencing.

"It's obviously awesome to represent Ohio State," he said. "We're such a big school and we're very active when it comes to doing things in the community. It's always cool, wearing the Block O to events."

Brown said that the site that impacted him the most was the Legacy Museum in Montgomery.

"One of the most powerful things was reading historic legislation and acts in state constitutions," he said. "They didn't allow for biracial marriage or relationships. My mom is white and my dad is Black. That hit home for me, knowing that people like me weren't accepted and were against the law in a lot of states. It's crazy to think that I wouldn't be sitting here today if things hadn't changed."

A lot of the subject matter weighed heavily on trip participants, who were encouraged to share their feelings. Some spoke with friends while others, like Brown, kept detailed journals about the trip.

"I didn't want to forget anything because it's a lot to take in," he said.

Brown met other student-athletes who, like him, are Black and playing a predominantly white sport.

"It's interesting to hear their perspectives because they're going through the same thing," he said. "Talking with someone from the University of Nebraska who plays softball about being one of two Black girls on the team - she's going to have a similar experience to mine."

Brown is president of RAS, or Redefining Athletic Standards, a club for Black male student-athletes at Ohio State. RAS focuses on community engagement and personal and professional development.

Brown's experiences in Selma dovetail with one of RAS's goals for the fall semester: voter education and registration.

"I want to help people who don't know where to start, who don't know where to register," he said. "Getting them the right materials, keeping them educated on their voting rights and all the things that come with them."

What Brown wants young people to understand is that while it may feel like elections don't have much impact on a college student's life, the opposite is true.

"I want to encourage people our age to get out and be involved. We're the next generation," he said. "These people are making decisions about your life. Local level, state level, national level, all these things are going to affect your life, so utilize your right to vote."

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