As a first-year student at Spelman College, I’ve entered one of the most meaningful phases of my learning journey, a phase that has required me to step back, listen deeply to what is being instilled in me, and actively explore all that the College has to offer. Reflecting upon this exploration, one of the many takeaways I have received is that Spelman is a cultural melting pot. This melting pot contains a rich diversity from the various stories Spelmanites enter the Sisterhood with. We must cherish this aspect of our Sisterhood, and an act of cherishing it is being aware of it. However, a part of the melting pot that tends to be forgotten is its different religious and spiritual backgrounds. This piece seeks to honor and illuminate that often-unseen dimension of Spelman’s rich diversity. This written word serves to bring this beautiful part of Spelman’s diversity to light.
Discussing our school’s religious diversity is an ode to the diversity of the Black experience! Spelman College makes a commitment to diversity and inclusion, holding the stories of various people from all walks of life. Its religious landscape includes students of all faiths, students who do not practice religion, and students who are in the process of figuring out what religion means to their toolbox of life.
I had a conversation with the President of the Spelman Muslim Student Association (MSA), Rokiyah Darbo. Darbo is a Junior Comparative Women’s Studies major from Smyrna, Georgia. Her leadership has allowed for the MSA to be re-introduced to the campus and more involved with other Registered Student Organizations (RSOs) on campus. I admire her leadership because she has set the tone for the MSA with a clear mission and a firm plan to carry it out. I admire her as a leader, because she has set the tone for the MSA with a mission in mind and a firm plan to carry it out.
In this conversation, she spoke to me about the challenges Muslim Sisters on campus face. Such as feeling like an outsider when their hijabs are worn, the lack of halal options in the cafeteria, and lacking a space to do their religious practices. The way to combat challenges is with unity.
Darbo stated that the MSA loves curiosity and welcomes any and all to ask questions about Muslim culture, their personal experiences, and the MSA as a whole. “Getting all of the different religious organizations on campus would further build and foster community through dialogue,” said Rokiyah Darbo. “Coming together will continue to push us forward, and that is what we should continue to do.”
She has coordinated impactful initiatives with the MSA, such as the President’s Iftar, which was held at Reynolds Cottage, and hosted by Spelman College’s Interim President, Rosalind “Roz” Brewer (C’84). Reverend Dr. Neichelle Guidry, Dean of Sisters Chapel and Director of the WISDOM Center, also joined the MSA in prayer, making the moment especially meaningful. Another standout initiative was Sister’s Henna and Tea, a thoughtful gathering where Muslim Spelmanites came together to envision what they wanted their Ramadan to feel like. events like these embrace the intersectionality present on our campus and offer Muslim students meaningful spaces for expression and community.
With more engaging and beautiful events planned for the final weeks of the semester, I truly encourage you to stay connected by following the MSA on Instagram (@spelman_msa)
Darbo heavily encourages religious organizations and leaders on the Spelman College campus to strengthen community through connectivity. Along with that, she is thrilled to share the love of the MSA to the Spelman community. She goes on to reflect that…
“Now with new leadership in place, the future of the Muslim Student Association is bright,” said Rokiyah Darbo. “I am deeply thankful for the Spelman College administration’s support in this resurgence. We want the Spelman community to know that the Muslim Student Association is open to everyone, and we are more than happy to share our space with you.”I also had a conversation with one of my favorite minds on this campus, Denim Fisher. Fisher is a first-year Sociology major with a minor in Creative Writing and is on the Pre-Law track. She hails from Baltimore, Maryland.
Fisher comes from a household shaped by religious diversity. Her father was raised by his Christian mother and later converted to Islam. Her mother, raised within Catholic-Christian traditions, never converted, even after they were married in an Islamic ceremony led by an Imam. Years later, Fisher’s father stopped practicing Islam altogether. Surrounded by a range of religious influences, Fisher ultimately chose not to subscribe to any one religion.
Instead, she identifies as a spiritual being. She incorporates spirituality into her daily life through meditation, journaling, yoga, and prayer. She shared with me that while prayer is often viewed as religious, she sees it as deeply spiritual as well. For her, solitude is sacred. It’s in those quiet, intentional moments that she connects with her higher self. Through solitude, she explained, she’s able to activate her consciousness and open her third eye.
She, in our conversation, also reflected upon how when she came to Spelman she was culturally shocked. She was extremely unhappy. She felt like, due to the predominance of Christian beliefs, she did not belong and questioned if she made the right decision to join the sisterhood. This feeling haunted her. She considered transferring to other institutions, even touring some during Winter break. However, she had a spiritual awakening.
“Calling does require that you evolve. It really does,” said Denim Fisher. “With that evolution, there is change that you have to embrace. As long as that change does not go against your morals and instinct, then inevitably you have to change. With everything, you have to use discernment.”
Her fully embracing her evolution led her to get invited by the African Diaspora and the World Department to speak about astrology at an event entitled Divine Feminine, furthermore being heavily engaged with the intellectual community of Spelman College. She also attended a Sunday service at Sisters Chapel out of the spirit of curiosity. She left her first service with gems of knowledge and, in her own words, her “aura uplifted.” She approaches life’s diversity with love, an open mind, and open heart – a methodology we can all come together to undauntedly celebrate our diversity.
Difference is the root of Spelman’s authenticity. My goal throughout my matriculation at Spelman College is to shed light on how beautiful that root is. Let’s continue to unify all of our safe spaces together in celebration of the Sisterhood’s diversity.