I Am an Ally Campaign

My fellow classmates and I sensed discomfort throughout hallways of SUNY Plattsburgh. After the recent election, some students began hiding in their dorms, fearing potential hate acts. Yet, in an on-campus survey, 95 percent of respondents indicated that they would be comfortable being friends with people of different races, ethnicities and religions, as well as members of the LGBTQ community and those with different income statuses.

In effort to publicize and care for the student’s concerns, public relations students created the I Am an Ally campaign. Through it, individuals sign a pledge, vowing to actively engage in a bulleted list of requirements that unify the campus and support the need for change regarding diversity concerns. Once the pledge is signed, they’re given a button which enables students, faculty and staff to openly identify their support for diversity.

Since fall 2016, around 1,000 buttons have been distributed to students, faculty and staff of SUNY Plattsburgh. Our team has also hosted events such as a photo opportunity in support of the Black Lives Matter movement. Now, our efforts are moving into the Plattsburgh community, as we ask local businesses to become allies and take part in our upcoming events.

We began our diversity initiatives by creating a Black Lives Matter photo opportunity event. As part of the SUNY Plattsburgh’s Teach-In and Day of Dialogue on Social Justice and Diversity, students gathered to display and sign a Black Lives Matter banner.

In a video created by former SUNY Plattsburgh students Julian Breyette and Kayla Thorsey, photo participants discuss what the banner signing and campus event meant for them, as well as how it reflects on current social issues of race and representation.

Photo participants gathered to create the acronym for Black Lives Matter (BLM):

Our class then created the widely-known pledge:

While we reached out to SUNY Plattsburgh students, faculty and staff, we were also creating mini-campaigns. The campaign I was heavily involved with was the Mosaic of Voices “Coffeehouse Initiative“:

Mosaic of Voices “Coffeehouse Initiative”: (PDF version of the Coffeehouse Initiative campaign plan)
Mosaic of Voices Survey Questions and Stage Introduction

Behind the scenes at the Mosaic of Voices coffeehouse event:

Our class reached out to the local press about our campaign efforts, which sparked interest among most:

Behind the scenes with Spencer Conlin:

SUNY Plattsburgh’s student-run newspaper, Cardinal Points, also recognized our initiatives:

The Press-Republican, a newspaper printed in Plattsburgh serving Clinton, Essex and Franklin counties in the northeastern corner of New York State, also created a piece that recognizes I Am an Ally:

Plattsburgh mayor, Colin Read signs I Am an Ally pledge:

Writer for Press-Republican newspaper Cara Chapman also wrote a piece regarding our visit with Plattsburgh mayor:

Writer for SUNY Plattsburgh student-run newspaper Steven Levy also wrote a piece regarding the Diversity Fair (one of our “mini-campaigns”):

Behind the scenes at our Diversity Fair:

Plattsburgh Town Supervisor, Michael Cashman, made an appearance at the event to sign the I Am an Ally pledge:

I Am an Ally Files:
Backgrounder
Photo Page
News Release
Talking Points for News Conference

SUNY Plattsburgh’s Reinvigorating, Advocacy, Diversity, Intersectionality, Understanding, Self-Love (RADIUS) inclusion resource awarded the I Am an Ally efforts for our “dedication and ongoing support for inclusion of diversity at SUNY Plattsburgh.”