Through Ujamaa, Wesleyan’s Black Student Union, I helped run a relief table for families in Jamaica affected by Hurricane Melissa. We handed out information on where people could send donations and collected supplies to be shipped directly to those on the ground. Thanks to someone in our community who was traveling there soon after, we were able to make sure what we gathered reached people quickly.

We collected a little bit of everything—food, clothing, sanitary products, sheets, flashlights, tools, and rope. It was simple work, but it felt important to be part of something concrete and useful.

I had been very involved with BSU in high school, so I was glad to have the chance to continue that kind of work here in a new setting. There’s a difference between talking about community and actually contributing to it, and this experience reminded me how small efforts can add up to real impact when people organize together.

Knowing that the supplies we gathered made it into the hands of families who needed them gave me a sense of connection that went beyond campus. It made me want to keep looking for ways to help in ways that matter materially, not just symbolically.