Black Voices Edition 2026 — The Lantern

THE LANTERN x

Ohio State professor Victor St. John reflects on Love Is Blind experience, marriage and newfound friendships

Grayson Newbourn and Helena Hennessy Lantern Managing Arts & Life Editor and Lantern Arts & Life Senior Writer

For 10 seasons now, the hit Netflix dating show “Love Is Blind” has asked contestants the question: could you fall in love with someone without ever seeing their face?

Victor St. John, an assistant professor in the John Glenn College of Public Affairs, sought to find out after his friend suggested he check out the application.

“One of the things I quickly noticed was that [the application] really forced you to think about yourself in a very introspective way, in terms of just what your romantic history has looked like and what you want for yourself, kind of in that department,” St. John said. “In many ways, it was cathartic, kind of going through it, so I filled it out. Before you knew it, I filled out several questions and then submitted the application.”

A show known for its drama, viewers watch as contestants converse in pods, separated by physical walls as they work to lower their emotional barriers. Upon finding their romantic connection, couples propose to each other before meeting face-to-face, then go on a trip together to test their physical connection and decide whether or not to go through with marriage.

Once he received the call that he was cast on the Ohio season, St. John said he had a mere 48 hours to pack a bag and have final conversations with his loved ones before beginning the experiment.

“I don’t think there was necessarily an immediate preparation you can do,” St. John said. “I think it was more so, if we’re gonna say preparation, just kind of years building up to that moment.”

St. John, who described himself as a more shy and introverted person, had never planned to be on reality TV — instead, he said he had always planned on following a more traditional route, living “by the book.”

“The fact that I’m in this space now

is new, but one thing about myself, for sure, is that I will embrace what’s happening in the moment and I won’t run away from it,” St. John said. “So while that’s happening now with all the love and support, I’m gonna dive right in and see where everything kind of goes and how everything coalesces.”

season, they had tied the knot — one of two couples to do so.

In his years of romantic experience, St. John said he had unconsciously accomplished all the preparation he needed.

“We’re always kind of shifting and changing and growing as individuals, especially if you’re just reflective and introspective in different ways,” St. John said. “I think the preparation was happening years prior, too. So when that moment came up, it was like, ‘Hey, just be yourself.’”

After arriving at the pods in California, St. John hit it off immediately with Christine Hamilton, a speech language pathologist from rural Ohio, connecting over their Christian faith and shared values. By the end of episode one, St. John and Hamilton were happily engaged, and at the end of the

Not only did St. John and Hamilton bond in the pods over their mutual religion, but the male contestants also grew closer over their shared personal spirituality — a topic which St. John said he wishes the show would have aired more of.

“I can remember times of us just praying on the men’s side, if someone’s family member passed away, there was someone who lost a loved one on our side while we’re out there,” St. John said. “I’m just like, this is insane.”

St. John acknowledged that while every viewer of the show may not share the same religious views, the environment remained unlike any he had ever experienced.

“I feel like when you talk about faith,

sometimes folks are like, ‘I don’t want to hear that stuff,’ but that’s kind of one of the pieces that I’m like, ‘They didn’t show any aspect of that,’” St. John said. “That would have been cool to kind of see it flowing through the entire space. Even folks who don’t consider themselves spiritual in any sort of way. It was just right. It was interesting.”

Since the show’s wrap on filming, St. John has remained close with several of the men of the ensemble — particularly Jordan Faeth, an account executive specializing in data security and Haramol Gill, a former emergency medicine physician at the Ohio State Wexner Medical Center.

LOVE IS BLIND continues

on page 5.

‘Strength in Unity’: Fifth anniversary of USG dinner

Francis Beam and Xiyonne McCullough BXB Photo Editor and Lantern John R. Oller Special Projects Reporter, BXB President

The first plates arrived shimmering under the warm lights of the MLK Lounge in Hale Hall — fried chicken stacked high, greens glistening, cornbread breaking apart in soft, golden crumbs.

Plates were served, the room quieted.

“Lift every voice and sing…” The African American Voices Gospel Choir rose in unison, their harmonies swelling through the Hale Black Cultural Center.

Some guests stood with hands over their hearts, opening the fifth annual “Strength in Unity” Black History Month Gala with reverence and resolve.

Hosted Feb. 26, the gala marked a milestone collaboration between the Undergraduate Student Government, Black Student Association, Undergraduate Society of Black Leaders, or USBL, and the Undergraduate Black Caucus. Since its inception, the event has been rooted as a formal evening of food, music and reflection centered on collective empowerment.

This year’s anniversary carried added significance.

The Black Student Association, or BSA, lost university funding at the end of the last academic year following the passage of Ohio Senate Bill 1, which banned diversity, equity and inclusion programming. The law prompted concern among student leaders about the future of cultural programming and advocacy spaces on campus.

gala, and so I think it’s so important at a time in which students’ rights are being taken away.”

For McCann, unity across organizations is a visible reminder of resilience.

“It still is important to have that sense of unity, to show that there is strength in being united,” he said. “That’s why it’s so important not just

State Rep. Latyna M. Humphrey (D-Franklin) also addressed the crowd, urging attendees to remain civically engaged beyond campus boundaries. She said policy decisions at the state level have real impacts on student organizations and reminded students that their voices carry weight in legislative spaces.

McCann also said that Black leader-

graduate Student Government, even though many people think that we are an elite organization, we are just like any other student organization,” McCann said. “We are here to be part of the community.”

For first-year students, the event offered something more personal: visibility.

Breonna Reid, a first-year in politics, philosophy and economics, said the gala stood out in a campus environment where Black-centered programming can feel limited.

“I just thought — the fact that it’s a Black History Gala is why I would want to go,” Reid said. “Because we don’t have a lot of like Black History events here.”

Reid said seeing alumni, faculty and elected officials in the same room as current students reinforced the message that Black excellence spans generations.

As the program concluded and the final applause faded, McCann said he hopes attendees left feeling empowered despite uncertainty.

Terrell McCann, a third-year in business and the speaker of USG’s general assembly, said this year’s gala represents both tradition and intention.

“This is a staple in USG tradition for us to have this event,” McCann said. “This is the fifth anniversary of this

to have BSA, but USBL and Black Caucus to show that we are not just many different organizations, but together, we are one.”

The evening’s itinerary reflected that shared purpose. After dinner and the choir’s opening selection, former USG President Bobby McAlpine said he felt empowered to be back and proud to see a room packed of students continuing the event’s tradition. McAlpine returned to the campus to deliver remarks.

ship has long shaped USG’s direction.

“There is certainly a big portion of Black history within USG,” he said. “So many of our branch leaders have been Black students, which is so important. We have preached the importance of tying into our student organizations and pouring into them.”

The gala is an opportunity to challenge perceptions of USG being removed from the broader student body, McCann said.

“Even though we are the Under-

“I want them to leave here knowing that they are bold, that they are emboldened to go out and to make a true difference in the world,” he said. “We are the change makers. We are the ones that are going to make a significant difference — not just in our organizations, not just at The Ohio State University, but around the country.”

Five years after its founding, the gala has grown beyond an annual celebration. For organizers and attendees alike, it now stands as a reminder that even in shifting political and institutional climates, collective presence can serve as both affirmation and action — proof that strength, when shared, multiplies.

One year post renovations: African American Studies Extension Center

Daranii Asoba BXB Vice President

Ayear after a million-dollar renovation transformed the African American and African Studies Community Extension Center, the center is fulfilling its promise of creating a new era of future change.

The center was able to create a new library, meeting hall, classrooms and updated technology through funds received by a state appropriation from State Sen. Hearcel Craig, D-Columbus, per prior Lantern reporting.

Scott Keyes, event coordinator at the AAASCEC, who joined the staff shortly after renovations were completed, said he sees the impact day-today.

“People come in that haven’t seen the space since the renovations, and they’re like, ‘Oh my God, I never knew this was here…we could do this, we could do that.’ It’s pretty cool to see the community come in,” Keyes said.

The center accepts online requests for its spaces on its website, and Keyes is the coordinator between the center and external organizations that seek to use the space. Keyes said that since he joined the center last year, there has already been a large increase in space requests.

The center also continues to host Accelerate Research Group’s Black Impact Series, which is a community-based intervention study to improve cardiovascular health in African American males by providing free health screenings, according to its website. The series will continue at the community extension center through-

be completed by the end of the year, Keyes said.

Another previous project, Ghost Neighborhoods of Columbus, in collaboration with the Ohio State Center for Urban Regional Analysis, looked at mapping old buildings, landmarks and sites within predominantly Black communities that are no longer

Under the direction of former Director Judson Jeffries, the center hosted computer literacy programming for senior citizens and STEM programs for school-aged children, Jeffries said.

“I wouldn’t say it’s just for the community; the students are also included,” Keyes said.

While most of its programming works with external community organizations, the center encourages students and student organizations to use the space for their own impactful ideas and help bridge the gap between Ohio State and the larger Columbus community, Keyes said.

“If you have something impactful that fits along the lines of what we’re doing, and you need space to host it, you can always reach out to us,” Keyes said.

Students can stay updated on the center’s programming by signing up for the Community Chronicles newsletter, released once a month on their website https:// aaascec.osu.edu/form/ subscribe-community-chronicle.

Its current programming works with organizations such as the Columbus Urban League, which hosts workshops at the center as part of their AccelerateHer program, which aims to expedite the growth of established small business owners and entrepreneurs, according to its website.

out April, Keyes said.

The Black to Basics podcast, first featured in prior Lantern reporting, looks at Ohio State’s Ten Dimensions of Wellness through the lived experiences of the Black community, Director Monica Stigler said.

The project was recently approved for a grant and will embark on a new strategic planning process aimed to

present due to development efforts, per prior Lantern reporting. Ghost Neighborhoods will be featured in the Poindexter Village African American Museum, which is set to open in 2028, according to its website.

Keyes said the center’s future goals hope to create more long-term community-centered educational programming similar to previous years.

Ohio State representation on “Love is Blind”

Continued from page 2.

“[Gill and I] hit it off because we had the Buckeye connection,” St. John said. “He’s a good conversationalist, so we just hit it off — all types of conversations about the state of the world, and there’s a big kind of social justice and love that hangs in his heart that also connected with my heart.”

Following the show’s release, St. John said he has received an outpouring of support from the Ohio State and Columbus community, with many people he knows personally stepping in to share their experiences with him.

“It was breathtaking in a lot of ways, to see the way folks were just being encouraging [and] supportive,” St. John said. “Even when weird things were happening online, if there was any weird post, people [were] jumping in like, ‘I actually know him. I changed

his diapers as a kid,’ or ‘I worked with him,’ or I don’t know, it was something good that they had to say, and it was really heartwarming to see those posts and see people kind of galvanize in that way, even till this day.”

His support base has expanded far beyond just the local community, gaining nearly 50,000 followers on Instagram in the past two

weeks alone — for a total of over 77,000 at time of publication — according to Social Blade. Viewers have taken to online forums like Reddit to express their support and love, as well as their desire to see more men like St. John, and more couples like St. John and Hamilton on reality TV.

“I’m not religious, so I usually roll my eyes when couples talk about god so much,” one comment read. “But these two

seem to practice what they preach. A nice couple who genuinely found love. I wish they had more screen time.”

Another commenter agreed, noting that it’s time for a change in what is shown in these shows.

“They mostly want to show unhealthy or dramatic people it seems,” the comment read. “Unfortunate. I know its TV but this is 2026. I’m sick of seeing chaotic toxic people. Give us a truly romantic reality show for a change.”

St. John said that, though he appreciates the praise, he’s been taken aback by the amount he’s received for just being nice to others.

“I say this with a pause and kind of a question and concern, is that in some of the conversations and things I’ve seen around myself in particular, like, ‘Oh, I think he’s a kind guy,’ et cetera … I feel like that should be the bare minimum in some ways,” St. John said. “I feel like it was surprising in some spaces and part of me was like, ‘Oh, you know, thanks for the love,’ then I’m like, ‘Why is it a surprise that humans are being kind to other humans?’”

How the Black Student Association continues to thrive in light of funding changes

Torrance Lang BXB Treasurer

ganizations on campus such as the NAACP, Undergraduate Student Government and Black Caucus. In turn, BSA contributes what they can, never shying away from collaboration opportunities.

“We are leaning on the community on campus in a symbiotic relationship where we lean on them and then in turn, we could be resourceful for them,” Carroll said.

White said events with other campus organizations have been very successful.

“Collaborative events have been really helpful this year with the lack of funding,” White said. “We’ve been able to be resourceful with what we do have.”

Carroll said BSA also reached out to the community to find ways to receive discounted items.

One plan the organization has is to become a nonprofit organization — or 501(c)(3) — which provides it the opportunity to receive funding and grants from sources outside the university.

The change is an extensive process, but Carroll said he is excited for the potential for additional funding opportunities for BSA.

The Black Student Association’s goal is to “take up space.”

Its slogan calls for the Black community and allies on campus to dwell in the community through BSA-provided opportunities, such as group trips and community scholarships.

For the past year, funding cuts due to Senate Bill 1 have forced BSA to search for alternative ways to provide such opportunities.

When SB 1 passed on March 28, 2025, life paused for a moment for students like BSA Treasurer Jordan Carroll, a second-year in accounting,

who felt, “surprised, sad and enraged” as he began to come to terms with the uncertainties in the air surrounding scholarships, jobs and the state of organizations for diverse groups.

Senate Bill 1 banned diversity, equity and inclusion programming for public universities, including Ohio State. In addition, the association lost its funding.

In spite of that, BSA never stopped showing up, and has even been able to host some events despite the lack of funding.

“We have been able to be resource-

ful with what we do have, and still we put events together without the funding,” said Leah White, BSA secretary and third-year in political science.

The organization moved into action, reaching out to those around them looking for opportunities to continue its mission of giving back to the undergraduate community and show them support in unpredictable times.

Carroll said there was hardly a pause in operations and members knew how to shift in light of its sweeping funding cuts. The BSA continues to operate from the support of other student or-

White said it is more important than ever for Black students to see themselves supported and uplifted, represented and supported by a community when the climate diversity within higher education is forever shifting.

“It’s important for us to continue to foster these spaces . . . with an emphasis of building within the community,” White said. “We’re making sure that we are fostering connections so that we have long-lasting partnerships, and so that we can pour back into the students.”

Former Ohio State law professor reflects on how SB 1 led to her early retirement

Trevor Voigt Lantern Campus Senior Writer

It’s been nearly a year since Gov. Mike DeWine signed Senate Bill 1 into law.

Since the bill’s enactment on March 28, 2025, which became effective in June, Ohio public universities have been required to adjust their policies to comply with the prohibition of diversity, equity and inclusion programming.

Before the bill was passed, Ohio State eliminated the Office of Diversity and Inclusion and the Center for Belonging and Social Change, per prior Lantern reporting.

Ruth Colker, a highly distinguished law professor and the Heck Faust Memorial Chair in Constitutional Law, said that Ohio State’s “overcompliance” with SB 1 and its DEI rollbacks played a direct role in her early retirement.

“[What] SB 1 itself says and how Ohio State implemented it, those are two different things,” Colker said. “Ohio State’s implementation of SB 1 is what caused me to retire a little earlier than I might have otherwise chosen to retire.”

Colker said Ohio State’s recent policy adjustments to comply with SB 1 weren’t entirely required.

“I don’t believe that what Ohio State has done is required by SB 1,” Colker said.

Ohio State issued an implementation guide for all departments which outlines prohibiting anything that is specifically meant to be “for” or “intended to benefit” one or more protected classes, which includes groups defined by race, ethnicity, sexual orientation, gender or religion.

The university SB 1 implementation committee also released a guide that outlines six areas that would be affected by the changes, including discussion of controversial beliefs or policies. This can be defined as “any belief or policy that is the subject of political controversy, including issues

such as climate policies, electoral politics, foreign policy, diversity, equity, and inclusion programs, immigration policy, marriage, or abortion.”

The guide does not prohibit discussion of these topics, but states that “academic teaching and research activities, including a college or unit communicating about such activities does not constitute endorsement or opposition.”

In addition, Ohio State is required to avoid certain phrases and words in public-facing communications and on Ohio State’s website, deemed DEI language. Outlined in a style guide that went into effect in June 2025, words like diversity, equity, implicit bias,

social justice and microaggression cannot be used.

“I’ve seen the university change websites to be no longer accurate because of their attempt to get rid of these words,” Colker said.

Colker gave an example of David Roper, a 2019 graduate of the Moritz College of Law and the first African American editor-in-chief of the Ohio State Law Journal, who received the 2019 Distinguished Diversity Enhancement Award for his dedication in “advocating for diversity and inclusion within the Moritz College of Law and the law profession,” according to a 2019 webpage.

In June 2025, Colker said Roper

was profiled in a Moritz College article for his work “to make the journal an atmosphere where everyone felt welcomed and heard,” as the reason he received the award.

“They rewrote why he got the diversity and enhancement award in a way that made it inaccurate because they didn’t want to talk about the fact that he had worked to racially diversify the law journal,” Colker said. “That wasn’t something they could say even though it was factually true.”

RUTH COLKER continues on page 9.

Ohio State Alumna’s Award-Winning Play “Jaja’s African Hair Braiding” comes to Columbus

Olivia Arthur Lantern Reporter

Braiding” premiered in 2023 and received five Tony nominations in 2024, winning one for Best Costume Design of a Play, according to the Tony Awards website.

Set in a bustling Harlem hair braiding salon — owned by Jaja, a West African immigrant pursuing the American dream — over the course of one sweltering summer day, the play features an entirely Black cast and explores themes of community, sisterhood and the West African immigrant experience, according to the Columbus Association of the Performing Arts’ website.

Director Shanelle Marie said Bioh’s writing holds depth and her specific approach is what brought the story to life.

“The characters have nuances from the different cultures and the different countries that they represent,” Marie said. “One of the things we really want[ed] to do was make sure that we find the moments in the play that were just really honest [and] find moments of joy.”

Aliyah René Graham, a Columbus native who plays Jaja’s daughter Marie — a first generation American from Senegal — said portraying a character managing immigration stresses and future dreams is something real people still experience today.

fully capture the environment of the salon was crucial.

“We’re going to be interweaving moments of dance into our production,” Marie said. “Being inspired by those moments that come from those different cultures.”

Though the story takes place in Harlem, Marie said its themes will still resonate with Columbus’s local audience.

“Even though this is set in Harlem, New York, the issues of immigration and extracting status, those are issues that affect our community in Columbus,” Marie said.

At its core, Marie said the play celebrates the women inside Jaja’s shop — artists, entrepreneurs and dreamers whose labor often goes unseen.

“Often you don’t hear their stories, so this is kind of a way to celebrate what they do [and] the masterpieces they create,” Marie said. “A way to celebrate the dreams of the people in our community.”

Marie said Bioh’s success can serve as inspiration for Ohio State students.

“When you’re looking from an artistic standpoint, you can go and do great things because this is a Broadway hit,” Marie said. “It’s not that this is happening far away, or in some of the bigger cities, this stuff happens in Columbus and you can be a part of it.”

Ultimately, Graham said she hopes audiences leave with a deeper sense of empathy for others.

The Contemporary Theatre of Ohio’s production of Tony Award-winning play “Jaja’s African Hair Braiding,” written by Ohio State alumna Jocelyn Bioh, will take the stage in Studio One at the Riffe Center Thursday and will run through March 22.

Bioh, an actress-turned-playwright, earned her Bachelor of Arts in English from Ohio State in 2005 before completing her master’s degree in playwriting at Columbia University. Her comedic play “Jaja’s African Hair

“The things that we touch on are so very prevalent … and continue to be a problem, and continue to divide and spread harm,” Graham said.

Marie said the production also relies on a strong creative team to ground the story in authenticity. She said the inclusion of a hair choreographer, dialect coach and costume designer to

“I hope people take away the fact that these women are not only human and not only have their own lives to think of and their families, but I hope they come to understand that no matter the color of the immigrant that you know, our ecosystem, our community is being uplifted by these people and they’re a crucial part to everyone,” Graham said.

Tickets are $68.55 and are available to purchase on the CAPA website.

Ruth Colker’s decision to retire early

Continued from page 7.

Colker said that the deciding factor in her retirement was a revision regarding the voluntary disclosure of personal pronouns in the classroom.

“I learned through the university’s own webpage that it was impermissible for faculty member[s] to use any university resources to voluntarily request a student to disclose their pronouns,” Colker said.

The implementation guide states that students, faculty and staff can voluntarily share their pronouns but the university does not have a formal system for people to share if they would like.

Colker said that she had been requesting students to voluntarily

disclose their preferred pronouns so as not to unintentionally misgender them, similar to many of her colleagues, so the change came as incompatible to her teaching philosophy and she considers it disrespectful to her students.

“That’s not how I live my life,” Colker said. “It’s important for me to gender people appropriately.”

Colker said that when she was younger, she presented as more androgynous and would be intentionally and unintentionally misgendered as male.

“It’s important to me not to do that to other people,” Colker said. “I’m not trans[gender] but I just don’t really feel like looking like [what] the traditional rules [say] what women should

look like,”

Colker said that in the wake of SB 1, some faculty have considered finding jobs elsewhere, or, as in her case, retire.

“I’m also aware of other universities that are deliberately seeking to recruit people at Ohio State, thinking that there are faculty here who would very much like to leave,” Colker said.

Colker said that this type of career move is unusual, that most university professors try to move upward to higher ranked institutions, but “[I’ve seen] people moving laterally, or sometimes even a downward shift.”

“I think we’re going to see an attrition of talented faculty who can find positions elsewhere or retire,” Colker said. “I think that attrition is probably

going to disproportionately be attrition by women and racial minorities who are more targeted by SB 1 than others.”

Colker said that this will “harm the overall quality of the faculty.”

Last Friday, Colker was recognized in an Ohio State Law Journal symposium for her contributions to the field of disability justice, her Ohio State faculty profile names her as “one of the country’s preeminent scholars in constitutional law and disability discrimination,” and she has published 17 books and over 90 articles.

More information on Ohio State’s SB 1 compliance can be found on the website for the Office of University Compliance and Integrity.

Rust to Broadway: Celebrating the lasting legacy of Ohio State School of Music alumna Ruby Elzy

Sophia Wohl Former Lantern Reporter

This article was originally published Oct. 28, 2025, and has been updated for print.

Last year marked a century since Ohio State’s School of Music was established. As the school looked back at the past century, it also looked back at the first few classes of students and the accomplishments they went on to achieve.

Ruby Elzy was an African American soprano who graduated from Ohio State in 1930 and performed among the stars on Broadway, originating the role of Serena in George Gershwin’s classic opera, “Porgy and Bess.”

Elzy was discovered at Rust College in Mississippi by Dr. Charles Chester McCracken, an Ohio State professor, and then director of the music school, Dr. Royal D. Hughes, according to the School of Music’s website.

In 1927, Hughes and McCracken were on a voyage around 60 Black schools down south, seeking for students to help their administrations claim accreditation, according to David Weaver, historian and author of “Black Diva of the Thirties: The Life of Ruby Elzy.”

Weaver said one of the schools they came across was Rust College; as they went to meet with Dr. L.M. McCoy, the college’s president, they heard an echoing voice.

“It got to the point where [Hughes and McCracken] just couldn’t concentrate,” Weaver said. “Hughes said either we make that girl shut up, or we bring her to sing for us.”

Weaver said Elzy entrusted Hughes and McCracken and set out to follow her dreams at Ohio State in September of that year, where she studied music. Prior to her studies, Elzy could not read music — at the end of her three years, Elzy was able to perform in several different languages, according to The Lantern archives.

Elzy was among the first few classes in the School of Music and one of many who left a historic legacy.

Elzy graduated with honors in 1930, leaving Columbus to further pursue music after she was accepted into graduate school at The Juilliard School in New York City, Weaver said.

During her time in New York, Weaver said Elzy made her Broadway debut singing in the chorus of “Brown Buddies,” a musical comedy, and picked up other small roles here and there.

That was until 1933, when she played the role of Dolly in “The Em-

peror Jones” — a film adaptation of the play of the same name — whose screenwriter, DuBose Heyward, was also the author of a book called “Porgy.” Weaver said during Elzy’s time as Dolly, Heyward was getting ready to create an opera based on the novel with composer George Gershwin.

“Porgy and Bess” follows the story of Porgy, a Black, disabled street beggar who sought to help Bess, a woman struggling with drug addiction, escape her abusive partner and drug dealer, according to the Houston Grand Opera.

Gershwin followed in Heyward’s footsteps and auditioned Elzy, who Weaver said then became equally captivated by her voice. The audition led to her being cast as a lead role in the opera as Serena, wowing audiences with her performance of “My Man’s Gone Now.”

Elzy made her debut Sept. 30, 1935, at Colonial Theatre in Boston. Weaver said just 10 days later, Elzy took the Broadway stage as Serena.

RUBY ELZY continues on page 11.

Ruby Elzy’s legacy

Continued from page 10.

Elzy not only performed on Broadway, but also appeared in radio shows, films and was even invited to perform at the White House by First Lady Eleanor Roosevelt, according to the Black Past website.

Weaver said Elzy gave her last performance as Serena in 1943 and died just a week after at the age of 35, after complications with a tumor removal surgery, according to NPR.

From then on, Elzy’s impact echoed throughout the campus walls of not only Ohio State, but Rust College and Juilliard as well. Weaver said Elzy was recognized for her vocal talent and stage presence, as well as for breaking barriers as an African American woman performing in a major Broadway opera, especially in a time where those opportunities were scarce. Michael Ibrahim, director of the School of Music, said Elzy’s background is inspiring to others following in her footsteps.

“Ruby Elzy is cherished first and foremost by our voice area and by our opera studies,” Ibrahim said. “There is something humbling to think about

the giant shoulders we stand on. On a personal level, I find it inspiring to think of how she came from a rural town in Mississippi, became a Buckeye where she studied music and took that education and experience truly to the stars.”

90 years after Elzy’s debut in “Porgy and Bess,” her voice still reverberates — not only through the halls of Ohio State, Rust College and Juilliard, but through the legacy of American opera itself, Weaver said. He said though the show sparked controversy — since the creators were white, writing about the struggles of African Americans — it remained a turning point in the industry as one of the first major operas with an all-Black cast.

“There are so many lessons and gifts [Elzy] passes onto us,” Ibrahim said. “To name just one, I think it’s that we can choose to be the architects of our future. She took risks, she believed in herself and she kept her gift of music as her North Star.”

SB 1 one year later

2025.

Continued from page 12.

She said she also wonders how the legislation could shape the university’s future.

“With OSU changing some of its restrictions, I wonder how many students — and what types of students — will be admitted,” Hall said.

Students say the effects of SB 1 are not limited to policy language online.

Some identity-based student organizations have experienced changes in funding structures and programming.

Faculty members have adjusted syllabi to ensure compliance, particularly in courses that directly address race, gender or LGBTQ+ topics.

Though Bell-Smith, Miller and Hall said they remain involved in their organizations and coursework, they said uncertainty lingers.

“It’s not just about taking a class or attending a meeting,” Bell-Smith said. “It’s about having a place where I can be understood and supported.”

Miller echoed that sentiment.

“Even if I’m not directly impacted by DEI restrictions, it affects everyone I care about,” Miller said. “If people I depend on can’t thrive, it changes the whole environment.”

Despite concerns, students said they remain committed to sustaining the inclusive culture that drew them to Ohio State in the first place.

“I keep peace knowing there will be setbacks on the way to change, but we as a society can’t accept the standards given to us,” Hall said.

As the university continues to implement changes under SB 1, students say the question is no longer whether campus will change — but how much. Follow The Lantern on Instagram

Ohio State students reflect on DEI changes one year after SB 1

Xiyonne McCullough

Lantern John R. Oller Special Projects Reporter and BXB President

One year after Senate Bill 1 reshaped diversity, equity and inclusion efforts at Ohio State, some Black students said the sense of belonging they fought to build on campus feels more uncertain.

For many students, cultural centers, identity-based organizations and courses focused on race and lived experience were not supplemental to their college experience — they were foundational. Now, as the university continues adjusting policies to comply with SB 1, students said they are watching closely to see how those spaces and classrooms may continue to change.

Nakya Bell-Smith, a second-year in neuroscience, said she struggled to find her place during her first year and

considered transferring before finding community through the National Society of Black Women in Medicine at the Hale Black Cultural Center.

“I was considering transferring because I just didn’t feel like I was home here,” Bell-Smith said. “Then I joined the National Society of Black Women in Medicine, and it was so peaceful being in a room with people who share the same struggles.”

Now, she questions the future of identity-focused organizations, as well as her coursework.

“I’m wondering if I will still be able to take classes about African studies, transgender rights, LGBTQ+ matters and other identity-based courses,” Bell-Smith said. “I want to continue learning about my community and the

experiences of others, but I don’t know if that will be possible.”

According to updates posted on Ohio State’s compliance website, the university is continuing to implement revisions tied to SB 1. As recently as Jan. 14, the site listed new information regarding syllabus information. The update follows a December announcement addressing faculty annual review policies, post-tenure review procedures and course deactivations.

Seth Miller, a fourth-year in psychology, said the impact extends beyond academics. Miller said he chose Ohio State in part for its multicultural environment and believes recent changes have complicated that experience.

“Being white, it still affects me be-

cause a lot of my core community and support system consists of people who fall under DEI,” Miller said.

He said he has noticed a shift in the mood among friends and peers.

“It’s very disheartening to see the loved ones in my life be negatively impacted by this and essentially restricted from reaching their full potential,” he said.

Madison Hall, a third-year in nursing, said Ohio State’s diversity has long distinguished itself from other institutions in the state.

“There are so many schools in Ohio, but nothing as big or as versatile as [Ohio State],” Hall said.

SB1 continues on page 11.