OKLAHOMA CITY, Okla. — Students, administration, and alumni filled the state capitol for the first-ever Langston Day at the Capitol.
Out of the more than 100 LU Lions, most spent their day advocating. Advocating for support for Langston as a whole, and advocating against House Bill 2854.
If passed by the Senate, the bill could threaten the future of Langston's Tulsa campus by allowing for courses only offered there to be offered at other local campuses.
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“I love Langston, I love the rich history that it has," said student Kemi Sogunro. "As an African American student, I believe that we just offer something that is very unique that other campuses are not able to offer us."
She's a second-year physical therapy student at Langston's main campus. Even though she doesn't attend LU-Tulsa, she said it's important they hear.
“We are all connected as a whole, and so we want to protect our programs at all campuses," she said. "I believe it's very important that they hear our voices and see our hearts in this, and that we are very passionate about the only HBCU in the state of Oklahoma."
Sogunro, alongside her peers Cynae Wiley and Tanara Kelley, made their way around the Capitol. They knocked on doors and met with as many legislators as they could to encourage them to vote no.
“We want to make sure that the values that that campus has isn’t taken away," said Wiley.
As a Native American student, Wiley said it was important to her to be able to go to a college that prioritizes minorities.
Without Langston, she and her peers believe they would have far fewer opportunities to succeed.
Wiley is fearful that troubles in Tulsa could end up trickling down to affect her at the main campus.
“The nursing program, the agriculture programs, the physical therapy programs, those departments that are special is what keeps students there and what keeps them coming back, so if that’s taken away, what does that do to the campus?” she said.
Any walkback on investment for any branch of LU, Segurno said, would be a major step backward.
“Still racism that is a part of our nation, so I believe by having a safe place for us students is very important, and we should protect it at all costs," she said.
After a lengthy debate on the Senate committee floor, the bill was passed. It now goes to the Oklahoma Senate for a full vote.
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