BMC began as friends out to make a difference

Black Men for Change, a group whose aim is to be positive role models for black men, originated first with a close group of friends. “Sean Andrews and Corey Ruffin came up with the name. It came up with just the guys talking about different issues that affect black men. We used to be in Corey’s room on Fridays and just discuss world issues and current events. We were like we need to form an organization,” said Jonathan Murray, the president of the organization. Murray said there are many different duties of Black Men for Change, and the group is opening up the doors of communication while serving the community. When asked what Murray wanted to accomplish with this organization next semester, he said, “Open up the communication line. We feel so much the same way but we don’t express it between each other. So much stuff has happened during this year – the war, affirmative action and other stuff going on in the media. People are aware of it, but they don’t know how to express their feelings. We’re working on poetry slams and just changing the whole norm on campus. We want to rebel against the norm.” The primary focus for Black for Change is to encourage the younger generation that all hope is not lost, Murray said.”We work with a lot of kids that come from a low income family. Some of their mothers own drugs so they have to take care of them and other siblings. They’re hopeless kids. They’ve already figured out I’m just going to be another person on the street with no hopes or ambitions,” Murray said.