Black History Month Conversation Series – Episode 6

Black History Month Conversation Series

In our newest Conversation Series, we highlight and celebrate Black History Month. During the month of February, we will highlight and celebrate a number of Region IV’s professionals that identify as Black or African American.

Episode 6 | Jerrod Jackson

In Episode 6 of the Black History Month Conversation Series, we are joined by Jerrod Jackson with Louisiana State University’s UREC. In this one-on-one conversation, Jerrod shares some insight in his “pretty traditional Intramural path,” from the University of Texas at Austin under Darci Doll to Georgia Southern under the late Sarah Fain, then a 14-year career with Texas A&M-College Station Rec Sports before earning the title of Associate Director of Programs and Outreach at LSU.

Jerrod shares his thoughts on Black History Month, acknowledging the fact that not only is it the shortest month of the year, one that it’s also filled with other celebrations that may vie for one’s focus, unless you’re intentional about maintaining the focus on the accomplishments and the excellence of Black and African Americans:

A lot of times, I think that people start off strong, on February 1st recognizing it’s Black History Month. But, sometimes by the time they get to February 28th, and in some years February 29th, they’ve forgotten that it was even Black History Month. And that makes me sad. So for me, when it comes to Black History Month, I want to think about things from a standpoint of thinking about all month long. It’s a time for us to celebrate; it’s a time for us to inspire; and it’s a time for us to be inspired.

Jerrod reiterates the importance of representation, especially in our field, and how important it was to see someone like James Nash at Texas A&M-College Station when Jerrod first interviewed there. Jerrod also reminisced on his time on the Member Network, and how past NIRSA presidents Tony Clements (1989), Juliette Moore (1998), R. Kevin Marbury (2012), Stan Shingles (2016) and David Davenport (2020) were so influential for Jerrod and other black professionals, seeing that it is possible to serve in the Association’s top member leadership position.

Jerrod reflects on his experience working with and supervising young Black students and professionals, highlighting the importance for those students “not to rely on their Blackness. What you have to rely on is the fact that you’ve earned the opportunity to sit at the table. You’ve earned the opportunity to walk through the door.”

The conversation transitions to a critical assessment of campus recreation from Jerrod’s lens, and how race and stereotypes or microaggressions have impacted various program areas.

Working at two predominantly white institutions, working with Black students and getting them involved in campus recreation isn’t easy because the biggest thing is they want to be somewhere where they see people that look like them.

When it comes to Black men and Black women playing intramural sports, I think the thing that happens a lot is there’s a stigma that Blacks are better at sports. Well, there’s a lot of our students that are just everyday, average Joe’s…that just want to come out and have fun. I think sometimes they get made fun of because they’re not as athletic as people would like them to be just because they’re Black…They want to have fun just like you do. When a white student comes out that doesn’t have athletic talent, and a Black student comes out and doesn’t have athletic talent, they should be treated the same. A lot of times, I don’t think they are. I think, a lot of times, it’s forgiven when white students can’t do certain things, but when Black students try to do athletic things and they fail, they’re mocked.

From a fitness perspective, Jerrod discusses the challenges of Black women and men as participants in the group fitness setting, from the types of classes offered to the style of music played (more on the impacts of race in a fitness setting in Episode 7).

The conversation wraps up with some advice:

• For young Black professionals
  • “Don’t give them a reason to question who you are.”
  • “Take care of those little things that are outside your everyday job duties related to (your program area). Your impact in those areas go a long way to show your character beyond who you are as the professional.”
• For non-Black folks to assist in the fight for racial justice
  • “Open your mouth, and speak…You’re never going to get everything absolutely right, but silence speaks more than you messing up.”

To connect with Jerrod, feel free to reach out via e-mail.

About Black History Month

Black History Month is the annual celebration of achievements by Black and African Americans and a time for recognizing their central role in U.S. history. Also known as African American History Month, the event grew out of “Negro History Week,” the brainchild of noted historian Carter G. Woodson and other prominent African Americans in the early 1900s. Since 1976, every U.S. president has officially designated the month of February as Black History Month.