On Feb. 16, the Oswego State Alumni Association hosted noted speaker, author, activist and television personality Kevin Powell as part of the “I Am Oz” series of presentations.

“I Am Oz” focuses on diversity and allows for minority populations in the Oswego State community to have their voices heard.

Powell opened his speech by talking about his experiences following the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks in New York City. He related this to a sense of American unity that he believes must grow and shape the country, not just in a time of distress, but always. He then moved to the topic of Black History Month and the histories of black Americans, as well as other minority groups.

“Black history is American history. Women’s history is American history. Queer history is American history,” was a mantra Powell repeated throughout the speech.

Powell referenced how so many rules and regulations in American politics and law still relate to the days of slavery, mentioning Senate Rule 19, which prevents senators from speaking poorly of the character of a fellow legislator. Powell said it was used to prevent abolitionist senators from discussing the involvement in slavery that many Southern senators had before the Civil War.

Powell then mentioned the achievements of black Americans in the 19th and 20th centuries, such as inventing the modern streetlight and the gas masks used in World War I.

He then began talking about his personal history, growing up poor in New York City, the son of a single mother.

“My mother had to raise me in the kind of poverty I wouldn’t wish on anyone,” Powell said.

Powell mentioned how, for a time, he was angry at white people as a whole, confronting them on the sidewalks of his university and even going so far as to avoid eating white bread. Powell said he learned the difference between constructive anger and reactionary anger, and believes his anger toward all white Americans while in university was reactionary.

“Racism isn’t going anywhere until y’all address it, and all the other ‘-isms’ aren’t going away until we address them,” Powell said.

Throughout his speech, Powell frequently made references to black, queer and women’s histories and how one can best learn understanding and equality when they know the histories of more than just what they may have been taught in primary school.

“It was honestly really life changing,” Imani Cruz said.

Cruz is an Oswego State senior, as well as a member of “Voices of Diversity,” a campus club promoting minority voices in media.

“As soon as I leave here, I’m going to look up things I can do to empower those in my community,” Cruz said.

Powell has spoken at many colleges and universities around the world, having spoken at San Jose State University in California prior to appearing at Oswego State.

Another Oswego State student who attended the event was Lamont Sadler, a senior. Sadler attended the event because he knew of Powell and was interested in his message.

“What stood out to me was his emphasis on inclusiveness,” Sadler said.