Faces of CNM: Kenneth Davis
Last year, CNM student Kenneth Davis was disappointed to see participation in the Black Student Union slow down after several members graduated. So, he decided to do something about it.
“I started thinking to myself, ‘We have a lot of potential here,’ and seeing how many African American students we have at CNM, it would be great to have a successful Black Student Union built for them,” Kenneth says.
With help from CNM Equity Council Chair Sonya Lara, Kenneth started brainstorming ideas to get students involved and was able to successfully revive the BSU.
“Sonya was like, ‘Well, it looks like we have a president,’ and I was like, ‘Wait, what?’” Kenneth says. “From then on, I took on the role of president and we’ve just been building it from the ground up.”
For Kenneth, his work with BSU is his way of living his motto, “Be the change.”
“That’s what it’s all about: serving, and understanding that it’s not just about myself. It’s about the student body as a whole and we’re there to provide a service and help represent African American students at CNM in the best way that we can,” he says.
Kenneth is currently studying business and hopes to someday have a career in the arts and entertainment industry where he helps bring the stories of African Americans to light.
“There are so many stories that need to be told or that haven’t been told from an African American point of view, so let’s see how many of those stories we can find and get those stories out to the people,” he says.
Kenneth is grateful for the support of his instructors who have encouraged him to explore topics such as entertainment and African American culture through his writing and public speaking assignments.
“Being successful in my classes definitely boosted my confidence and aided in my ability to be a student leader,” he says.
Kenneth is set to graduate after the 2022 Summer Term with an associate degree in business administration. He plans to complete his bachelor’s degree at either the University of New Mexico (UNM) or Morehouse College before eventually pursuing a law degree.
“There are so many people pursuing careers in front of the camera or performing on stage, but there aren’t necessarily as many people pursuing those management positions on the legal side of things,” Kenneth says.
Although his time at CNM may be coming to a close, Kenneth hopes his work as a student leader encourages others to get involved on campus, especially his fellow non-traditional students.
“When you look at the demographics of a typical college student, a lot of us who are working adults might feel like we won’t be able to fit in or add value to our classrooms, but that’s absolutely not true. Your life experiences and your work experiences do matter, and they add value.”
CNM’s Black Student Union hosts virtual meetings on the first and third Thursday of every month from 2-3 p.m. All are welcome to attend. Join the meetings here. For more information or to contact the BSU, visit the Black Student Union web page.