The Hill We Climb

 We step out of the shade aflame and unafraid, the new dawn blooms as we free it, for us always light if only we’re brave enough to see it, if only we’re brave enough to be it.” Amanda Gorman

For many the highlight of Inauguration Day was the recitation of 22-year-old poet laureate Amanda Gorman’s original composition “The Hill We Climb.” As great as she performed, my highlights of what was truly was a beautiful day were former Presidents Bill Clinton, George W. Bush, and Barack Obama promising to help the Biden-Harris administration whenever called upon, something Trump never did a single time. Then I loved the evening concert featuring John Legend, Katy Perry, Foo Fighters, Bruce Springsteen and many more, including Bon Jovi singing “Here Comes the Sun.”

As part of IUN’s Martin Luther King Day celebration, organized by James Wallace, Ken Iwama, and Jeri Pat Gabbert, former Chancellor Peggy Elliott and former IUN Black Student Union president Todd Deloney discussed the roles each played in bringing about observance of that day on our campus and eventually throughout the IU system. In her mid-80s Peggy remained charming and tactful in giving credit to other faculty and administrators who supported Todd’s crusade, including Phil Rutledge, Barbara Cope and Vernon Smith. When Todd revealed that while he was carrying out a lone vigil near campus, a car drove by hurling racist epithets at him, Peggy interjected, “They couldn’t have been our students.” I wasn’t able to join the discussion but left several chats, including that Peggy was excellent at crisis management and, unlike her predecessor, went out of her way to recruit minority students and establish close ties with the Gary community. During one hard winter when there were massive mill layoffs, she worked with Bishop Andrew Grutka and the Richard Hatcher administration to raise money for food pantries by putting on a concert at Gary Genesis Center featuring Whitney Houston and many others, plus an appearance by “Sweetness,” Walter Peyton.