Alice Garner

Hello everyone! Welcome to a very honest question and answer about Davidson College (t.w.s/a mentioned) We get to the nitty gritty, the truth, the real stuff...for example, what's dating life like? How is the food *really*? Is Davidson *too* small? Is this school in the south racist? How are the parties? I'm here to give you the candid answer, unfiltered!!! As a woman of color, I never felt represented within the admission office. Whenever I was on tour or going to an info session, there was never anyone who looked like me, who could really offer me the truth about what a PWI is like in the South as a WOC. I hope this video helps you inform your decision if Davidson is the right fit for you! To look at my exposition, please click here: https://docs.google.com/document/d/1RdwDRzpXQvlDnDajhHOWL7_hADaCnwmVObg0G4XHjcs/edit?usp=sharing Time Stamps 0:00 - Preview 0:25 - Why I’m Making This Video 1:00 - About Me (major, clubs and orgs, podcast, activism) 2:14 - My Second-Year Experience in a Nutshell 3:10 - My Mentors at Davidson College 3:48 - Second-Year Classes ACADEMICS 3:54 - What is Africana Studies? Why is it useful? 4:56 - How Africana Studies Changed My Life Direction 5:26 - Is there grade deflation? SOCIAL LIFE 6:04 - How do you manage a social and academic life? 7:03 - How do you set boundaries? 7:25 - Is Davidson “too” small? 7:47 - Pros of a small school (academics, activism, friendships) 9:18 - Cons of a small school (conflicts, “highschool-like,” isolating) 9:56 - Have you found your people? (activists, mentorship) 10:29 - Advice for making genuine friendships 11:06 - How involved are people with Greek Life? The toxic “party” culture within PCC that I wished I had known… 12:39 - Vibrant Social Life for Non-PCC People, defining your own version of going out 13:47 - What are eating houses? 14:40 - My experience not being in an eating house as an Asian woman 15:24 - Why I do not support eating house culture 15:30 - How is the party life on campus? Is there a pressure to engage in substances? 16:03 - How safe is Davidson college? (at night, on the weekends) 17:01 - How is the dating scene? How is the hook-up culture? 17:55 - How did you find your “group”? Put yourself out there! FOOD 18:17 - How is it being vegan at Davidson? (what i do for meals) 19:26 - How is the food in general at Davidson? (to learn the food hacks, follow @althefooodie for more!) BEING A WOMAN OF COLOR ON CAMPUS 19:56 - How has your experience honestly been as a woman of color on campus? 20:42 - Getting cyberbullied on campus (context in my Davidson Activist video) 21:15 - How being at a southern institution has shaped my activism work FINAL REFLECTIONS 21:44 - How Davidson has changed me 22:34 - Message to you 23:29 - The honest truth

Dear Davidson past, current, and future student activists, you are not alone. You are so valid, heard, and seen. In this video, I detail my own personal experience with activism at Davidson thus far. By taking action, posting to social media, and vulnerably sharing my own lived experience with trauma, S.A., and marginalization, I've challenged the systems in place that are encrusted in white privilege, racism, homophobia, and bigotry and exposed them for what they truly are. As a result, I've had to endure direct cyberbullying from my own peers, marginalization from my own school newspaper, and even more trauma as a BiPOC woman. Although I can never live through your own lived experience, know that as a fellow student advocate for social equity and racial justice at Davidson College, a predominately white institution, I hear you. I stand with you. And you are not alone. I hope this video gives you hope, empowerment, and inspiration, wherever and whenever this video may find you. I cherish you so deeply. Don't hesitate to reach out. I believe in you. Exposition on Patterson Court Circle: https://docs.google.com/document/d/1RdwDRzpXQvlDnDajhHOWL7_hADaCnwmVObg0G4XHjcs/edit?usp=sharing Disorienting Davidson Tour (what the admissions office doesn't tell you on tour): http://disorientingdavidson.com/ INTRODUCTION - 0:00 - Featured in this video - 0:16 - About me - 0:39 - You are not alone. I stand with you. - 1:54 - Background about my time at Davidson so far DEALING WITH ASIAN HATE - 4:46 - Context of March 2021 - 5:14 - A Coffee Shop Riot Demonstrating White Privilege - 6:27 - The Tireless AAPI Fight for Justice - 7:04 - The Trending Hashtag - 7:30 - Sharing My Lived Experience on Social Media Part 1 - 8:28 - Marginalized by My Own School Newspaper EXPOSING PATTERSON COURT CIRCLE (Uprooting an institution grounded in homophobia, racism, and white privilege) - 9:19 - Context of the Party Scene at Davidson + PCC - 10:22 - Dealing with S.A. and Title IX - 10:50 - Sharing My Lived Experience on Social Media Part 2 - 11:58 - Davidson’s Reaction from My Exposition - 13:13 - Facing Cyberbullies at Davidson - 13:52 - “Alice should be removed from this institution” - 14:00 - Turning My Lowest Times into Moments of Empowerment - 14:50 - Davidson Has Made Me Better - 15:49 - How to Face Failure LEARNING HOW TO BALANCE MENTAL HEALTH AND ADVOCACY - 16:35 - Why YouTube? - 17:44 - Tips for Facing Backlash - 18:02 - Your Mental Health Always Comes First - 18:22 - Access Your Emotional Battery - 18:56 - Cultivate Sacred Spaces and Practices - 20:09 - Learn to Say No - 20:42 - Find the Hidden Gems. Create Community - 21:13 - Use Your Resources to Advocate for Yourself - 22:32 - Confide With Someone (Therapy!) - 22:46 - Eliminate All Toxic Sources - 23:46 - It’s Not Your Job to Educate Others. - 24:16 - Finding My Voice (My Journey) - 25:11 - Turn to Alumni. They Have Your Back. - 25:50 - You Are Seen and Validated. - 26:13 - Contact Information + Outro This video also features Nina, the small fluffy creature in the background of the entire video. She is the most fantastic and exuberant member of our amazing family.