PARTING SHOT: Don’t move off the sidewalk. – University of Virginia The Cavalier Daily
When I first came to the University in 2019, never did I imagine that I would start writing for a student newspaper. English was always my favorite subject in school, but as I settled into being an Architecture student, that love took a backseat. It was not until I failed calculus my first fall and had an ENWR class in the spring that I realized I might be meant for something more. Writing became my refuge and English became my minor. During the summer of 2020, when people across the nation were protesting in support of the Black Lives Matter movement at the height of the COVID-19 lockdown, writing became my form of protest. The second half of 2020 was a time of immense anger and confusion that not only signified the next phase in my life, but also served as the catalyst for what would become a three-year dedication to making more space for Black students at the University.
Everything shifted for me when I joined the Cavalier Daily staff in 2020. I was not particularly raised to protest and fight back against racism and inequality. I was, however, taught to always speak up for myself and do what is right. Joining the newspaper was one of many avenues I took to bring awareness to the adversities marginalized people face. This dedication also manifested itself as taking up more space in the communities in which I was already involved. I became a more active member of the School of Architecture Student Council, on which I was the only Black member until this past academic year, and my academic design projects have all focused on social justice and investing in diverse communities. I lived in Hereford Residential College for three years and led the Student Senates Social Awareness Committee, not only organizing events that raise awareness of the adversities of others but also completing two research projects one of which is an overview of race and racism at the University.
The three years I have spent as an Opinion Columnist for the Cavalier Daily have been a rollercoaster, to say the least. The first year was the most tumultuous and resulted in my columns about the Black Lives Matter protests, the 2020 presidential election and the following insurrection at the Capitol. At the beginning of my journey as a writer, I received many words of encouragement from friends and family but simultaneously found many hate comments under my columns and in The Cavalier Dailys social media comment sections. What the people leaving those comments did not know was that they made me want to write even more. Those comments let me know I was reaching my target audience people who feel extreme discomfort when Black people talk about their struggles.
Its important to highlight that, even though I was partially writing for people who could relate to me and my opinion, I was mainly writing to reach people who dont go out of their way to hear the voices of marginalized people. Though I have received much criticism for my work, I know that I opened up space for more Black students to find comfort in their presence at the University and disrupt the comfort of everyone else. Unfortunately, most people do not care about issues that do not affect them. And so, when Black Lives Matter was no longer trending on social media and on the news, I continued to write not only to keep bringing attention to the issues that harm Black students at the University, but also to encourage other marginalized students to do so as well.
I know that if I were to go back in time to the summer of 2020 and see the advertisement for The Cavalier Daily applications, I would do it all the same again. I would not change a single thing that I have done or said. My only regret is not having said more. I am proud that the Cavalier Daily now has a much more diverse staff than when I first joined. I am proud to have been the first Black student to write about my experiences with such raw vigor and vulnerability. I am proud to have spent this past semester as the longest-running staff member. And I am so proud to see the freedom with which other students of color now wield their opinions, and I can feel good knowing that they may continue when I am gone.
And so, a message to Black students you know that moment when you are walking down the street and a group of people coming in the opposite direction looks like they are unwilling to move over and make space for you? I would like to offer you a sentence of encouragement that a Black graduating student offered to a group chat of students of color during graduation weekend a few years ago. Do not move off the sidewalk. Do not waver. Do not step into the street to get out of their way. Stay on the sidewalk and take up the space you deserve. I urge all students of color not to allow the pressures of the University community to keep them from being themselves and expressing their truth. Im rooting for you.
Aliyah White was an Opinion columnist for the 131st, 132nd and 133rd terms of The Cavalier Daily.
Read this article:
PARTING SHOT: Don't move off the sidewalk. - University of Virginia The Cavalier Daily
- Pepper-balls vs. tear gas: How 2020's Black Lives Matter protest in Spokane compares to the immigration demonstration of 2025 - The Spokesman-Review - June 18th, 2025 [June 18th, 2025]
- Now and then: How Trump's response to LA riots has changed from 2020 Black Lives Matter and Antifa - Fox News - June 12th, 2025 [June 12th, 2025]
- Community comes together to repaint Black Lives Matter mural - The Pajaronian - June 12th, 2025 [June 12th, 2025]
- When the looting starts, the shooting starts: Trump echoes notorious Black Lives Matter quote over LA anti-ICE demos - The Independent - June 12th, 2025 [June 12th, 2025]
- Understanding the History of Torture in America - Black Lives Matter - June 12th, 2025 [June 12th, 2025]
- Organizers look back to 2020 when 1,000 people marched in Black Lives Matter protest in Green Bay - Green Bay Press-Gazette - June 7th, 2025 [June 7th, 2025]
- Black Lives Matter Plaza 5 Years Later - The Washington Informer - June 7th, 2025 [June 7th, 2025]
- Black Lives Matter was an outbreak of global hysteria - Spiked - June 7th, 2025 [June 7th, 2025]
- What I learned from the aftermath of the Black Lives Matter uprising - The Guardian - May 28th, 2025 [May 28th, 2025]
- Five Years of Black Lives Matter: Top conspiracy theories about the death of George Floyd - Times of India - May 28th, 2025 [May 28th, 2025]
- Black Lives Matter wasnt interested in truth - Spiked - May 28th, 2025 [May 28th, 2025]
- I walked across the south of America in a Black Lives Matter shirt this is what happened - London Evening Standard - May 28th, 2025 [May 28th, 2025]
- Storyville: White Man Walking review the man who marched 1,500 miles with a Black Lives Matter sign - The Guardian - May 28th, 2025 [May 28th, 2025]
- Five years on from Black Lives Matter, has the UK made progress on ethnic equalities? - The Guardian - May 28th, 2025 [May 28th, 2025]
- 'Coming from a place of accountability' - How the Black Lives Matter movement inspired analyst and ex-USMNT star Taylor Twellman to earn a degree 20... - May 28th, 2025 [May 28th, 2025]
- Five years of virtue signalling: the failure of Black Lives Matter - The Telegraph - May 28th, 2025 [May 28th, 2025]
- Was the Black Lives Matter rebellion all for nothing? It may feel like that, but I have seen reasons for hope - The Guardian - May 28th, 2025 [May 28th, 2025]
- Highland Park to restore Black Lives Matter mural - Central New Jersey News - May 28th, 2025 [May 28th, 2025]
- Black Lives Matter street murals stand as an enduring reminder of protests against racism - Lynchburg News and Advance - May 28th, 2025 [May 28th, 2025]
- 'Black lives matter': Demonstrators march in Southeast Portland, paying tribute to George Floyd, 5 years after his murder - KGW - May 28th, 2025 [May 28th, 2025]
- History Today: How George Floyds killing in US gave rise to Black Lives Matter movement - Firstpost - May 28th, 2025 [May 28th, 2025]
- Free Palestine Replaces Black Lives Matter as the Cause of the Activist Class - The New York Sun - May 28th, 2025 [May 28th, 2025]
- The far-right's resurgence was only a matter of time after Black Lives Matter - Big Issue - May 28th, 2025 [May 28th, 2025]
- Inside the Big Issue: The rise and fall of Black Lives Matter - Big Issue - May 19th, 2025 [May 19th, 2025]
- Five Years After the Murder of George Floyd, New Survey Measures Views on Race, Policing and Black Lives Matter - Good Faith Media - May 19th, 2025 [May 19th, 2025]
- Backlash: The Murder of George Floyd TV review tracing the transatlantic spread of Black Lives Matter - Financial Times - May 19th, 2025 [May 19th, 2025]
- Minneapolis still broken, divided and suffering 5 years after George Floyd death: Black Lives Matter was never here - New York Post - May 19th, 2025 [May 19th, 2025]
- Black Lives Matter: Will Donald Trump pardon Derek Chauvin, convicted of killing George Floyd? What we kn - Times of India - May 19th, 2025 [May 19th, 2025]
- BC teacher who referred to Black Lives Matter protesters as 'animals' gets reprimanded - Infotel.ca - May 19th, 2025 [May 19th, 2025]
- Teachers Are Building the Future. Trump Is Tearing It Down. - Black Lives Matter - May 11th, 2025 [May 11th, 2025]
- Megyn Kelly criticizes Met Gala's Tailoring Black Style theme: "It was basically Black Lives Matter at the Met" - Media Matters - May 11th, 2025 [May 11th, 2025]
- Black Lives Matter Plaza's end like its beginning is a barometer of the times - Roanoke Times - April 10th, 2025 [April 10th, 2025]
- Seattle Parks working on plan for new memorial in Cal Anderson marking CHOP and the 2020 Black Lives Matter protests UPDATE - CHS Capitol Hill... - April 3rd, 2025 [April 3rd, 2025]
- Black Lives Matter Plaza's end like its beginning is a barometer of the times - Ottumwa Courier - April 3rd, 2025 [April 3rd, 2025]
- Black Lives Matter Plaza's end like its beginning is a barometer of the times - southernminn.com - April 3rd, 2025 [April 3rd, 2025]
- Black Lives Matter Plaza's end like its beginning is a barometer of the times - thederrick.com - April 3rd, 2025 [April 3rd, 2025]
- D.C.'s Black Lives Matter mural will be erased. Look back at the iconic street painting - NPR - March 9th, 2025 [March 9th, 2025]
- D.C. Mayor Orders Removal of Black Lives Matter Mural She Commissioned After House GOP Threatens to Do It for Her - PEOPLE - March 9th, 2025 [March 9th, 2025]
- Reconstruction of D.C.s Black Lives Matter Plaza to begin next week - Washington Times - March 9th, 2025 [March 9th, 2025]
- Washington, DC, to remove 'Black Lives Matter' painting from street near White House, mayor says - The Associated Press - March 9th, 2025 [March 9th, 2025]
- Bigger fish to fry: Why DC is making changes to Black Lives Matter Plaza painting - WTOP - March 9th, 2025 [March 9th, 2025]
- Washington mayor says Black Lives Matter Plaza near White House to be redesigned - Reuters - March 9th, 2025 [March 9th, 2025]
- Black Lives Matter Plaza to be redesigned as part of new DC mural project - FOX 5 DC - March 9th, 2025 [March 9th, 2025]
- U.S. Rep. Andrew Clyde of Georgia leads attack on Black Lives Matter Plaza. What we know - Online Athens - March 9th, 2025 [March 9th, 2025]
- D.C. Mayor Muriel Bowser Suggests Black Lives Matter Plaza Will Be Painted Over - The New York Times - March 9th, 2025 [March 9th, 2025]
- DC mayor to remove Black Lives Matter Plaza amid pressure from White House - NBC Washington - March 9th, 2025 [March 9th, 2025]
- Once declared 'permanent,' Washington, D.C.'s Black Lives Matter Plaza will soon be painted over - Fast Company - March 9th, 2025 [March 9th, 2025]
- Opinion | D.C. can respect Black Lives Matter without street art - The Washington Post - March 9th, 2025 [March 9th, 2025]
- DC Mayor suggests city will paint over Black Lives Matter Plaza near White House - The Hill - March 9th, 2025 [March 9th, 2025]
- D.C. mayor to ditch Black Lives Matter mural, street name to avoid scrum with GOP on Capitol Hill - Washington Times - March 9th, 2025 [March 9th, 2025]
- Black Lives Matter Mural near White House will be replaced with a new mural as part of DCs America 250 mural project - PoPville - March 9th, 2025 [March 9th, 2025]
- DC crews to begin 'reconstruction' of Black Lives Matter Plaza - KCBY.com 11 - March 9th, 2025 [March 9th, 2025]
- DC crews to begin 'reconstruction' of Black Lives Matter Plaza - WGME - March 9th, 2025 [March 9th, 2025]
- DC crews to begin 'reconstruction' of Black Lives Matter Plaza - NTV - March 9th, 2025 [March 9th, 2025]
- DC crews to begin 'reconstruction' of Black Lives Matter Plaza - KRCR - March 9th, 2025 [March 9th, 2025]
- DC crews to begin 'reconstruction' of Black Lives Matter Plaza - WRGB - March 9th, 2025 [March 9th, 2025]
- DC crews to begin 'reconstruction' of Black Lives Matter Plaza - WPEC - March 9th, 2025 [March 9th, 2025]
- DC crews to begin 'reconstruction' of Black Lives Matter Plaza - WEAR - March 9th, 2025 [March 9th, 2025]
- DC crews to begin 'reconstruction' of Black Lives Matter Plaza - FoxReno.com - March 9th, 2025 [March 9th, 2025]
- DC crews to begin 'reconstruction' of Black Lives Matter Plaza - krcgtv.com - March 9th, 2025 [March 9th, 2025]
- DC crews to begin 'reconstruction' of Black Lives Matter Plaza - Dayton 24/7 Now - March 9th, 2025 [March 9th, 2025]
- DC crews to begin 'reconstruction' of Black Lives Matter Plaza - ktvo.com - March 9th, 2025 [March 9th, 2025]
- Federal judge inclined to side with USPS over seized Black Lives Matter merch - Courthouse News Service - February 27th, 2025 [February 27th, 2025]
- Analysis: Whatever happened to Black Lives Matter? - Church Times - February 14th, 2025 [February 14th, 2025]
- How old was Trayvon Martin when he died? A look back at the teen's death that sparked Black Lives Matter Movement - Soap Central - February 11th, 2025 [February 11th, 2025]
- On Trayvon Martins 30th Birthday, Black Lives Still Matter - Word In Black - February 5th, 2025 [February 5th, 2025]
- Black Lives Matter at School Week of Action in Olympia School District from Feb. 3-7 - The Jolt News - February 3rd, 2025 [February 3rd, 2025]
- Trump could undo everything the UK learnt from Black Lives Matter - inews - February 3rd, 2025 [February 3rd, 2025]
- Posters with Black Lives Matter term to be voted on by Lakeville school board - CBS News - February 1st, 2025 [February 1st, 2025]
- Lakeville school board to vote Tuesday on use of "Black Lives Matter" posters - CBS News - February 1st, 2025 [February 1st, 2025]
- Art by African Americans: From the Protest of the 60's to the Age of Black Lives Matter - TAPinto.net - January 22nd, 2025 [January 22nd, 2025]
- Community continues to demand answers concerning Rayvon Shahid during Black Lives Matter protests - Flint Courier News - November 28th, 2024 [November 28th, 2024]
- Black Lives Matter protests police shooting of 17-year-old in Flint - WJRT - November 24th, 2024 [November 24th, 2024]
- Black Lives Matter Flint hosts three-day protest for death of 17-year-old Rayvon Shahid - WEYI - November 21st, 2024 [November 21st, 2024]
- Davis, Black Lives Matter say police discipline bill is being rushed - WVPE Public Media - November 21st, 2024 [November 21st, 2024]
- Revealed: Starmer called for an export ban on police gear to Trump during the Black Lives Matter protests in 2 - Daily Mail - November 14th, 2024 [November 14th, 2024]
- Black Lives Matter activist to vote for Donald Trump: 'I definitely would not be supporting Kamala Harris' - Fox News - November 5th, 2024 [November 5th, 2024]
- Black Lives Matter activist to vote for Donald Trump: 'I definitely would not be supporting Kamala Harris' - MSN - November 5th, 2024 [November 5th, 2024]
- Black Lives Matter activist to vote for Donald Trump: 'I definitely would not be supporting Kamala Harris' - AOL - November 5th, 2024 [November 5th, 2024]
- Lake County Black Lives Matter co-founder going to jail on contempt charge: They said I was trying to incite a riot - Chicago Tribune - November 5th, 2024 [November 5th, 2024]