What’s on the Table is a weekly discussion-based event held on Friday afternoons in the African American Cultural Center (AACC) that encourages students to openly share their perspectives.

The event began in the spring semester of 2015 and now hosts about 20 to 30 students weekly. Naturally occurring conversations in the cultural center about pertinent issues motivated the former AACC program coordinator, Toni Thorpe, and student ambassadors to create What’s on the Table to introduce a wider range of NC State community members to those conversations.

Jordan Anderson, a fourth-year studying environmental technology and management, is the president of the AYA Ambassadors in the cultural center. Anderson stressed the importance of creating a safe and open environment for students.

“[During What’s on the Table] everyone is on the same level; we don’t use titles,” Anderson said. “If a doctor walked into the room, we wouldn’t refer to them as doctor… everyone is on a first name basis just to keep the conversation natural.”

Erin Elliot, a graduate student studying educational psychology, is an intern at the cultural center and participates in What’s on the Table weekly.

“The most important thing that I like about What’s on the Table is that the people who are leading it and the people that are constantly attending are usually really vulnerable,” Elliot said. “That allows other people to feel comfortable enough to be vulnerable.”

Anderson facilitates the sessions and helps ensure people attending are both speaking and treated with respect.

“We make sure that everybody has a chance to speak,” Anderson said.  “We want to make sure that people are not speaking for other groups they don’t belong to, so you can share your perspective, but you can’t speak for someone else.” 

Rahel Griffith, a second-year studying fashion textile management, recently started attending What’s on the Table and plans on continuing to do so.

“The conversations are interesting, and it’s cool seeing different perspectives on topics,” Griffith said. “I like to expand [from my opinions].”

Marriah Decosta, a first-year studying engineering, has been participating in What’s on the Table since her first year at NC State.

“Being someone who is of color on this campus, this is a PWI (predominantly white institution), so I feel out of place,” Decosta said.  “With What’s on the Table most of the people who attend look like me and it’s a safe space.”

Decosta recalled conversations during the program surrounding Black History Month, but said they were not a focus of the session.

“Black history is our life, not just a month,” Decosta said.

Elliot’s perspective on Black History Month echoes that of Decosta.

“I wish that Black History Month wasn’t necessarily a month, but that black history was integrated into our curriculums and policy and society, so that it isn’t just a 28-day thing,” Elliot said. 

Anderson and other ambassadors on the leadership board work to relate What’s on the Table and black history throughout more than just February.

“The African-American’s experience has been a major topic that’s overarching throughout the semester,” Anderson said.  “We try to bring in specific [Black History Month] events occurring across campus just to make sure dialogue isn’t getting shut down as soon as the program is over.” 

The dialogue Anderson refers to is rooted in his experiences as an African-American in the United States. 

“A lot of African-Americans don’t have a strict definition of where they come from, that was something that was stripped from us,” Anderson said.  “In order to fully understand [African-Americans] as a people, we should allow these stories to be told.”

The African American Cultural Center is located on the third floor of Witherspoon Student Center. What’s on the Table events are held every Friday from 3 to 4:30 p.m.