Coffee Talks, an event held by Georgia State’s LEAD team, held a discussion on black history titled “Hate Cannot Drive Out Hate” on Feb. 26.
“I think it’s important to have a platform to talk about what we think about when we hear Black History Month,” Andrew Whyte, President of the Student Government Association, said. “I think this is an awesome opportunity for us to have an open conversation about black culture and what it means.”
Since fall of 2013, Coffee Talks has served as a chance for students to engage in conversation with their colleagues on a given topic.
“The point of Coffee Talks is [to provide] an opportunity to have general discussion about topics that vaguely connect to leadership and to get feedback on what different students think on different topics,” Joshua Beaner, a junior and member of the LEAD Team said. “It is also a good opportunity for [students] to get experience and see other people’s views.”
According to Beaner, this Coffee Talks was different from ones before because the discussion was focused on the specific topic of Black History Month whereas the previous topics were broader.
Students that attended discussed Black History month and interpreted and analyzed quotes from famous African American leaders throughout history such as Martin Luther King Jr, Nelson Mandela, Malcolm X, Rosa Parks and President Barack Obama among others.
The session began with quick introductions of all individuals that were there followed by a presentation of quotes made by famous African Americans. Students discussed the quotes and concluded with a discussion about questions that Beaner included in the presentation for students to reflect on.
By attending the discussion and Coffee Talks for the first time, Andrew Whyte said that he gained perspective and different viewpoints on the topic from other individuals that were there.
“The goal [of Coffee Talks] is to have good conversation on controversial topics,” Joshua Beaner said.
Free coffee and biscotti was provided for those who attended the discussion.
