I recently learned about the news regarding Professor Jones at UMass Boston and felt compelled to speak about the impact he has had on students.

I took Professor Jones’ course on race, class, and gender as an undergraduate at UMass Boston, and it was truly a transformative experience for me. The class pushed me to think more deeply about race, gender, and the structures that shape our society. Now, as a graduate student at UMass Boston, I can see even more clearly how much that course influenced the way I think, learn, and approach my work. It genuinely had a lasting impact on how I move forward academically and in life.

I also want to say that Africana Studies is incredibly important to me, and I believe it should be important to everyone. At a diverse public university like UMass Boston, Africana Studies plays an essential role in helping students understand the histories, experiences, and contributions of Black communities and the broader structures that shape inequality in our society. Courses like this create space for critical thinking, reflection, and understanding that students carry with them far beyond the classroom.

Faculty members who challenge students to think critically about inequality and social justice are an essential part of what makes a university education meaningful, and their presence has a lasting impact on generations of students.