Getting With the Program
“I want to be the person someone calls when they need help, I want to be there for them and give back” Raquel Joseph (BU ’23) started off our call being very clear about their goals in life and how their words and actions are directly aligned with them. Raquel walks the walk and talks the talk, contributing to community service projects, strengthening communities at school, and being radically honest in their relationships. When we asked for a quote they live by we were told “it is what it is, move on and get with the program.” As someone who is always adapting to new conditions and environments, Raquel shares that getting upset and not doing anything to fix it won’t solve anything. Instead we need to think about what we are going to do to feel better. What are you going to do to get with the program?
DEFINING OURSELVES
Who are you?
Understanding the story of your parents and ancestors is the first step in truly understanding who you are. Raquel invited us on a journey to understand them first, through their parents. Raquel’s father, a Trinidadian immigrant, tells a story of building from what the outside world would look at as nothing. Coming to the United States with little money it would be his drive, perseverance, and skill that would grow that “nothing” into a very successful business. And Raquel’s mother, though from the US, had a similar story of coming from a disadvantaged background and building herself to where she is today as one of the top engineers at IBM. Without a doubt, you can tell Raquel has learned so much from them, especially what it means to have pride in who you are and where you come from.
Raquel: The first thing that would come to mind is that my Dad has this thing about our last name being very powerful. It’s something we hold near and dear to our hearts, I am so proud to have my name, my last name is Joseph. It’s really important to me that I’m a Joseph because of where my family came from.
The HollaDay: And what do you hope to do with your name?
R: I am someone that wants to give back, keep the name of my family in as high regard as I can, and be important…important to society. I haven’t really fully discovered who I am because I feel like there’s still a lot more to learn about myself but I know one thing for sure, I definitely want to be inspiring.
What do you do?
As a second year Computer Science major, Raquel spends a majority of their time coding. Whether it’s building websites for people or working a new app, they spread their love and passion through code. Raquel told us that they build resume sites for people for free. Something that started as a favor for some friends, who were also Black, quickly showed a lot of opportunity. The truth is in 2021 resume websites get more traffic than PDFs and the more eyes that fall on your resume, the more likely you are to get an interview and then get a job. Raquel understood the potential impact this could have and chose to not charge for these services as a way to give back to and uplift our community. There is also an app they’re working on right now to help track community service hours and locate different opportunities. In high school, Raquel found the process to track and find community service was difficult and inconvenient. Students needed not only a more user friendly system to track hours but they also needed help finding realistic projects that suited their age range. This app hopes to help alleviate some of these struggles so we can spend less time on the search and more time in the community. Raquel also volunteers with The Hand That Gives, a program that donates hoodies and yoga mats to people experiencing homelessness. Especially now during the COVID-19 pandemic where shelters are finding it more and more difficult to serve their target population and enforcing stricter policies to limit the spread of the virus, this program is super important and focuses on donations that will comply with the different standards across shelters.
How has COVID-19 impacted your work?
Unlike some other industries and professions, because Raquel’s work is mainly tech based, the move to working remotely due to COVID-19 wasn’t super difficult. Raquel said it’s always been “just me and my laptop” so the way they do their work hasn’t changed much. They relocated back home to New York which was most disappointing at the start of the pandemic because Raquel was supposed to start working with DREAM, a program in Boston that mentors low income students in Boston. This meant they could no longer participate, but Raquel is looking forward to being involved when they’re able to safely make their return.
BOSTON
What brought you to Boston?
R: Honestly, Boston was not my first choice. I wanted to be in DC, I wanted to be near Howard. But BU gave me more money than my other options so I came to visit campus. When I got here I thought maybe I didn’t need to be in DC. Sure there would be more Black people and they’re doing a lot of really important work there, but I needed to be where I was needed most. And at the time I felt like that was here.
H: What do you mean by needed most?
R: I wanted to make a difference and make a big impact. BU literally has 5% Black undergrads, so I thought okay, this is where I need to be. I needed a space where I knew I’d be uncomfortable, but I could make other people a lot more uncomfortable so we could start making change. This was a good opportunity to start making that change and do what I wanted to do.
H: What has that push for change looked like for you so far?
R: Well before I left campus I had already participated in three protests. I’m also very active in advocating at BU specifically. There’s a big conversation happening right now about Sexual Assault happening at BU and I still protest and help out however I can even though I’m not on campus. Ultimately, the community at BU and the community in Boston is small but it’s strong. We are all together across schools on a daily basis and that’s very different from some other places I’ve seen. So yeah, I guess I can say Boston has helped me grow and made me a better person.
What has your experience been like?
After singing their praises and love for BU and Boston, Raquel made sure to take the time to talk about parts of their experience that show the work that still needs to be done. UMOJA, BU’s Black Student Union, wasn’t very active during Raquel’s first semester (and only full semester on campus). It wasn’t until just before everyone was sent home that Raquel felt the community started to grow and come together. It made them really happy to see the community blossom, and they definitely helped to make that happen serving first as a Freshman Rep and now as Web Tech. Raquel made it very clear their disappointment with BU grew from what initially was a culture shock. The way BU treats it’s Black students as an afterthought or as visitors on their own campus is disheartening and honestly, disrespectful — Raquel described it saying that “my community needs a space to exist and our school reminds us that there’s no space for us here. We’re demanding space and BU makes sure we really feel like we’re the 5%”
HOLLA!
How do you stay motivated?
Though it can be very easy to be unmotivated during times like these where we self-isolate for the majority of our day, Raquel looks to the smaller things to keep them on track. Sometimes that looks like helping others. It can feel like the whole weight of the world is resting on your shoulders and they know that feeling well. It’s super daunting but trying to do as much as they can, the way that they can, helps them to keep pressing on. And when none of that works Raquel knows that their nieces and nephew are looking up to them and they’re on a mission to be the absolute coolest aunt they can be. Raquel wants them to say their aunt is a strong and powerful Black woman, Raquel wants their nephew to feel as empowered as they do and to be a good role model.
HOLLA!
How do you stay motivated?
Though it can be very easy to be unmotivated during times like these where we self-isolate for the majority of our day, Raquel looks to the smaller things to keep them on track. Sometimes that looks like helping others. It can feel like the whole weight of the world is resting on your shoulders and they know that feeling well. It’s super daunting but trying to do as much as they can, the way that they can, helps them to keep pressing on. And when none of that works Raquel knows that their nieces and nephew are looking up to them and they’re on a mission to be the absolute coolest aunt they can be. Raquel wants them to say their aunt is a strong and powerful Black woman, Raquel wants their nephew to feel as empowered as they do and to be a good role model.
How do you define Black joy?
Black Joy is being comfortable in your own skin. This is something we all struggle with, even when we’re surrounded by Black people. It can feel like there’s always something people feel the need to pick on, and oftentimes it feels that way because it’s true. They aren’t comfortable with themselves so they definitely won’t be comfortable with you but Raquel hopes we all begin to understand this one fact: you are Black and that’s okay. To Raquel, Black people are the coolest people ever, and we couldn’t agree more. Finally, Black Joy is understanding where you come from, because without this you’ll never find comfort in where you are going.
Our conversation with Raquel was a true pleasure. They reminded us of the power we have to choose, and we choose life. We’re so thankful for them and the work they do in our community — now and in the future. Follow them on IG (@raquellariana) to keep up with what they’re doing!
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