The group delivered hygiene kits at Miracle Hill Rescue Mission

On Martin Luther King Jr. Day, even as the impending inauguration and Covid-19 pandemic persisted (as well as heightened on-campus restrictions to be announced later in the day) Wofford’s Men of Color organization soldiered on, spending several hours delivering hygiene kits for the homeless at Miracle Hill Rescue Mission in Spartanburg. 

A number of members participated in the event, including the Old Gold & Black’s own copy editor, Eyon Brown ‘21. “When Wofford Men of Color was first chartered years ago, my sophomore year, we knew that while we wanted to give a community to the men of color on campus, we also wanted to make sure that we did what we could to give back to the local Spartanburg community” said Brown. 

The organization had participated in a similar project during the fall 2020 semester, and the near-unanimous consensus was to double the efforts the next time out, and the idea of hygiene kits for the homeless seemed fitting for MLK day. A generous donation from professor and Dean for Student Success, Boyce Lawton, made purchasing blankets for the kits a possibility, something Brown and other members had envisioned. 

Godwins Tuyishime ‘24 said “it was very fulfilling to be engaged in an organization eager to serve the community around Wofford.” Though this year has been impeded by the impact of Covid-19, especially affecting underclassmen less familiar with clubs and organizations, Tuyishime praised the group for their efforts and influence, “Wofford Men of Color is integral to the continued growth of the Wofford community towards a more diverse and accepting campus.” 

“On behalf of Wofford Men of Color, I think it’s appropriate to say that this was definitely one of the most fulfilling events that we’ve done in our brief three-year history” said Brown “I’m extremely proud of the progress that the group has made over the years, proud of our leadership starting at the top with Ellis Goodwin, and proud that we’ve been able to deliver on our promises that we wrote out in the constitution and mission statement at the end of my freshman year.”