Hashtags of multiple police brutality victims have filled social media over the recent months. This has led the nation to fight against police oppression in pursuit of justice. Recently, protests on behalf of the Black Lives Matter movement have flooded the country for those wrongfully harmed by police.

With the current climate of civil unrest, Mount Pisgah has taken action to incorporate a new feeling of unity and collaboration. Basketball coach, Angela Crosby, has stepped into a new position as director of multicultural affairs. 

In reaction to being offered this position, Crosby was humbled because she has been following this work at a high school level for years and knew it was what she needed to do to impact others. 

Crosby has been working behind the scenes with others in the administration since last year on a diversity committee.

She describes the committee’s mission as “assisting and fostering a community that welcomes, celebrates, and benefits from the diversity among Mount Pisgah.” 

The committee also hopes to start conversations about increasing diversity at Mount Pisgah.

It turned out that this was a larger task than expected. The other eight members were committed but also had other duties to attend to. Crosby is excited that her new position gives her the proper time she needs to dedicate to this task. 

As the old saying goes, ‘it takes a village,’ and Crosby knew that this collaborative effort needed more fuel in its fire to ignite change.

“My first prayer was that God orders my steps as I continue to please Him in all that we do.” 

With all the unexpected changes that the year 2020 has brought, Crosby says that she has prayed more than ever before, asking God to show her how she could make a difference.

“I want to hear about individual experiences here at Mount Pisgah,” said Crosby. “With COVID-19 affecting how groups can meet, we have to be mindful of protocols.” 

Crosby emphasized that her plan is subjective because each student has a different story and each student is affected differently by the state of national and social unrest.

Typically Crosby would have large, different groups of students meet to speak about their experiences and to suggest ways to continue to unite the Mount Pisgah community, which is difficult now because of COVID-19 concerns. 

She is planning on either creating smaller groups of focus or using virtual platforms to speak with students. By doing this Crosby can get a more focused area of improvement to formulate her multi-year plan around.

“Hearing from our students, faculty, staff, alumni and community helps assess where we are.” 

Crosby has to have conversations to educate and increase growth in our knowledge of ways to be diverse and make a plan to improve the community based on community responses all at once.

Her job is not only to increase diversity but also to make other students feel included regardless of where they are on campus. 

Crosby is very excited to see what is to come of her new position this year because she wants to see Mount Pisgah grow. Even though she is fairly new to the school, she has already hit the ground running to make an impact. 

“This type of work has no periods or hard endpoints, no handbook, and no rules to follow.” [I’m] prepared to adjust and pivot in the moment.”

This work has just become official, but she has been thinking about this for a while, so she knows that she needs to be adaptable. 

Amidst COVID-19 many plans have been made but have to be adjusted to suit others and their needs. Crosby is willing to do just that and serve the Mount Pisgah community in any way possible.

She is hoping that this helps “to create more conversations and thoughts about diversity at Mount Pisgah” and start a new atmosphere where change and inclusion do not feel unnatural. She is striving for an atmosphere where people embrace differences and are not ashamed of them.

At this moment the world needs change on many levels and Crosby is ecstatic to start this on Mount Pisgah’s campus.