DSU Black students’ community rep candidate: Omotayo Bankole

Omotayo Bankole is a third-year justice, law and society student running for the Dalhousie Student Union’s Black students’ community representative. He is the only candidate running for this position.

The below snippets of the Gazette’s interview with Bankole are edited for clarity and grammar.

Why do you want to run for community representative?

I’m driven by a lack of representation of Black students within the student union. With my candidacy, I am trying to provide much-needed representation and send a message to Black students that we have a right to participate in Dalhousie University’s student government. I hope to promote inclusivity and diversity within our student community.

What makes you the best candidate for community representative?

I believe I have strong skills that are necessary to advocate for students. I am also knowledgeable about the issues facing students and can help educate people.

How do you like to connect with the Dalhousie community, and how do you think that being a part of the DSU will help you connect with the Dalhousie community more?

I believe my vision and goals align with a lot of the associations and societies on campus, especially those concerning Black and African Nova Scotian students. For example, the Dalhousie African Student Association, the Caribbean Student Association and the Black United Student Association [are societies with which my goals align]. I have contacts within these communities, so I’ll be able to address the Black student body properly and be able to collaborate with those communities to ensure they have a voice.

Cover photo: Dalhousie Student Union

Posted in News, Student Union

Hannah Schneider

Hannah is a fourth-year political science student at Dalhousie University, with a minor in journalism at King’s. She’s worn many hats at the Gazette, beginning as a news intern in her first year before stepping into editorial roles as the copy editor in her second year and arts and culture editor in her third. Hannah is excited to return to the Gazette as managing editor, working alongside a driven and inspiring team of new and returning staff. Hannah is passionate about political journalism, and her work has appeared in the Gazette and The Signal. She is also the co-president of the Dalhousie/King’s Figure Skating Club and the upper-year representative for the Dalhousie Undergraduate Political Science Society.