Brittney Austin receives Roosevelt University Social Justice Award

Brittney Austin, a Roosevelt University biology major and president of the Black Student Union (BSU) who organizes monthly food drives for the homeless, has received the University’s prestigious Matthew Freeman Social Justice Award.
Austin, who hopes to go to medical school after graduating from Roosevelt in May, has been involved in social justice work since the moment she arrived at the University approximately four years ago.
“Brittney has a strong passion for social, economic and environmental justice issues and her current position as BSU president has allowed her to emerge as a leader,” said Pamela Thompson-Hill, the director of Multicultural Student Support Services at Roosevelt who nominated Austin for the award.
Austin, a resident of Chicago’s West Side, but who grew up in Milwaukee, Wis., has always felt connected to helping others.
“Social justice is embedded in my DNA. Issues around communities of color are not something frequently discussed and committing to that change is important to me,” she said.
The award from Roosevelt’s Mansfield Institute for Social Justice and Transformation was presented to Austin by the Institute and Roosevelt President Ali Malekzadeh during a lecture and award ceremony held on March 12 at Roosevelt University.
“Brittney Austin has been viewed as a leader and positive change agent from the moment she stepped into the University,” said Heather Dalmage, director of the Mansfield Institute. “I believe she will do great things in making positive change in her community in the future.”
As president of BSU, Austin has focused on leading the student organization in representing the interests and concerns of African-American students on campus by way of political, educational, social and community initiatives.
Every third Wednesday of the month, Austin and other members of BSU package food at the University and bring it to the streets of Chicago’s South Loop in partnership with South Loop Campus Ministries.
 
“When it’s warmer out, we usually pack sandwiches, but recently we have been packing soups and walking around to give them to individuals experiencing homelessness within the South Loop area,” said Austin.
 
Besides food drives, Austin spearheaded discussions to discuss ways to alleviate food deserts on the West and South sides of Chicago. She serves as a member of the Student Committee for the American Dream Conference at Roosevelt University, and also co-hosts her own radio show, “Know Justice, Know Peace,” which airs at 6 p.m. on Wednesdays at Roosevelt’s radio station, WRBC: The Blaze.