Be the Change

by Allie Northcutt

what do you think?”

Standing on the first base line at Goodrich Ballpark with students sociallydistanced in the stands, Associate Professor of Political Science Scott Himsel presented the question to students in his freshman tutorial Civil War and Reconstruction.

Their first assignment was to read and analyze Abraham Lincoln’s first presidential inaugural address, which Himsel says was light on race relations and heavily focused on unity and keeping the upper South in the Union.

“I picked it because it would set off a debate among the students,” says Himsel. “Did Lincoln compromise his ethics? Or did he do the right thing as a political leader?”

The group deliberated for some time.

Himsel then turned to Chase Breaux ’24.

“What do you think?”

“Why is it,” Breaux responded, “that white people always think Black people need a white savior?”

Breaux’s answer came in 2020, when the country was grappling with the COVID-19 pandemic and murder of George Floyd by police officers, sparking the largest racial justice protests in the United States since the civil rights movement.

The then-freshman’s response and perception shocked Himsel.

“Chase’s insight was one I would have never thought of,” he says.

Himsel says that moment—and many others since—served as an example of how Wabash students can add to a conversation and educate others.

“It takes bravery and maturity to speak up,” Himsel says. “Chase has never been afraid to do that.

“You cannot fail to take him seriously, because he takes things seriously,” he continues. “Chase never has struck me as a person who thinks he has all the answers. But, if something needs to be said that isn’t being said, or his sense of justice moves him, he’s going to speak. Having both of those characteristics is very impactful.” breaux originally came to wabash with plans to study biology and pursue premed. But Himsel’s freshman tutorial shifted that focus.

“Going through that course showed me that politics can be used as a means of creating change,” says Breaux, a political science major and Black studies minor. “I have always wanted to help make the world better, more inclusive, and safer for everybody. Getting involved in politics and policymaking stood out as a way for me to be able to do that.”

Breaux’s passion for diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) came out of his own experiences growing up as a bisexual Black man in Houston, Texas.

“I’ve seen a lot of suffering,” Breaux says, “a lot of systemic and social issues that don’t need to exist. They’re all man-made issues perpetuated by members of society.”

Those issues include homophobia and racism. Breaux has experienced both.

“My home life definitely prepared me to be able to deal with different versions of bigotry, the overt and covert,” says Breaux. “I’ve focused on finding solutions so the same things don’t keep happening to different people.” when breaux got to wabash, he recognized where improvements could be made on campus to create a safer and more inclusive atmosphere for all students.

“When I’m in a room with people who have used homophobic slurs or made racist comments, I feel the weight of that, and have to carry that weight as long as I’m there,” says Breaux.

As a freshman he joined a number of organizations, including the Malcolm X Institute of Black Studies (MXIBS), ’shOUT (Wabash’s LGBTQ+ alliance), and Student Senate, where he currently serves as co-chair for the Diversity and Inclusion (D&I) Committee.

“I got involved early because I wanted to be the change,” says Breaux, who is also a participant in the Wabash Liberal Arts Immersion Program (WLAIP), a democracy fellow for the Wabash Democracy and Public Discourse (WDPD) initiative, and a member of Kappa Sigma fraternity.

As part of his work in advocating for minority students, Breaux has worked to maintain and revitalize safe spaces around campus, like the ’shOUT office.

“Carrying that burden of being the minority in the room, it’s important to have this space where we can recuperate, relax, and be ourselves,” he says. “They also serve as great resources where we talk, interact, and build relationships.” breaux’s passion and work to create a more inclusive environment at Wabash gained national attention when he was one of 100 students awarded a Voyager Scholarship—the Obama-Chesky Scholarship for Public Service.

The Voyager Scholarship, created by the Obama Foundation and Airbnb CEO Brian Chesky, is a multiyear scholarship created to give college students planning to pursue a career in public service financial aid to alleviate the burden of college debt, meaningful travel experiences to expand their horizons, and a network of mentors and leaders to support them.

“Michelle and I know that change only happens when ordinary people get involved, get engaged, and come together to create it,” former President Barack Obama says in a news release. “These young Voyagers believe in a fairer and more inclusive world, and they’re ready to help us address important challenges in new ways.”

Using the Voyager Scholarship stipend, Breaux plans to pursue his interest in criminal justice reform.

“The U.S. criminal justice system prioritizes punishment instead of rehabilitation—with mass incarceration and disproportionate sentencing,” says Breaux, who spent last semester abroad in Amsterdam studying alternatives to incarceration in an effort to inform his own positions on reform.

“It is an inhumane system where people aren’t able to feel any sense of dignity or agency,” he says. “It removes their ability to learn from their mistakes, move forward, have productive lives, and meet their own dreams and goals.”

Breaux believes the criminal justice system can be reformed if equity is prioritized.

“The worst of Black people should be treated the same as the worst of white people,” says Breaux, “as opposed to having different standards for different groups of people.” breaux’s ultimate goal is to work in public policy.

He hopes to build a grassroots campaign advocating for racial equity and criminal justice reform while building a bipartisan coalition.

Before that, Breaux says there’s still work to be done at Wabash.

During his remaining time on campus, Breaux plans to continue leading the D&I committee and collaborating with fraternities and residence halls to establish D&I chairs, to develop partnerships with organizations to cosponsor events to raise awareness on DEI-related topics, and to increase student participation.

“I also want to provide mentorship to younger students as they move into leadership positions,” he says. “I want to make sure we are prioritizing sustainable change.

“I’ve been extremely thankful for the resources here and all the people who have helped guide me,” says Breaux. “I love this place, and because I love it, I want it to be as good as it can be.” .