Eli Horne, a sophomore at Western Carolina University and Carter Alumni, speaks out on what it was like being a minority at Carter High School. Even though Eli long left his home and community he has found a new one that is more accepting. He recounts his times at Carter with mostly heart-warming memories, but there is one that hits home. “Seniors this year will be the last ones to remember this, but when I was a junior at Carter there were a lot of issues pertaining to the Equality Club that was started” Many did not like the club, “There were many different threats sent towards minority students, being a minority, that was terrifying. Being somewhere like that can make people feel alone and isolated, but instead of cowering in fear we found our own community outside of a community that didn’t love us, and that was so important for me and many others.” The current seniors that will be graduating in the year 2021 were freshmen at the time of this event and they will be the last at Carter to remember it. For Eli this event caused emotional turmoil. On one hand he was a bit afraid due to a lot of the opposing people making death threats towards LGBT students, but on the other hand he couldn’t help but feel prideful in the students that weren’t afraid to stand up for themselves. For him this was a major event that he felt shaped the LGBT students. They were protected by the school administrators.
Though, the Equality Club was not mainly for LGBT students. It was supposed to be for anyone that felt they were unequal and felt like they didn’t belong. It was supposed to be a sanctuary for them. So, instead of seeing the club for what it was the students that opposed the club thought it was specifically for LGBT students. That rumor was incorrect.
Though he no longer has Equality Club Eli has made an abundance of friends at his college and a part of his own community. “You have to make a place for yourself.” Said best by Eli Horne.
In his new community Eli is thriving in a better mindset and environment. “I feel accepted and loved where I’m currently at.” Anyone would yearn for that feeling of belonging and for some students they need to explore to find it. “The biggest change I’ve had are the friends I have, it’s not exactly hard to make friends in college but my circle is a lot smaller than when I was in high school.”
His current community pushes him out of his comfort zone and helps him achieve the biggest obstacles. He pursues his passions as a political science and international studies double major with a concentration in human rights global governance in law and a minor in French. A lot maybe, but with the right community it can be reduced to a little obstacle.
Carter Corps News 