I am Phillip Warfield.

I’m a doctoral student studying United States history at a university in Washington, D.C. I have long been interested in the history of race relations in the Seventh-day Adventist Church, and when I chose to attend Southern Adventist University for my undergraduate years, plenty of people warned me to be careful.

What did they mean? Why would they tell me that?

I began investigating for myself and documenting my experiences while often watching blatant microaggressions from the ignorant throughout my time there.

I also served as Student Association President during a pivotal moment in campus history.

Why is one of the most diverse institutions in the South still struggling with a legacy of racism, bigotry, discrimination, and prejudice in the twenty-first century?

I hope that my research, though not yet complete, will help us re-analyze that question through stories of the past to help my alma mater move towards an inclusive future.

We must tell these stories before they’re lost forever.