Interview with former UMass Amherst student, Cheryl Evans, about her experiences on campus as student from 1964-1968, as a UMass assistant area coordinator of Orchard Hill in 1969, and her life as a teacher, academic, and activist, especially in relation to African American communities. Evans came to UMass from Medford, Mass., recalls being one of six people of color on campus her first year, and discusses feeling invisible on campus, in addition to the lessons learned, and friends made, as she and others worked to build up social, educational, and political supports at UMass, in the Five College area, and beyond. Evans also discusses her family and early activism while in high school. She was the first elected president of an African American student organization at UMass, and pivotal in the organizing of students of color during her years on campus, as well as later in life, as a key connector for Black alumni. The end of the interview covers Evan's love of the Star Trek television shows and franchise, and how inspiring it was for her in her life and during her time at UMass, offering a window into a hopeful future full of promise. Also see murg050_9-i005 for an additional oral history by Evans.
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