Who are the creatives of the AUC?
Written by: Kyndall Coker
Spelman College: the number one HBCU. Sounds great, in theory. People love to call Spelman a one-stop shop for Black brilliance, a place where every student is seen, supported, and given the tools to change the world. And in many ways, that is true. Over the past few weeks I’ve taken the time to sit down with some of Spelman’s creatives, and I quickly learned that their experience is far richer and more powerful than the images on any brochure. Creativity at Spelman is not just a hobby; it is an identity. Through its fine arts and creative departments, Spelman gives students the chance to truly invest in themselves by offering access to the tools, platforms, and visibility they need to sharpen their skills and train as professionals. In doing so, the institution is helping its students carve out their own space in creative industries and take real steps toward artistic freedom and liberation.
These students commit to long weeks and sleepless nights because creation feels like breathing. For Zaliyah Emmanuel, being creative here helped her honor her ancestors by protecting Black truth. Through documentary filmmaking, she sees herself as part of a lineage of Black storytellers who were denied the chance to tell their own stories with dignity. In her work, she centers everyday Black life, joy, struggle, and resilience. In essence, she is restoring what history has tried to erase. As a filmmaker, she has a responsibility to make sure Black stories are told with authenticity and respect, and to push back against the harmful portrayals that have followed Black people for centuries. “For so long, the world laughed at us or flattened us, and I want my work to do the opposite,” she shared. She is not just creating content, but she is archiving memories and protecting her legacy by giving voice to those who came before her and those who will come after. In this space, she is an advocate who uses her talent as a catalyst for the truth, healing, and generational celebration.
Nyla Lovelock, senior political science major shared that Spelman embraced her creativity before she even had the words to tell her own parents. She struggled to explain that she did not want a traditional path. She wanted a creative one. This story is not new for Black women. For generations, creativity was a luxury we were not always allowed to choose. We are taught to be practical, to pick the path that pays the bills, and to silence the urge to film, paint, design, or write. Hearing this made me realize that so many of us inherit the same fear and hesitation, but it is powerful that there are more Black women who are refusing to put themselves in this box. At Spelman, Nyla was able to feel that shift, and she gave herself permission to create, not just survive. Through SKIRTS (Sisters Keeping It Real Through Service) and the AUC Agency, she found people who believed in her vision before she learned to believe it in herself. She reflected on how she was given full creative control for a video campaign for SKIRTS’ annual Cupcake Auction, and it reached nearly half a million views. She said creative control doesn't even work for her. She can stay up until two in the morning editing, and it feels like minutes. That is how she knew she was where she was meant to be.
Nyla’s journey shows what it looks like when creativity is finally given room to breathe, and when a student is supported enough to step into her gift. Her story is not the only one whose experience has been somewhat of a crossroads between expectation and passion. In many ways, Lauren Davis’s creative path mirrors that same push and pull between who the world tells you to be and who you already are. For Lauren, Spelman became the place where that inner conflict finally settled, and where her creativity was no longer something to suppress, but something to build a future around. Growing up, art grounded her, but as college approached, she felt pressure to become “more serious” and chase a career that felt safer and more aligned with society’s expectations. Still, once she arrived at Spelman, her creativity resurfaced. She began taking art classes whenever she could and used her roles in different organizations as outlets for expression. Over time, she realized she couldn’t run away from her passion, but only embraced it. Her artistic expression grew in spaces like the Innovation Lab, where she designed clothes for her cousin’s brand despite never having made clothing before. With access to the tools and space, she learned through experimentation. Courses like The Black Female Body in Visual Arts pushed her to create with intention, while she also found a home in the AUC Agency, where she found a community of creatives who challenged and inspired her. During one of the hardest years of her life, art became her voice. Now, as she prepares for a future in the creative industry, Lauren credits Spelman for helping her rediscover her identity and giving her the freedom to create with vulnerability, honesty, and purpose. Her hope is that her work reminds others to trust their journey and see creativity as a real path toward healing and legacy.
Even with those challenges, the passion is undaunted. Every creative I talked to wants her work to leave something behind, and this desire makes even more sense when you think about the history behind this. For so long, Black women were discouraged to chase creative dreams because the pathways did not feel available or secure. Creativity was treated like a risk we couldn’t afford to take. Michelle Obama touched on this in her podcast with Mara Brock Akil, when they talked about how, early on, being creative wasn’t a realistic option financially or socially. But what feels different now, especially at Spelman, is that these students are pushing past that fear. They are creating anyway. Their work is not just about personal fulfillment, it is about breaking cycles, opening doors, and building a legacy that future Black creatives will not have to fight as hard to access. Zaliyah hopes art will set a new standard for Black representation. Lauren wants her journey to show that creativity can be a real career, not a side note. Nyla concluded saying she wants students to “embrace who they are and their journey,” and to make their dreams real in their own way.
Honestly, that is the heart of it. If you want to truly understand Spelman, don’t just look at the rankings or achievements. Look at the work our sisters make, the videos shot in the middle of campus, the clothes designed in the bright studio room. Watch the dancers practicing in the mirrors,stroll through Upper Manley during campaign season and watch the media geniuses do their thing. That is where Spelman breathes. That is where the truth and color is. Creativity here is not just about expression, it is about legacy. It’s how Spelman women give voices to stories that have long been ignored, overlooked, or silenced. Even with barriers, the lack of resources, the pressure to choose a safer path, they continue to create anyway. They break glass ceilings with every project, every rehearsal, every late night edit. They know that the work they make is bigger than them. It is another step toward liberation, and a future where Black women are centered, heard, and remembered.
