For many, Ohio evokes images of cornfields and cows — a perception I once shared. But growing up in Westerville and attending Ohio State, I found something deeper: a rich and often overlooked Black American history. My minor in African and African American studies was more than an academic pursuit — it was a personal awakening, offering a connection to a heritage I hadn’t fully explored.
So when I arrived at UNC for pharmacy school, I knew I wanted to continue cultivating a Black American community around me. That journey led me to the Marian Cheek Jackson Center, a hub of history, activism and intergenerational relationships in Chapel Hill’s historically Black Northside, Pine Knolls and Tin Top neighborhoods.
The Marian Cheek Jackson Center was founded in 2009 to honor, renew and build community in these neighborhoods. Guided by the words of its namesake, Mrs. Marian Cheek Jackson — “Without the past, you have no future” — the center stands as a living archive of oral histories and a force for community-driven change.
How we build community: LINK & NRF
The Linking Generations in the Northside Program brings together students and elders to foster reciprocal, abundance-based relationships. Through this year-long program, students engage with the history, resilience and wisdom of long-term Northside residents, while elders gain opportunities to mentor and connect with younger generations. Coordinated by UNC’s Community Practice Lab and the Jackson Center, LINK challenges conventional narratives about aging and community, creating an equitable, age-embracing model of intergenerational engagement.
The Northside Residential Fellowship takes this connection further by placing UNC students directly in the Northside neighborhood. The students rent at an affordable rate and actively participate in community events and service initiatives, ensuring that students don’t just live in Northside — they become a part of it. Rooted in the Jackson Center’s commitment to curbing displacement and what some have called “studentification,” the NRF program is the on-the-ground implantation of a community-generated strategy, offering students a pathway to engage meaningfully and actively work alongside long-term residents in preserving the future of these Black American neighborhoods.
Stepping beyond the campus bubble
Recent The Daily Tar Heel opinion pieces have highlighted the importance of moving beyond the campus bubble and exploring intergenerational space-sharing models for affordable housing. As a coordinator for the LINK/NRF programs, I’ve witnessed firsthand how true connection begins when students engage beyond campus, embracing the wealth of history, mentorship and community Northside offers.
I was once a LINK student myself. The demands of a doctoral program, health issues and the isolation of being far from home left me searching for belonging. The Jackson Center and Northside community filled that void, welcoming me as family. Together, we advocate for social change, support one another and create a space where community isn’t just an idea — it’s a lived experience.
