Carlie Pracht
Lantern Staff
Vocabulary.com defines an ally as the following: “If you have an ally, you have someone who is on your side, like a more experienced teammate who is your ally in convincing the coach to give you more playing time. Ally comes from the Latin word alligare, meaning “to bind to,” like nations who are allies in wartime — they will act together, and protect one another.”
Counselor Nancy Hamm used this definition as a guide throughout the first Ally Group meeting held on Tuesday, Sept. 10 on the Butler of El Dorado campus.
The Ally Group meets the second Tuesday of every month in the Grizzly Den in the 5000 Building on the Andover campus, and in the Purple Room in the 1000 Building on the El Dorado campus. The meetings will include discussions about anxiety, depression, racism, gender inequality, power differentials and more. The meetings will consist of open discussions and various activities such as reflective meditation and sharing personal stories in order to connect the students and establish a level of comfort between one another.
The Ally organization was formed to provide a place on campus for students to connect. Diana Morton, an English instructor, originally came up with the idea to form the organization with Nancy Hamm. The organization was inspired by the Ally Group that Wichita State University has.
This is the first time that Hamm, who has given presentations about topics like stress and time management at Butler for several years, has been involved in this organization.
“A goal for the group is to create an inclusive place where students can connect and feel valued/supported, and discuss topics that impact students both on a personal and societal level,” Hamm said.
Confidentiality is also very important to Hamm. She wants the students to feel like they have a safe place to express themselves and wants them to understand that “what is said here stays here.”
The group meetings serve as a protective factor for mental health. According to Hamm, getting connected and socializing can help guard against depression and anxiety, so these meetings can be seen as a preventative measure when it comes to mental health.
For some people, there is a stigma against seeing a counselor or needing help with mental health issues, so some students in need of help may find this as a less intimidating and overwhelming way to seek that help.
For any students interested, Hamm wants to stress that this organization is aimed to “feel inclusive and everyone is welcome regardless of your background, how you identify or why you are at Butler.”