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You did it. You voted you bugged your friends to vote, you posted on your social media accounts, you supported your favorite candidates, you got loud, you cared, and you showed up. There are more of us who believe in inclusivity and opportunity, who reject hate and fear, and who stand together with love for our community and hope for our campus. There are more of us. So let’s keep showing up. 

The election did not turn out the way we had hoped, but I want to take this moment to thank you all for your support and encouragement over the course of this entire month. There are so many people to thank, I am afraid I will leave someone out, but here it goes. 

To the nearly 800 people we met all across (and off) campus at various events & organizational functions who took the time to talk with us, thank you—you all took the time to share with us your ideas, your concerns, and your aspirations, and we sincerely appreciate your willingness to discuss what really matters to you, entrusting us with the responsibility of speaking on your behalf to form “an allied voice.” 

To Abby Hines for two beautiful and telling logos, to all of you who were our volunteers, those of you who wore your shirts, put stickers on your computers, flyers on your door, helped with the various tabling events and especially those who worked so hard every day, you have my heartfelt thanks. 

To Jeffery “Jeff” Whatley & Michael Jackson, our AMAZING campaign managers who so generously contributed their time and effort to our campaign during this very long election season and worked tirelessly to ensure our success. 

Thank you to all of those who worked the polling stations and the Elections Board. 

To my slate, ALLIANCE—Malachi Jones, Vice Presidential Candidate; Avery Pollard, Secretarial Candidate; James Schwer, Candidate for Treasurer; who was willing to take a risk a run in a non-traditional way--there are no words to express my gratitude for your confidence in my personal and intellectual capabilities as they directly related to the betterment of our University. There were several points where our problem-solving skills and creativity allowed us to swiftly resolve issues that might have easily escalated into roadblocks. You guys have done wonderful work in contributing your talents and skills to ALLIANCE & our run. Thank you all for taking the time and making the effort to explore the diverse identities of each student we connected with. To me, this experience represents much more than the titles themselves: it represents a belief in the promise of equitable educational opportunities across Ball State University. 

Lastly, I would like to congratulate our opponent, BOLD. You guys ran a great campaign and should be proud of your hard work. We wish you all the best for the future. 

Aric D. Fulton, Jr. 

ALLIANCE ‘20 

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