Black Boy Joy Spotlight: Adeyemi Oduwole aka YEMI

We finally got our hands on The Enigma. A face and name you can never forget, Yemi Oduwole, lets us know a little bit about his unique origins, his involvement in on-campus organizations, and his black boy joy. From his fashion pursuits to his passion of medicine and healing, Yemi shows us black boys will, and can have it all.

My name is Adeyemi Oduwole, 20, or Yemi for short. Many people call me Yams or Yablo, but I'm fine with whichever name. The name, Adeyemi, is of Nigerian descent meaning “the crown fits me". I fully embrace my Nigerian background, and I am able to fluently speak Yoruba.

I was born in the Bronx, New York, NY. After living in New York for about seven years, I moved to Wisconsin, and then to Myrtle Beach, SC which is my permanent residence - for now. I am currently a junior at the College of Charleston majoring in Biology and minoring in Chemistry, following a Pre-Med track. Pursuing medicine has always been a goal of mine ever since I was young. Since I was little, I would look up to my dad, who is a physician, and it has inspired me to follow in his footsteps.

My hobbies include keeping up on recent fashion trends, modeling, walking in fashion shows (CFW), watching or playing basketball, listening to Drake, eating chipotle, spending time in the research lab at MUSC, or traveling. Traveling is a great outlet to help understand where other people come from. By traveling, you can learn several different things about yourself, other cultures, and the people around you. We are global citizens, so I feel like it is our duty to explore the world.

On campus, I am currently a member of the Black Student Union, Collegiate Curls, and SCAMP. I am also a staff member of the Circulation Department in Addlestone Library. Being a part of these organizations has helped shape my college experience because they have helped me gain real world experience in terms of interacting with others. This has propelled me to become more independent, which has caused me to further develop and enhance my leadership and networking skills.

My words of encouragement for the men of color on campus is to remain fearless in who you are. YOU are viewed as a reflection for all men of color whether you like it or not. Being a male of color at a PWI, there will be times that you feel all odds are against you. Sometimes, it may even seem like you have to work twice as hard to only get half as far. Remember that this is okay because with the resources we have at our disposal, our potential for success is limitless.

#blackexcellence #blackboyjoy #curls #fashion #Nigerian #traveling #minority #africandescent