Former Lawmakers Encourage HBCUs Students to Remain Engaged Despite State of National Politics

Story and Photos by Deon Arnold Data News Weekly Contributor

In a show of bi-partisan support and as Congress continues to remain polarized, two former members of Congress are visiting Historically Black Universities across the country, hoping that in presenting a unified front, they will be able to cut across divisions among voters and the political tensions in the country. From rising political violence in the country to the support HBCUs need given changes in federal funding, they hope to restore hope in young people to inspire the next generation of public servants.“From gun violence to political extremism, what we’re seeing in this country is not sustainable,” said former U.S. Rep. Abby Finkenauer, D-Iowa, when she spoke to Xavier University of Louisiana students during a stop in New Orleans. “We need leadership that tones down the rhetoric and finds bipartisan solutions. Leadership means ensuring guns aren’t in the hands of those who shouldn’t have them.”

Finkenauer made the comments in response to the death of right-wing conservative personality Charlie Kirk, who was murdered on a college campus on Sept. 10th, while she engaged students about challenges facing American Democracy from attacks on freedom of speech to misinformation and cuts in funding to higher education.

Finkenauer (D-Iowa) visited campuses in the city along with former U.S. Rep Bob Goodlatte (R-Va) and the bipartisan duo say that since they left Washington, many members of the Former Members of Congress Association hope to continue advocacy in communities, from protecting civil liberties to advocating for social justice.

Finkenauer, who works on youth social justice issues, said that while Kirk’s death grabbed global headlines, gun violence remains the leading cause of death among U.S. children and teens, surpassing car accidents in 2020, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Johns Hopkins University reported that firearms killed more than 2,526 children and teens in 2022 alone.

Goodlatte, who served 13 terms in the House of Representatives, added that criminalization of minors for nonviolent offenses like vaping and edibles is cluttering the Criminal Justice System and hardening low level offenses from a young age. He said that education, not punishment, is the best course of action to take. “The answer isn’t giving kids felonies,” Goodlatte said on Sept. 15th.

“It’s educating them about the long-term risks and limiting their access through tighter regulation,” he added.
For instance, in states like Alabama in the Deep South, according to the Alabama Department of Public Health, minors caught with vape pens or synthetic gummies can face felony charges under new legislation signed in 2024. Critics, including youth advocates, warn that such policies disproportionately affect Black and low-income teenagers while doing little to address addiction or health risks.

Both representatives pointed to the role of HBCUs in shaping future leaders. Goodlatte praised Xavier for creating an environment where students can thrive. “HBCUs like Xavier provide a comfortable and supportive environment,” he said. “They are critical for offering choice and fostering leadership.”

Their remarks echo recent federal reports showing that HBCUs make up just 3-percent of all universities nationwide but produce nearly 20 percent of all Black graduates, according to the U.S. Department of Education. Despite this outsized role, HBCUs have historically received fewer resources compared to predominantly White institutions, a gap advocates continue to push Washington to address.

Finkenauer shared her own struggles with misogyny, threats, and misinformation while in Congress, tying them to a national rise in extremism and local violence. She said she supports stricter background checks, red flag laws, and face-to-face dialogue to restore civility in politics.

“The only way forward is to humanize each other,” she said. “We need more conversations like the one we had here today.”

Students said the former representatives motivated them to think differently about politics and their own role in shaping the future. “There’s no other way to get around polarization than through connection,” said Donovan Armstead, a Xavier student who attended the campus visit. “We live in a representative democracy, so it should definitely be about compromise. This is everybody’s country.”