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By Josh Keating

	Paying tribute: Religion professor A.G. Miller officiates at a memorial service for Multicultural Resource Center Director Rachel Beverly.

“Consummate professional,” “activist,” “radiant warrior woman” and “a real sister” were among the words used to describe Rachel Beverly at Warner Concert Hall this Wednesday, where a crowd assembled to remember the life of the late Multicultural Resource Center Director and Associate Dean of Students.

The proceedings were formally opened with a traditional African dance performance by the College group Dance Diaspora.

The first speaker, Religion Professor A.G. Miller, recalled being on the committee that chose Beverly to lead the MRC.

“We knew it would be hard to woo her away from Wellesley,” he said. “But we also knew that if we got her, amazing things would happen, and history will write that we were correct.”

He also read a letter from Ombudsperson Yeworkwha Belachew who remembered encountering Beverly in December and learning that Beverly wished she could have a child before her death.

“I told her, ‘You do not need a child. Every student at Oberlin is your child,’” the letter read.

Minister Marc Davidson of the Intervarsity Christian Fellowship gave the invocation.

College President Nancy Dye remembered Beverly as “an excellent advisor, colleague and advocate for diversity in education.”

She also spoke about the national epidemic of breast cancer, the disease that claimed Beverly’s life.

“Breast cancer takes 44,000 lives each year and is one of the leading causes of death for women of color in this country,” she said.

She also stated that a special life sciences fund was being set up to be allocated for breast cancer research.

“Rachel came at a difficult time,” African American studies professor James Millette recalled. “The integrity of the MRC was very much in doubt. The fight to protect it showed her at her best.”

Meredith Gadby from the African American studies department praised Beverly’s personality.

“Rachel was always a reminder of the need for women, especially women of color, to aggressively, even selfishly, take care of themselves,” she said.

History professor Pablo Mitchell spoke of Beverly as an activist.

“We need to do more than mourn, we need to organize,” he said.

“Before Rachel got here, the MRC was a great idea waiting for a leader,” Theater and Dance professor Caroline Jackson Smith said.

The student speakers reflected the diverse set of campus interests with which Beverly was involved.

Senior Aaliyah Bilal of the Muslim Students Association delivered an Islamic prayer.

“I cannot recall an instance in which my interaction with her was not positive,” she said. “It’s because of her that I’m still at Oberlin.”

Senior Ilana Turoff spoke in verse about the day she learned of Beverly’s death and lit a candle for her onstage.

Juniors Vida Vazquez and Julie Dulani delivered a poem together, and Dulani spoke of the time she spent working for Beverly in the MRC office.

“We could spend hours just laughing about the silliest things,” she remembered. “It was such a great release, especially when we became what Rachel called ‘loopy.’”

She also spoke of Beverly’s final days when she was “proud of the scar on her breast because all warriors have wounds.”

Beverly’s Aunt Una was also on hand to speak of her “wit beyond her years” and “deep concern for her family.”

The tributes took the form of music as well as words. Conservatory senior Courtney Bryan performed an elegaic rendition of “Take My Hand Precious Lord” by Tommy Dorsey. The Voices for Christ Choir performed three rousing gospel selections, the last of which brought the crowd to its feet.

The final words of the evening belonged to Beverly’s mother Donna who came up to the microphone simply to say, “We’ve always known that Rachel was special. We’re glad that you’ve come to know it too.”