Three A.B.L.E. (Allied Blacks for Liberty and Equality) alumni reunited on the Knox College campus to share memories about their days as students in the 1980s and 1990s and to discuss their lives today.

During the panel presentation, Anthony Bennett ‘90, Mary Crawford ‘89, and Robert Johnson ‘90 also offered advice to current Knox students and A.B.L.E. members. The May 18 event at A.B.L.E. House was part of A.B.L.E.'s 50th anniversary celebration. Founded in 1968, the organization promotes cultural awareness in the Knox and Galesburg communities by raising issues that impact people of African descent.

A.B.L.E. President Niky Washington '20 said afterward that she appreciated the event. "I think we can learn a lot from alumni," she said, pointing out that the three panelists encouraged current students to "do what we love" and to continue making A.B.L.E. a place where students of color feel supported.

In their remarks, Bennett, Crawford, and Johnson agreed that A.B.L.E. was an important and meaningful part of their Knox undergraduate experiences.

"I wouldn't have made it without A.B.L.E.," said Johnson, now managing partner of The Solomon Group, a consulting firm that focuses on business, management, and leadership development. He recalled the culture shock that he experienced when he first arrived at Knox and said that A.B.L.E. served as a support network and a "home away from home" for him.

"We created opportunities for cohesiveness, for people to just be who they are," Johnson said.

Crawford, a former president of A.B.L.E. who now is a Knox chemistry professor, spoke about how she and other Knox students restructured and revitalized A.B.L.E. during their time as undergraduates.

For example, they developed a big brother/big sister program to mentor new students. They also developed a committee system for A.B.L.E. "We got everybody involved," she said. "Everybody had a specific job."

Responding to a question about what advice they'd offer to today's Knox students, Johnson and Crawford recommended that students try to study abroad.

Bennett, now inspection leader at the Public Company Accounting Oversight Board, encouraged current students to expand their horizons and to take chances at Knox and in their after-Knox careers.

"Knox, to me, is a microcosm of what I've experienced since I've left," Bennett said.

"The things that you are most fearful about will help you grow more," he added. "You have to challenge yourself. If you're sitting too comfortably, you're probably not growing and learning. You have to take chances and push yourself in all aspects of life."