Jeremiah Baldwin

“My mom and dad have always encouraged me, and it didn’t come from a place of pressure,” he explained. “They urged me to speak out about things that I’m passionate about and discover my educational interests. This really allowed me to grow as a person.”

In August of 2020, Baldwin published his debut memoir, Something Out of Nothing: A Baldwin Miracle. The book follows Baldwin as he became the first high-school student of Flour Bluff Independent School District to earn his associate degree, an unprecedented feat requiring hours of summer and night courses. The book also aims to debunk the myth of absentee fatherhood in the Black community, Baldwin recounting the unconditional love his father had for his family.

“It’s been a great experience so far,” he said, reflecting on the writing and publication process. “I’ve enjoyed telling my story and encouraging others to tell their stories as well.”

Baldwin’s newfound interest inspired him to expand his degree plan at UT.

“When I came to UT Austin, I was solely majoring in Government. I later realized that I wanted to explore writing more, which is why I decided to add Rhetoric & Writing as a major.”

Additionally, Baldwin’s experience exploring different classes at UT helped him add a third major.

“While determining classes for my degree plan, I found this class called Introduction to Black Women’s Studies,” he recalled. “I found out that I was really interested in African & African Diaspora Studies, so I ended up adding that as one of my majors.”

Baldwin is also pursuing a minor in Educational Psychology, a minor in Queer Studies, and a Human Rights and Social Justice Certificate from the Bridging Disciplines Program. He plans to apply these subjects in law school, where he hopes to kickstart a career in government and advocacy. Despite these long-term goals, Baldwin has not waited until graduate school to make a difference in his community.

“Being someone who is both queer and Black, I genuinely care about advocating for marginalized communities. We have to ensure that their voices are amplified and their stories are being told at a larger level.”

Baldwin advocates for the Black community through crafting and sharing literature.

“I’ve channeled by interest in advocacy through writing my book and sharing my story. I’ve also utilized my social media platforms,” he explained. “This past summer, I started a reading club via my Instagram account, where I share the works and stories of Black literary figures and intellectuals.”

He is also involved in the Multicultural Engagement Center through African American Affairs on campus.

“As a member of a marginalized community, I don’t have many opportunities to see other students on campus that look like me or have similar backgrounds as I do,” he shared. “Being in this space gives me a sense of community.”

According to Baldwin, advocacy comes in infinitely many forms.

“The beauty of advocacy is that it can be whatever you want it to be,” he said. “It can be something as minute as sharing something on your Instagram account, encouraging your followers to join movements or participate in activism. Or it can be something as large as leading on-campus initiatives.”

When asked how he balances his studies and advocacy initiatives, Baldwin laughed.

“I think about that often,” he admitted. “I am in three different majors with two minors and a certificate, but a lot of my classes overlap one another. I’m also a part of organizations that I’m passionate about, so it doesn’t really feel time-consuming. I think it just comes down to picking what you’re interested in and honing in on those things.”

Like all busy students, Baldwin enjoys spending his free time watching Netflix and exploring the greater Austin community.

“I enjoy taking my dog to Zilker park and having a picnic,” he said. “Aside from that, I want to try kayaking at Lady Bird Lake.”

As a sophomore honors student in The College of Liberal Arts, Baldwin advises fellow Liberal Arts students to explore different classes beyond their field of interest.

“One of the unique opportunities we Liberal Arts majors have is that we can diversify our education and plan and dabble in a little bit of everything,” he explained. “I would encourage you to utilize that freedom and take classes outside of your major, because that’s how you grow as a person.”

He specifically encourages students to check out Ethnic Studies classes at UT.

“Like I said, I took that one Intro to Black Women’s Studies class, and I was so fascinated by the content that I decided to add Black studies as a major,” he attested. “These classes teach students a lot about various communities’ experiences, and it gives a lot of insight to the everyday lives of marginalized individuals. You never know what you might learn about.”

Baldwin’s book, Something Out of Nothing: A Baldwin Miracle, is available for purchase on Amazon and Barnes & Noble. You can visit his Instagram, @jeremiah.baldwin, for further book club and advocacy information.