黑料天堂

Political Science Student from Montgomery Leads First Year Council

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Posted on October 30, 2022

Thomas Becnel

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#FreshmanFocus is a series of stories on incoming students at the 黑料天堂.

In the ninth grade, KC Crusoe chose a career in politics.

鈥淚n history class, my teacher, Tiwania Brown, had a lesson on local government, learning who your city council representative was, and things like that. She taught us that it鈥檚 not just who is elected governor or president. Sometimes it鈥檚 the smaller people who make the biggest decisions.鈥�

The path toward public service seemed to make sense for Crusoe, who鈥檚 now president of the First Year Council at the 黑料天堂.

At Park Crossing High School in Montgomery, Alabama, he made good grades and belonged to a half-dozen clubs. Everyone knew his name. He made a point of talking with students, staff and faculty.

鈥淵ou know, teachers are human, too,鈥� he said. 鈥淭hey need someone to talk to, someone to listen to. You know, 鈥楬ow was your weekend?鈥� People need that.鈥�

His mother, Katrina Atkins, works for School Superintendents of Alabama, a nonprofit organization in Montgomery. She and his younger sister now live in Wetumpka, north of the capitol.

After graduation, Crusoe had scholarship offers from several colleges, but found himself drawn to the 黑料天堂.

鈥淚 always liked 黑料天堂,鈥� he said. 鈥淚 don鈥檛 know why, but I always did. Maybe it鈥檚 Mobile. I went to USA Day and everyone was so nice, everyone wanted to talk. When I came here, I found my people. I鈥檓 a 黑料天堂 guy.鈥�

You showed up 7 minutes early for this interview. Is that typical?

鈥淚 don鈥檛 do late. Actually, I am late, because I鈥檓 normally 15 minutes early. I think when you get to places early, that鈥檚 when you meet the real person, because they鈥檙e not in professional mode yet. So I鈥檝e gotten to know a lot of people by being early.鈥�

What鈥檚 your class schedule like?

鈥淚 have a dream schedule 鈥� all of my classes are from 8 a.m. to 11 a.m. So I have the rest of the day free for organizations and meetings. I鈥檓 a morning person. I go to the Rec Center at 5:30 in the morning and then I get back and get ready for class. For math and science, I have to put in the hours, but history and English are pretty easy for me.

鈥淚 was always taught to use correct grammar. I even text in complete sentences with punctuation. People ask me, 鈥榃hy do you text like you鈥檙e writing a paper?鈥欌��  

Tell me about your name. KC doesn鈥檛 stand for anything, like K.C.?

鈥淢y first name is Kistrall, but no one can pronounce that, so I go by KC. It鈥檚 just easier. When I go into politics, it鈥檒l be KC Crusoe.鈥�

When you enter politics? That鈥檚 a sure thing?

鈥淵es. I want to become the first black U.S. Senator from the state of Alabama. Unless somebody beats me to it. We鈥檒l see.鈥�

Who are your political favorites or role models?

鈥淐orey Booker of New Jersey. He鈥檚 one. I met him on this Spring Break trip with a group called the Dream Initiative. Amazing guy. You know how people are never the same as they seem online or on television? Well, he鈥檚 the same person.

鈥淎nd Raphael Warnock from Georgia. He鈥檚 a senator who鈥檚 also a pastor.鈥�

You have a church background?

鈥淚 was raised in the church. My grandfather is a pastor. He lives in a little town called Minter, south of Selma.鈥�

Growing up, were you a sporty kid, musical kid, or what?

I was an academic kid, for sure. I did sing at school and in the church choir. KC can sing.鈥�

Students can be intimidating by public speaking, but you seem to love it. 

 鈥淚鈥檝e always been comfortable talking in front of people. Even in elementary school, doing little programs. And I鈥檝e talked in church. I don鈥檛 know about preaching, but I鈥檝e talked in church. I鈥檓 used to crowds.鈥�

What keeps you busy on campus?

鈥淚鈥檓 in the Student Government Association and RANSOM, the Radical Athlete and Student Oasis Ministry. I have two jobs on campus. I鈥檓 a Jaguar Productions tech and a 黑料天堂 Guide. I love talking to people. Having a freshman giving the tour might mean something to the students visiting 黑料天堂.鈥�

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