Within moments of entering the Old Capitol Mall, Razan Babikir received smiles and waves from people who recognized her as they were passing through the mall. The graduating senior, who always waved back or replied with a cheerful “hi,” seemed to know everyone, possibly because of her involvement in multiple student organizations throughout her time at the University of Iowa, including serving as president of Walk It Out, the university’s multicultural fashion show.

Babikir, who will be graduating this semester with a bachelor’s degree in public health and a double minor in Arabic and informatics, was a member of the Muslim Student Association, the African Student Association, Black Student Association, and the Undergraduate Public Health Organization. She also co-founded the Sudanese Student Association in her second year to help unite the Sudanese community in Iowa City with Sudanese students and strengthen the community at large.

“Walking into a PWI [predominantly white institution], it’s scary, but I’ve found a really good community and a good support system,” Babikir said. “I’m Sudanese, and there’s a big Sudanese community in this area, and I’ve been able to really create friendships through other cultural organizations. And my Arabic minor has introduced me to a lot of people I’m still friends with.”

And while Babikir didn’t remain with every student organization she joined, one she continued to participate in throughout her time at the UI was Walk It Out.

During her freshman year, Babikir joined Walk It Out as the organization’s first creative director, and continued in this position during her second year before becoming Walk It Out’s vice president in her third year. Babikir said these executive positions required a lot of time and commitment, so she almost did not return for her senior year because she worried about balancing the workload, but because of her knowledge and experience within the organization, members continued to ask her to return as president.

“Virtually no one else, or at least no one else that had my experience with Walk It Out, was running, so everybody was like, ‘The city needs you,’” Babikir said. “And I was like, ‘OK, I guess hand me the cape.’”

Walk It Out, UI’s largest multicultural organization, and Babikir’s role as president, became especially important this past semester as the university made drastic cuts to many DEI programs and organizations that provided safe spaces and community for many at the university, including eliminating identity-based LLCs and closing the Division of Access, Opportunity, and Diversity.

Though there were concerns that funding would be cut for this year’s Walk It Out show, Babikir said she, along with many in the organization, would do everything in her power to support the multicultural fashion show and ensure it continues, even if that means fully funding the show with fundraisers.

“Its been a lot. It’s been hard to still feel like we can celebrate and do all this stuff when everyone around us is being cut,” Babikir said. “But that’s also the importance of Walk It Out. We do have to be there and have to represent because just because we’re sad about other people being cut, if we stop also, then there’s no one really carrying that on.”

And as president of this year’s Walk It Out, Babikir also had to make important decisions about how to address concerns about ICE potentially being on college campuses and about student visas being revoked, especially because the organization includes many international students. Babikir decided that if the need arose, the show would be canceled to protect these students.

“That’s the spirit of Walk It Out, we’re here to protect each other,” Babikir said. “At the end of the day, my job is to help people showcase their culture and themselves, but it’s also to protect them. So, it’s really important to be tuned into student government, to be tuned into local government, to be tuned into other student organizations.”

Jasmine Lee, Walk It Out’s vice president and a fourth-year global studies health studies student, said Babikir has always been a considerate leader.

“She’s a really good ‘let’s get down to business’ kind of person, and that’s what I liked about her, but she was always really really considerate,” Lee said. “A straightforward leader but very considerate of other people, which is really nice to have when your emotions are getting the best of you and tensions are high.”

Babikir dedicated time to Walk It Out beginning in summer 2024, and she continued to work with group leaders and executive members even after Walk It Out’s fashion show performance on April 12. During this time, and outside of her time with Walk It Out, Babikir has remained dedicated to Walk It Out’s mission of showcasing people’s cultures and supporting cultural communities, as Lauren Jackson, one of Walk It Out’s hip hop group leaders, explained.

“Razan even brought back our actual mission to donate, which is part of what Walk It Out originally stated for,” Jackson said. „Razan brought us back to that heart of like we’re here to celebrate our cultures and raise awareness for us, but also to help our communities while we’re doing so.”

And while Babikir is done with her time as Walk It Out president, she will be continuing her studies at the UI as a part of the U2G program. But Guillermo Ng Yi, a fourth- year biomedical engineering student who connected with Babikir while helping lead international student orientation, explained Babikir has been a role model for him and a strong leader.

“Razan is someone who I would trust to lead a country,” Ng Yi said. “I would vote for her for president.”