Antonia Okafor is one of America’s foremost advocates of concealed carry on campus. In 2015, Antonia made a permanent mark in the second amendment community, when she became the Southwest Regional Director for Students for Concealed Carry on Campus(SCCC), where she advocated for the passing and successful implementation of the concealed carry on campus in Texas law known as, “campus carry.”

The National Rifle Association (NRA) took notice of her activism and had her star in one of their “Freedom’s Safest Place” commercials, a national campaign that highlights the diversity of NRA members. A current graduate student at the University of Texas at Dallas, Antonia shows no signs of slowing down.

Leader Spotlight: Antonia Okafor


Tell us a little bit about yourself and how you became involved in NeW?


I am a current Public Affairs graduate student at The University of Texas at Dallas. I earned my bachelors degree at UT Dallas as well in 2013. I worked as a field representative for Greg Abbott for Texas Governor Campaign in 2014 and was a Running Start/Walmart Star Fellow in Senator Kelly Ayotte’s DC office last year. In January of this year, I was sworn in as Precinct Chair of my local neighborhood precinct. I hope to run for office in the future.

I became involved with NeW after meeting President Karin Agness last year while interning in DC. She was speaking at a Leadership Institute Women in Leadership training and spoke about founding NeW. A couple of months ago, I decided to start a chapter at my university and currently serve as the President of that chapter.

What made you want to start a NeW chapter?


Although my school has a couple of groups for women, all of them are focused on the radical feminist movement. There was no safe space for women with conservative values and beliefs, other than at college bible study. But even then, politics is not usually shared in those spaces. I wanted there to be a variety of voices when it came to women in politics and leadership.

What advice do you have for other women on campus who may want to start a NeW chapter?

Be prepared for vocal opposition from your peers and your school. Conservative issues are usually not popular on college campuses. But cling to your conservative community, men and women alike, and stand strong and unified together. Remember, unlike the feminist movement that brings men down, conservative women believe that men are just as pivotal in uplifting women.

Congratulations on your nomination for Next Political Rising Star Award at Running Start’s Young Women to Watch Awards. Can you describe what this award entails and how you became nominated?

The Next Political Rising Star Award is a part of Running Start’s Annual Young Women to Watch Awards. The title comes with a $5000 grant that will go towards a nonpartisan project of my choosing. If I am awarded the prize, I will put it as seed money for a nonprofit organization that I will start. The nonprofit will equip passionate, driven high school girls who aspire to go to top universities, graduate with little to no debt and pursue public office. This will be done through mentorship, college prep resources and financial literacy education. In order to get to the finalist position, I was selected from many other applications to be one of 10 semifinalists in February to compete for the finalist round. We all collected signatures, online votes and campaigned for support. Those with the highest numbers earned their way to the last round. On April 21st, Tuesday evening, an audience of over 250 will vote for the winner. The other two finalists will receive $500 and the Alumna in Action Award.

What advice do you have for other women who may want to get involved in the political nonprofit sphere?


My advice is to follow the goals of NeW: Network, Enlighten and Women. Network by taking as many opportunities as possible to learn about your community, its’ needs and how you as an individual can provide solutions. That all begins by talking to people and building relationships. Enlighten-take the knowledge you have gained through your personal education, work and life experience and share that knowledge with others. Women-women are not single issue voters, we don’t believe empowerment is reserved for the Democrat party and we certainly do not all believe in the War on Women. Be an ambassador for the diversity of thought among all female organizations. Convey to the world the power of a conservative woman. And in whatever you do, do it with purpose and passion.

ziga:


WE

No, we are a race with so many problems.

We are a race with established systems (Political, cultural, religious) that are made to suppress the poor, women and children or people with views contrary to ours.

She is only a success because she is in America, where she can have a significant amount of freedom.

If she was in Nigeria, churches will criticize her for what she is wearing. Haters will complain about her makeup and wig.

People will call her olosho or say she is carrying gun.

WE are no intelligent than other races but we are so hateful... Especially of our own kind. it is sickening.

ElsonMorali:
Uhm... I like it when a Nigerian is making waves (good ones of course) outside the country.

But advocating for carrying concealed weapons in school campuses where it is known that there are lots of weed smokers is actually dumb dumb.

I pray she doesn't become a victim of what she's championing.

paschu:
Not necessarily advocating for gun proliferation. But don't you think that the so called "weed smokers" would be more cautious with their triggers if they are sure that every other person on campus is pretty ready and trained to pull the trigger two?

I want to assume that with concealed carry, the "high" gun carriers will always be outnumbered by the sane carriers on any campus. And, IMO, that's a good thing for both collective and individual safety.

ElsonMorali:


Hasn't it occurred to you that the more there are guns in a location the more the possibility of gun related deaths?

Everybody is carrying a gun because they can afford or steal or borrow one.

Next stop is to start popping off each other for perceived insults or slights, real or imagined.

paschu:
You sure have a point there.

But on a flip side, it's also possible that folks will learn to be more courteious and less provocative when it's clear that no one has a monopoly on violence.

ElsonMorali:


It has never worked that way before.

You are thinking that way because you're probably a decent person. Can you make the same claim for others on the same campus?

Some are frustrated and want to take it out on others, others are from dysfunctional homes and wouldn't mind killing others If only to get the attention they have been denied at home.

And so many cases of unstable minds. Placing guns in their hands doesn't make any sense at all.

That you won't misuse it don't mean someone else won't.

paschu:
Sure, of course. Not everybody is stable enough to handle the responsibility that comes with the freedom to carry weapons legally.

But that's also the reason guns are hardly sold to every dick and harry in the US. I'm aware that there's a measure of background check that goes into play before a gun is purchased, at least in some states.

So, rather than banning guns on campuses (a rule the nut jobs will flout anyway throug illegal gun rings) why not use legislation to ensure that most of those mentally unfit people and minors cannot purchase gun in the open market?

AZeD1:

The problem of gun death cannot be solved by bringing out more guns.
If nobody is allowed to carry a gun, you wouldn't need one to protect yourself.

FellepHq:
Why not Young Nigeria-American Girl?