Feature photo by Sam McIntyre
Story by Bailey Brantingham, Noah McLane and Shauna Reynolds
Chirping birds swooped above the crowd of over a thousand that gathered to mourn the death of an MTSU student on Wednesday. Their songs served as a gentle reminder of the vigil’s purpose: to remember Serenity Birdsong’s name. Her death on Monday touched many in the MTSU community and beyond — Wednesday’s vigil was an opportunity to learn about her life.
Outside Walker Library, people added flowers to a bench already covered with bouquets, messages and flags. Candles glowed on the ground. Mourners clustered together, speaking softly and hugging tightly. Volunteers led therapy dogs through the quad, stopping for anyone who needed a moment of canine warmth.
Just after 6 p.m., library courtyard lamps flicked on and shoes shuffled over concrete as MTSU Student Government Association President Michai Mosby asked the growing crowd to gather closely around the stage.
MTSU President Sidney McPhee followed Mosby’s introduction with a speech highlighting the importance of interacting with kindness, encouraging the audience to shape the university with compassion in Birdsong’s honor.
“Let us honor Serenity by committing to making our university community a safer and more welcoming place for all of us,” McPhee said. “Let us remember that our love and care for one another can penetrate even our darkest moment.”
Mosby then introduced Khalilah Doss, vice president for student affairs and dean of students. Doss recited a poem written by Birdsong to the hushed crowd.
Tynaz Thompson worked with Birdsong in the MTSU Campus Housing department. Following Doss’ recital, Thompson took the stage and remarked on the mark Birdsong’s open affection and warmth left on her heart in the short time they knew each other.
“Her kindness built connections and her laughter filled spaces that now feel so quiet without her,” Thompson said. “She took her role beyond work, creating a place of laughter, creating a place where everyone felt at home, a place where everyone felt that they belong.”
MT Lambda President Elizabeth Cannan-Knight followed, expanding the essence of familiarity created by Thompson and sharing personal memories of Birdsong. Birdsong served as MT Lambda’s Vice President, working closely with Cannan-Knight in the queer safe space and growing especially close to her in the past few days.
“She really did enjoy being a part of whatever space she fit into,” Cannan-Knight said. “And she fit into every space that she found because of that genuine care and love towards others. And I think this right here proves to all of us that she was loved, too, even if she couldn’t see it at the time, and it shows us the importance of standing together to make sure that none of us feel alone.”
Returning to the stage, Mosby asked the crowd to turn on their phone flashlights and raise them high. The tiny lights surrounding the crowd shone like stars, creating a constellation out of strangers.
“This is not just a symbol of remembrance, but this is a beacon of hope,” Mosby said. “Let these lights remind us that even in our darkest times, we can find each other and lift each other up. Each of us have our own lights within us.”
Mosby led the crowd in a chorus of “Lean on Me,” closing out the 30-minute program. Much of the crowd lingered after the stage emptied. Friends circled together, heeding Mosby’s final request:
“Do not leave this place today without checking on the person next to you, without offering a hug, offering a smile, and together, we can create a space of hope, love and support for us all.”
Mourners dispersed, but the night of remembrance had not come to an end.
Groups headed toward the Student Union to gather with MT Lambda in the Parliamentary Room.
Doss joined the group, as did Mary Kaye Anderson, director of counseling services, and representatives from Middle Tennessee LGBTQ+ groups like Josefine Parker, program coordinator for Gender Diversity at Vanderbilt University, and Jace Wilder, Davidson County’s youth & recovery coordinator for the National Alliance on Mental Illness.
Those gathered traded stories over sodas and pizza. Some quietly cried while others still had shock painted across their face.
Anderson led a coping workshop to explain the physical symptoms of loss and prepare mourning students for feelings they might experience in the coming weeks. Then, she opened the floor for anyone who wished to speak.
Some people shared personal coping mechanisms like watercolor painting and video games. Some questioned how people who seem so happy can be struggling with so much.
One student illustrated the heartbreak and community that filled the room.
“So many of us, we go home, and we play a part, and we just pretend to be someone we’re not. And then some of us just don’t have a home to go home to anymore because we’re not welcome,” the student said. “And so sticking by each other and really caring about each other… is just so important because [Lambda] and the queer and trans community in general [are] all I have.”
People who knew Serenity, like Cannan-Knight, described a brave, trans woman who embodied Lambda’s purpose with her outward, unconditional love and affection towards those around her.
“We knew we, as a campus queer community, needed a space to support each other in moments like this,” said Allie Sultan, a current College of Media and Entertainment assistant professor who graduated from MTSU in the ‘90s. Sultan explained how Lambda began in 1988 with a voicemail number. Students would call and leave a message, one of the officers would listen and vet the voicemail, then call back with the location of the meeting.
As she looked out at the room full of students, allies and campus staff, Sultan reflected, “I don’t think the founders would have imagined this day, but I can tell you they are really proud of us.”
If you or someone you know needs support, Sidelines has compiled a list of resources, which can be found here.
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