03/02/2025
Celebrating a C*C Legend !
In honor of Black History Month, we celebrate Illinois Wesleyan alumna Bianca N. Cotton ’11, founder of the Behind the Confident Smile podcast and author of nine books focused on self-identity and overcoming fear. She is the associate director of Public Allies Chicago, a social justice organization that recruits and trains emerging leaders passionate about creating meaningful change in their community.
Cotton studied sociology as a Titan, and said she “quickly became deeply involved in campus life and civic engagement,” participating in Student Senate, Black Student Union, African Student Association, Titan Orientation Leader, IWU Ambassadors, SAVVI, Multicultural Student Affairs and the Action Research Center.
“Each of these opportunities allowed me to bridge gaps between groups on campus and contribute to enhancing student life both on and off campus,” Cotton said.
Inspired by the creativity, resilience, joy and faith that have defined Black history and culture, Cotton is grateful for the trailblazers who came before her.
“From Harriet Tubman’s courage to Dr. Maya Angelou’s powerful words, from Viola Davis’s authenticity to the unwavering love and community spirit of my parents, they have shown me what it means to live with passion and intelligence, faith and dignity, power and persistence, innovation and steadiness — qualities that continue to inspire me,” she said.
To the younger African American generations, Cotton said to build meaningful relationships that are transformative rather than transactional.
“Know who you are and the value you bring to every space,” she said. “Write a vision for yourself, identify opportunities that align with it, and remain open to shifts along the way. When change comes, lean into it rather than running from it or hiding behind the life you’ve already built. Growth often happens in those moments of transition.”
