Xavierite Brier Evans was determined to finish her last semester at Xavier University strong. Still, she was shocked and excited that her documentary “TONED” won a national student award for special online programming at the 49th Annual Gracie Awards. The awards presented by the Alliance for Women in Media Foundation (AWMF) were created to honor media “made for women, by women nationwide. 

Evans is the second Xavierite to earn a distinction from the Gracies, following in the footsteps of Xavier alumna Zoe Trask (‘22), who won a Gracie in 2023 for best student radio broadcast host. Evans is part of the latest generation of Xavierites who are using their talents and passions to make a lasting impact on a broken world, advocating for a more just and humane society through the science and art of communication.  

“Press Forward. Fear nothing,” a quote from Xavier’s foundress, St. Katharine Drexel, has been Xavier’s guiding motto over the past 100 years. That mantra is something Evans, as a young Caribbean woman who came to the States by herself at 16, has lived by throughout her undergraduate studies. With nothing but a big dream, it made sense that Xavier University of Louisiana was where Evans found her authentic self, community, and how to succeed despite obstacles. 

Evans’ award-winning documentary, “TONED,” focused on colorism’s impact on young Black women in countries such as Brazil and Ghana and locally in New Orleans. Evans’ own experiences as a young girl in Dominica, where, because of her darker skin tone, she was not seen as “beautiful.” In Dominica, “Shabine,” or a light-skinned woman, is seen as the pinnacle of beauty in the island nation. After entering the United States, Evans saw colorism within the American Black community, not unlike the reality she experienced in her native country. Evans knew she was not alone in realizing the detrimental impacts of colorism on both the individual and society. Through her documentary, she shed light on a topic not openly discussed at the level to which it calls for. 

Evans, who started her studies in speech pathology, is now a mass communication major with a minor in Chinese. She is a familiar name and face around Xavier’s campus as she has produced and published creative projects with the Mass Communications Department. She also served as editor and chief of Xavier’s student-led newspaper, “The Xavier Herald.” 

“[In my home country,] the biggest thing you can be is a teacher, lawyer, doctor, or engineer. We don’t have a film or television industry back home,” shared Evans. “Once you pass what you can only see at home, that’s very ambitious.”  

As a creative and aspiring actress among the “heavy hitters” in Xavier’s undergraduate programs, Evans found a “family” within the mass communications program while on the university’s campus.  

Evans’ passion did not go unnoticed by those who have uplifted and challenged her. When editing videos was a challenge, she spent her free time in the computer lab. The late Mr. Anthony Montgomery recognized Evans’ determination and helped her gain the editing skills she needed to produce successful videos. Evans experienced similar support during her undergraduate career from professors, including Dr. Shearon Roberts, Dr. Nia Mason, Ms. Monice Pierre, and Dr. Quincy Hodges. She credits these professors and others with her successes as a student and as a professional. 

“Brier Evans has dedicated countless hours in producing this important story spotlighting the impact of colorism on young women and girls. In winning a 2024 Gracie Award for this project, she has demonstrated the importance of having young Black women in the media producing the stories and issues that matter to us,” said Dr. Shearon Roberts, Head of the Department of Mass Communications. 

On June 18, 2024, Brier Evans will accept her student award at the 2024 Gracie Awards Luncheon in New York City. Evans will attend graduate studies at the University of South California’s Annenberg School; naturally, she plans to study storytelling and film storytelling.  

Evans’ undergraduate studies are coming to a close in May 2024, and she has started to reflect on her time at Xavier. “My biggest takeaway from being at Xavier is that you’re never going to feel accomplished if you don’t stay true to your own experiences. For me, I never would have finished my work, won the award or done so well if I didn’t feel strongly about this time in my life or this experience that I’m having. Being me is my strongest asset.”