BSU’s Blackity Black Week
During the middle of the semester, officers of BSU decided to host a week full of events called Blackity Black Week. We decided to host it in February since it is Black History Month. We also took a trip to the National Museum of African American History and Culture in DC the Sunday of Blackity Black Week. It was great to go to the museum, I was pretty excited and looked forward to viewing the top floor, which was dedicated to the entertainment history of black culture. There were different sections on the devoted to actors, singers, rappers, dancers, and black culture. There was even a section that was set up like a music studio, which was my favorite part. The next level below was dedicated to African American athletes as well as military history. There were so many things to see and learn so some of us did not get to see everything. Altogether, it was a fun trip and a great way to kick off the week.
On Monday we hosted Black Thought, which was a discussion event between BSU members and the campus. Members spoke about their experience as a black student on a PWI campus as well as their experiences within society. There were various topics regarding issues on campus such as the use of racial slurs or the feeling of separation, whether it’s intentional or a natural habit. We had the pleasure of having President Fugate attend and listen to our discussion. Afterwards he spoke about how important it is to put oneself in someone else’s shoes and I think that is essential because it will allow people to understand one another.
Tuesday, a game night event was held for members. We played Black Card Revoked, “Do All Black People Think Alike”, which appeared to be the game of the night, and ended with Black Jeopardy. “Do All Black People Think Alike” was a discussion-based type of game, where our club president, Armani Johnson 21’, stated a question or topic and we answered by separating ourselves into the selected answer groups. The sections were “Strongly Agree”, “Agree”, “Disagree”, and “Strongly Disagree.” The topics varied from casual conversation to controversial opinions. Some of the statements were “I love soul food,” “Kanye West is invited to the cookout,” “I date outside of my race,” “It is okay for non-black people to wear dreads or braids,” “I believe in cancel culture,” and so on. Some statements were agreed upon by everyone, whereas others such as “Dating Outside of Race” led to discussion, which often sprouted another discussion or debate. I personally enjoy games such as these because it allows people to get to know one another without complete judgment. We were able to listen to other people’s point of views and understand why they agree or disagree with certain statements.
Our Wednesday event was dedicated to our women’s and men’s basketball teams. Considering most of our BSU members are athletes, we wanted to let them know that they have our support. Thursday’s event was a movie night and it was nice to have some members come and enjoy a movie together. We also had our kickback party event on Friday. Thank you to everyone who came out and participated throughout the week!