This year, Auburn’s Black Student Union will be hosting different events in honor of February being Black History Month. The organizatopm
Soul Food Bazaar is a signature event that many members of BSU look forward too. Soul food, which is traditionally from the black community, is served. There are also games and line dances to create a family setting.
“We have line dances and such just to have everyone experience what it’s like to be at a family reunion,” said John Blanding, president of BSU.
The overall theme for the month is Creating a Conversation in Color.
“It correlates to the movement on campus where we’re sparking conversations that are somewhat difficult, but necessary for the betterment of our campus climate and the betterment of our student body as a whole,” said Blanding.
“This month we are advocating for conversations and dialogue that are personable but are also necessary. So, we’re going to talk about some difficult stuff but we’re also going to have some fun,” said Blanding.
Jazz and Poetry night will be held later in the month. There will be poetry, spoken word performances, and singing, along with a band playing.
“This is an opportunity for us to share our experiences and our culture through the arts,” said Blanding.
One of the bigger events this month is the one featuring Opal Tometi on February 20. She is part of a continuing speaker series hosted by BSU. Tometi is one of the founders of the Black Lives Matter movement.
“We’re bringing her, one to simply dispute the myths of the Black Lives Matter movement. Her three pillars our faith, joy, and love, and we’re just trying to promote those throughout the month. Throughout the month our general assembly meetings correspond to those three pillars, so we’re bringing her hear to spread that message of inclusivity and intersectionality,” said Blanding.
Another major event will be the Unity Project which is an interactive event and will be a collaboration with UPC. It will be on the greenspace and involves large poles in a circle around the area.
There will be yarns that represent different identifiers, such as being black or being Christian. Students will then wrap the yarn from one pole to another, creating a tapestry of sorts.
“It really honors and celebrates diversity on campus,” said Blanding.
Besides those bigger events, BSU also hosts weekly general assembly meetings which are open to all students. Those meetings are held in SC Room 2222/2223 on Monday’s at 5 pm.
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