During the first meeting, hospitality and energy from the Black Student Union was remarkable — nothing but high vibes, endearing welcomes, and generosity. With a goal of being more than just a club, BSU hopes to create a space for community, success, and cultural appreciation across campus.
Despite having to restart as a club due to the graduation of past members, President Leilani McAllister said that being a part of the process to restart BSU has been incredibly rewarding.
The club promotes being able to create an area that affirms space for Black students to gather to be able to share experiences and support each other through their academic journeys. On campus where you might not see a significant amount of people who share the same cultures as you, that sense of belonging and community really matters.
Putting yourself out there to join clubs can be overwhelming, but sometimes it just takes a gentle nudge in the right direction.
“I didn’t know BSU existed until Leilani introduced it,” said Godson Chacha, a new community member at BSU.
The current leaders are driven by the belief that no student should feel isolated while navigating college, seeing their efforts as part of a larger advocacy and pride.
“It’s important to leave something behind so future Black students know they have a space here,” the BSU Social Media Coordinator, Cedric Getter said.
The space itself being open to anyone but keeping in mind that this is a safe place for Black students. BSU and UMOJA ATEP have been advocating for a Village space.
“We have the largest black population, yet our school is the only one in the district without one for its black students,” Vice President Keshaiaa Jones said.
Along with their weekly meetings, there are five upcoming events, planned to be on Feb. 17, 20, and 22. As Black History Month turns 100 years old there was a Black History Mobile Museum on Feb. 18, that was hosted by CIPHER LC, Umoja-ASTEP LC, ASSC and BBS, which was an interactive exhibit of Black memorabilia and a presentation by Khalil El-Hakim. And a cap off to Black History Month, there will be a “Soul Social” on Feb. 26; an event filled with food, games, resources, music, and the chance to engage with others.
