Students attending the BSU Karaoke event on Feb. 4.
Laila Jones|Marlin Chronicle
Every February serves as a month to educate people on the struggles and accomplishments of African Americans throughout history and honor their ongoing achievements. This month, people celebrate those from the Black community in both our student and faculty bodies. Departments across the university hosted events such as Soul Food Night, Black Karaoke and Black History Trivia. All of these events aim at spreading awareness of Black culture and educating our campus on the history of Black people.
According to US News & World Report, Virginia Wesleyan was No. 19 in Ethnic Diversity in 2019 among national liberal arts colleges.
Opeyemi Kareem-Ojo, a junior, attended the Black Karaoke Event. Kareem-Ojo said that this event made him feel empowered.
“It’s not about talking about slavery all the time, it’s saying okay, we’re smart, we’re athletic, we can be doctors, we can be basketball players, we can be musicians,” Kareem-Ojo said. “We can be whatever we want to be, and no one can take that away from us, so that’s why we celebrate.”
Jacob Little, a freshman, said that he thinks these events are important for educating and raising awareness around Black History Month (BHM). He said that being in a predominantly white institution can mean that those from black communities get overlooked and ignored. Little attended the Soul Food Night on campus and said the food was a “good representation of what the culture is.”
“It was really soul food night that brought everybody out of their rooms,” Marquez Glover, a sophomore, said. “I saw faces I’ve never seen before.”
Black Student Union (BSU) President Daryl Tucker said she hopes that all students have a safe place on campus. She added that in BSU, Black accomplishments are celebrated.
“It is empowering to learn the good and inspiring parts of your culture, and being able to do so in a safe place is even more empowering,” Tucker said.
Virginia Wesleyan’s Website says “Virginia Wesleyan does not discriminate on the basis of race.” Kareem-Ojo, when asked if the school was representative of Black people, said, “I think they could do more.”
Little expressed a similar sentiment.
Kareem-Ojo said there had been experiences on campus where students had felt as though there had been microaggressions such as racist comments or gestures which he said, “show what you actually feel about us.” Kareem-Ojo said he feels that there are members of the campus community who are “outright racist.”
“I think the school is working towards being inclusive but some students and faculty comments or behaviors would say otherwise,” Tucker said, noting that she felt student concerns were inadequately addressed.
Concerning community events, Little and Kareem-Ojo expressed that the BHM events were inclusive to everyone on campus but acknowledged it can be intimidating for non-Black students to feel welcomed. They said the school does aim to be inclusive and BSU welcomes students of all races.
“It is easy to be saddened by our history, but this month is a time to celebrate all of the wonderful pioneers that have come and to come,” Tucker said.
Regarding the role of campus during BHM, Little mentioned that an emphasis on inclusivity is important as it can help educate students by giving them insight on the history of the Black community.
Meena Lennon
mjlennon@vwu.edu
