Black Student Union holds events for Black History Month
ordan Mattson, junior and BSU public relations manager (Giovanna Solano | The Beacon)
By Philip Ellefson, Staff Writer ellefson15@up.edu
Even though Black History Month has been celebrated in the U.S. since 1976, students at UP and beyond still face discrimination.
"The fact that there are still people making racist jokes and racist comments - that shouldn't happen," junior Jordan Mattson, Black Student Union (BSU) public relations manage said.
BSU has had a busy month fighting prejudice and raising awareness - and they're not done yet.
On Thursday, Feb. 7, students, faculty and community members gathered in St. Mary's to hear readings of renowned African American writers at the African American read-in. On Tuesday, Dr. Ethan Johnson gave a speech in Buckley Center hosted by BSU.
BSU President Kaileah Baldwin, a senior, said the African American read-in, a 23-year tradition at UP, brings people together to celebrate black literature.
"It's good to see the people I don't normally see recognizing and appreciating black culture," Baldwin said.
According to Baldwin, BSU's mission is to make campus a comfortable place for black students.
"It's about building community with black students on campus. It's about making sure there's a place for black people to feel comfortable and to have allies on campus," Baldwin said. "We do that through service events, entertainment events, educational events and cultural events to share black culture."
Baldwin said many black students on campus struggle with identity.
"The biggest issue for black students on campus is being identified as only black. I'm half-white, okay? I'm not that culturally black," Baldwin said. "There are a lot of students on campus who are black who may not identify with what you think black is."
BSU will address this issue of cultural identity in Many Shades of Black: a Bicultural Panel on Tuesday, Feb. 26.
On Thursday, Feb. 21, BSU will host a speech by Caleb Rosado, a professor of urban studies at Warner Pacific College.
On top of the Black History Month events, BSU is also hoping to hold a race relations conference in April. But Baldwin said BSU often faces problems trying to organize events.
"I have a bunch of people who are willing to make it happen, and yet I am afraid it won't happen," Baldwin said. "That's how backwards we are about race at this school."
Baldwin said anyone can join BSU, and she hopes to attract new members of all backgrounds.
"A big thing about our club: you do not need to be black," Baldwin said. "You don't need to know a damn thing about black people, but you can join."
Their next meeting is today, Thursday Feb. 14 at 6:30 in Franz 028.
Kaileah Baldwin, senior and president of BSU (Giovanna Solano | The Beacon)
Professor Molly Hiro addresses UP students at the African American Read-in on Feb. 7. She teaches an African American literature class at UP. (Giovanna Solano | The Beacon)
