Editor’s Note: Information from the print version of this article has been removed in the digital version.
Black History Month is a month that remembers the accomplishments and history of the black community. The theme for this year’s Black History Month is Black Resistance, which explores how black people have fought against previous and current disadvantages and oppression in numerous ways, as well as maintaining and protecting their successes and well-being.
The Black Student Union (BSU) is a Stevens organization open to all students and provides a space to embrace and enrich black culture on campus. This year, BSU has held multiple events, including the “Eddie Allen Aggregation Big Band,” where the College of Arts and Letters welcomed the Eddie Allen Aggregation jazz band to perform their program, “Before, During & Now: The African/African American Journey into the United States,” “Black Power Mixtape Screening and Discussion,” where a film examining The Black Power Movement in American society from 1967-1975 through the lens of Swedish filmmakers was viewed and analyzed, “High on the Hog Docuseries, Dinner, and Discussion,” where Graduate Student Life held a dinner and discussion of the Netflix series “High on the Hog” focusing on the formation of African-American foods, “Know Your Rights,” an event that explains the rights people have while driving and getting pulled over by police, and “Know Our Roots Through Music,” an event that teaches how black culture has shaped music. Some other events include “Reading Hour: I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings,” where the famous Maya Angelou novel and poem “I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings” was read and analyzed, “BSU’s Wonder Women,” which celebrated women of color, and “Taste of Africa,” which allowed students to discover African Culture through indigenous music, dance, food, and games. In the future, BSU is planning to hold multiple fundraisers, including a fundraiser aiming to help black families that suffered from police brutality.
BSU has created a community that can celebrate black culture and the organization promotes discussions about the ongoing examples of racism occurring in STEM fields. There is a perpetual lack of diversity in white and male-dominated STEM-related fields, and nowadays many companies are trying to address this issue by implementing diversity programs.
Stevens is no exception in terms of anti-black racism. To practice anti-racism, students should be aware of their own biases and can attend the “Anti-Racist Leadership” workshop hosted by the Office of Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion to learn about how racism impacts everyday lives and how to be anti-racist.
