Red, black and green adorn the palm trees of University Boulevard as Javelina Nation gathered in celebration of Black Heritage of Month.
For the African American community February offers an opportunity to commemorate the accomplishments of their past and reflect on change.
“Black History month is a time to celebrate Black excellence from the past, future, and present. It’s a time to honor our ancestors for all the work they have done for us just so we may have a better future. It’s a time to celebrate inspire and uplift,” BSU member Etta Enow said.
Three years ago, the Black Student Union organization was founded at Javelina Nation with a vision to bring unity amongst the Black community on campus, educate others and give students a platform to express themselves.
“I do feel a little safer on campus because (of BSU). I know I’m not alone and that there is a community of people who have all faced some form of racial issue,” Treasure of BSU Kamryn Ware said.
For members of the BSU, the organization is a safe place to talk about controversial topics affecting their community. Each year the BSU gains members and has found different ways to become more interactive on campus and in the community.
“BSU gives many students a safe place to talk about such (racist) events,” BSU President Christen Williams said.
“Recently we’ve cooperated with the Health and Wellness Center and did a Black mental health seminar. Black students felt this was a huge steppingstone for the university to actually talk and engage with black students about what is going on in our communities.”
Recent national events like the murder of George Floyd and Breonna Taylor have strongly impacted the BSU.
“It pushed for a creation of a diversity committee. It also created a conversation of members, and people of the committee express how they feel about everything that’s going on…BSU is a family not just an organization.We want to unify the Black community and let them know they have our support,” Ware said.
Students looking to join the Black Student Union (BSU) can email bsutamuk18@gmail.com or reach though their social media accounts on Instagram and Twitter @tamuk_BSU.
“My current goal for BSU is to find new ways to better our campus and community through enlightenment about Black culture; not something that will just be trending for the time being, but plans that could be used for years to come,” Williams said.