Mack Benge, Staff Writer & Illustrator
During the month of February, we celebrated Black History Month. This is a month to look back and remember the stories of Black people throughout American history. To remember the lives and generations lost. But Black History Month is also about celebrating Blackness today.
The Black Student Union (BSU) is a powerful club to have on the Saint Martin University Campus. I got the chance to talk to their Vice President, Ka’leese Alexander about their Legacy event which occurred on February 15th, at 6:00pm in the NWCC.
Ka’leese started creating the idea for BSU’s Legacy event last year with the help of the Women of Color Alliance (WOCA). She said she had a vision, “of creating community around black joy, black success, and black artistry.” This year with the help of WOCA, BSU, and other community members who volunteered their precious time, BSU’s Legacy Event was a go!
This is an event that incorporates musical performances, and a panel full of Black career and community leaders. It’s a special event that highlights that facet of Blackness while holding space for the experiences that we share as a community.
Ka’leese Alexander
One of the other things that was important about this event is what it did for the future of BSU. “This is a Legacy Event because it’s something we as a club can leave behind for the future generation.” It is something that future Saints and future BSU club members can do again in this beautiful month of February. To celebrate Black History. Ka’leese said, “this year prior to my start on the team I created a place where BSU can save and share information so future leaders of this club can start expanding on this idea and in the future totally change it to something else that they envision, and for the leaders of our club this is an event that we get to be proud to leave behind.”
You don’t need me to repeat history but for a long time, an event like this wasn’t possible. That is why BSU’s Legacy Event is so critical for the Saint Martin’s University Campus as well as Black history. Black History Month is something to celebrate. To celebrate, “black history, black culture, black joy, the black experience.”
The Belltower 