The Black Student Union (BSU) held a reception last Tuesday, specifically inviting professors and faculty members to show what BSU as a club is doing and capable of accomplishing.  

“With this reception I really want to get that transparency with our faculty members and staff on campus,” said current BSU President Evelyn Briscoe, senior law and justice and psychology major. “I really wanted to show them all the things that we are doing and what BSU is capable of doing.”

She went on further to explain that creating connections and a network with professors and faculty will help students of color progress academically, but will also work towards creating a unified, safe environment for students of color.

Briscoe would like students of color to feel comfortable approaching their professors or Central faculty about issues they’re having on campus.

“I hope that from now and forward that there is a connection with our faculty,” Briscoe said. “For them to be able to maybe want to join in on a meeting or know what we’re doing, for us to be able to go to them and talk with them about issues that we’re going through, and actual feel that they care.”

The events program began with an “Eat and Mingle,” where attendees were encouraged to stand and talk to someone they didn’t know.

Jala Harper, junior music theater major, preformed The Black National Anthem before the “Eat and Mingle” portion of the program.

Harper sees the BSU as more than just one thing.

“BSU is just a safe place for students of color to go,” Harper said. “Not only that, but for people not of color to come and learn about our culture and what makes us who we are and what we go through and how to improve being better people and being more in unity.”

According to Briscoe, unity is a major change she’d like to see on campus.

“Unity, for me, and being in solidarity are really important for BSU and for that change to be made on campus,” Briscoe said. “For people to not throw what’s happening to the side, but to actually listen to what is going on. That’s the type of change I’m looking for.”

The event continued with a photo shoot, where attendees were encouraged to take photos together. Members of BSU and some attendees grouped together in friendly semi-circles to pose for the camera.

Testimonials were given shortly after by five members of the BSU, who stood before the podium and talked about their experiences with the BSU and Central as a whole.

Autumn Robinson, junior psychology major, said the testimonials were to speak about joining the club, what the club is like and how the members have grown since joining.

“I’ve gotten to know myself better, being in BSU, because I’ve gotten to meet people like me and I’ve gotten to meet people very different from me,” Robinson said.

Briscoe also commented on the BSU members’ background in regards to when she first joined the club.

“You see so many people who are different from you, but who are also alike and they go through the same struggles and they have the same kind of story background,” she said. “A lot of people are from where we live and you just didn’t know and so you automatically feel welcomed in a place like that.”

Briscoe said the BSU encourages a welcoming environment.

“No matter if you are a student of color or not, we are just welcoming of people,” Briscoe said. “To those who want to come and learn and be an ally, or just want to learn about different cultures.”

Jala Harper, a member of BSU, agrees with Briscoe.

“You come to one of the meetings and they’re really dedicated to enlightening people and letting people know what’s going on and how we can help and better our whole world and love each other,” Harper said.

The event ended with Wambui, the previous president of BSU, reading a poem which she had written in high school.

She prefaced her poem by explaining the struggles she endured to have her poem be read at a school assembly and that her poem was initially rejected by school authorities due to the use of the word “negro” and the poem’s portrayal of African American struggles against society.  

The poem gave the example of what the reception meant for the BSU and Briscoe’s statement about opening a connection between students of color, professors and faculty.

“I think this event is a great way for us to [enlighten others]. To be in unity. To meet the professors. To let them know, ‘hey, we’re people of color, but we just want to hold hands with everyone and just love everyone,’” Harper said.