By A’Myra A. Whitby
For many the month of February is carnival season and all things Mardi Gras but for population on campus it means a little more.
On Louisiana Tech’s campus, several organizations have planned events to take place during this month.
Tech and the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP) are hosting a donation drive. They have asked for unused socks to be donated to local nursing homes, shelters and schools. Donation boxes have been set up around campus and will be collected Tuesday.
Tech’s Bulldog Cultural Center hosted an event earlier this week to celebrate the life and legacy of Dr.Martin Luther King Jr. The event open to community members as well as the campus.
The celebration of black activist MLK included a soul food lunch catered by Aramark Dining Service, soulful music performed by Tech’s own Sanctified Voices and a powerful message from the CEO and president of the Harbor Institute in Washington, D.C., Rasheed Ali Cromwell.
Cromwell’s speech focused on the first draft of Martin Luther King Jr.’s final book, “Where Do We Go from Here: Chaos or Community?” The theme of this MLK holiday is reflecting on the inspiration and insight necessary for individuals to continue being relevant and impactful in an ever changing world.
“I had never been to an event hosted by the Bulldog Cultural Center, the Black Student Union or any organization that focused on the promotion of my own culture,” Amiracl White, a freshman at Tech said. “After today’s event I am excited to see what else Tech hasto offer me and I am considering becoming a part of these organizations because of how welcomed and inspired I felt after seeing people like myself be great.”
Mikayla Williams, a sophomore Tech student said, she really enjoyed the event.
“I appreciate more the fact that something of this nature has been hosted by my school,” Williams said. “I sometimes feel as though I lack knowledge about my roots as a black woman and I am thankful to the Bulldog Cultural Center for having this event and giving me space to interact with some peers.”
The Black Student Union is a Tech organization whose purpose is to enlighten, empower, educate and entertain students with an emphasis on the African-American perspective.
BSU president Jadan Combs said the BSU hosts many events throughout the entire year to encourage the participation of African-American students in civic engagement. For Black History Month, the group organized a roadside cleanup, a paint and sit, Sunday service and a speech geared towards helping students of color use their voice on campus that also involved the NAACP and NPHC.
“Sunday service is an event hosted by BSU where students can come together at church and enjoy each other along with God,” Sequoia Pinkins, a junior Tech student said. “I go because I am not from Ruston and wanted to continue my faith journey surrounded by my peers. I have made many friends at these events because I feel comfortable talking to people that I can assure have some similar interests as I do.”
