In celebration of Black History Month, last week three prominent student organizations, the Black Student Union (BSU), the African Student Association (ASA) and Sanctify, joined forces to hold an energetic Dance Night event.
Darlene Miallie, president of ASA, helped plan the event and said she was pleased with how it went.
Miallie, senior kinesiology major from Fort Worth, said “I think the event went great. People were dancing the whole time, and I worked up a sweat. It was great.”
The event was a fusion of Black American and African cultures through music and dance that aimed to highlight the diversity within ACU while creating a fun, inviting environment for students of various backgrounds.
“We had this event because we wanted to show ACU how there’s different kinds of black people,” Miallie said. “Whether they’re immigrants, like my parents, children of immigrants like myself or Black Americans we’re all a part of the diaspora and contribute to blackness here in America.”
While ASA had the idea for the event and spearheaded it, both Sanctify and BSU contributed to making the event happen.
The collaborative effort went beyond just planning, with all three clubs contributing to playlists, set-up and tear-down and actively participating in the event.
Tamil Adele, vice president of BSU, explained that the collaboration was an important milestone for the three school organizations as well as for the schedule of events during Black History Month.
“It showed a connection between ASA and BSU, which seek to serve black students on campus,” said Adele, junior criminal justice major from Midland. “Working with Sanctify was great…many people left that night knowing the K-Wang, which is a staple at Black events/gatherings, and other dances reflective of African and Black American culture.”
The music of the event also had great significance as the songs helped to bridge the gap between Black American and African cultures.
Miallie said, “There’s a lot of overlap in the experiences of Black Americans and African immigrants and children of immigrants in this country, and I think sometimes we take that for granted, and music is a great way to bridge that disconnect.”
The dance night not only celebrated Black History Month but also served as a powerful reminder of the strength found in unity and cultural exchange within the campus community.
Both organizers and attendees hailed the event as a great success as Adele said, “The event was a chance for us to share our culture through dance and music, and I believe that was accomplished.”
The groups will continue to celebrate the rest of Black History Month with more fun and vibrant events like this one.
