The Black Student Union will host the annual AFRAM Festival on Friday, from 6 to 9 p.m., outside the Campus Mall.

This year’s theme is “Rooted in Power,” with the message, “Branches reach higher because my roots run deep, growing in purpose,” said Milan Hyman, vice president of BSU.

AFRAM celebrates the end of Black History Month and highlights culture, community and identity. The event is a collaboration between BSU and the Office of Intercultural Engagement and Belonging.

Milan Hyman, a junior marketing major from Cedar Hill said, the organization hopes the event will both celebrate and educate.

“We want to highlight Black history and also show the community who the Black Student Union is,” said Hyman. “We’re hoping to reach students and community members we may not have reached before.”

Hyman said AFRAM gives new students a chance to see what Black History Month looks like at ACU and the work that goes into planning it.

“Even though we’re not the majority on campus, we’re still impactful,” Hyman said. “We still have a voice. I’m excited for students to feel celebrated and loved.”

Kobe Ridgeway, junior multimedia major from Grand Prairie, said he has attended the event since his freshman year.

“It’s basically just a big event representing Black culture as a whole,” Ridgeway said. “It’s not just African American culture, but culture rooted in Africa and across the diaspora.”

Ridgeway said the sense of community keeps him coming back each year.

“Just seeing all the faces that are going to be there, especially Black students, is what I look forward to,” he said. “Sometimes there can be a disconnect on campus, so us coming together in one space and celebrating our culture is always important.”

 Ridgeway said AFRAM has remained consistent over the years.

“So far, it’s been about the same every single year,” he said. “It’s a good thing that we keep it traditional.”

Ridgeway said he hopes the event reminds Black students that they belong at ACU.

“I hope it shows them they have a home here,” he said. “I know it can be difficult as a minority at this school, trying to find your people, but we are here on this campus.”

 For more information, students can find updates on @acubsu on Instagram.