BSA reflects on 2021 and looks forward to a busy semester

The Black Students Alliance continued putting on events to maintain engagement with the community all through November and December last semester. We kicked off November with Black Solidarity Day. As mentioned in our previous article, Black Solidarity Day is the day before elections and a time for Black people to recognize the political power we hold. It’s also a time to remember that we must stay unified to collectively use this power for the benefit of our people and communities. Members of BSA and other Black clubs and organizations on campus—The Alpha Phi Alpha fraternity, The Delta Sigma Theta sorority, and the African Students Association—got together to take a group photo for Black Solidarity Day.

On November 4, we had a joint general body meeting with the ASA where we discussed Black identity and how multifaceted it is. We were able to talk about the differences between race, ethnicity, and nationality and how all those components make us uniquely Black. We also spoke about how these terms are defined differently in other predominantly Black nations. We also learned that in some African countries, religion is a more important identifier than race. This was such a positive conversation that our meeting went overtime, and students are requesting part two.

We had our first Black Owned Success Series Event of the year with guest speaker, Jelani Fenton on November 10. Jelani Fenton is the founder and CEO of Safari, a platform dedicated to educating minority youth about insurance so they can work in the diversity-lacking insurance industry. He taught us about his journey to starting his business and his future plans for it. We also learned about his background in investment banking, and he taught us key financial terms. Students asked questions about dealing with impostor syndrome and the difference between his experience in insurance versus investment banking. The knowledge he passed on to our audience increased our financial literacy and we were all so grateful.

We ended the semester with a De-Stress GBM, where members of our E-Board shared study tips and gave Black Christmas movie suggestions. We provided snacks and arts and crafts activities while Black Christmas music played in the background. Members also signed a huge thank you card given to those who helped at the COVID-19 testing site this semester.

Last semester allowed us to reconnect with our community in person through a multitude of events, from conversations about different topics affecting our community in GBMs, to fun musical competitions like the Bust It Down Battle.

BSA has a lot in store this semester, with our busiest month being February, Black History Month. We have many events planned including Night of Free Expression, Ebony Ball, and the Fashion Show. Night of Free Expression is an event where students and outside performers express themselves culturally and artistically through performances such as dance, singing, and poetry. Ebony Ball is a formal event that will be a precursor to the Fashion Show and the beginning of the wind down of Black History Month. Food and drinks will be served and exceptional members of BSA students will be awarded for their achievements. The night will end with the DJ opening up the dance floor. For anyone or clubs interested in performing in Night of Free Expression, please fill out this form and email me at filawt@rpi.edu.

Thank you to everyone who participated in all of BSA’s festivities, and we can’t wait to show you what we have in store for you all this semester!

For future updates and our interest form, follow us on our instagram @rpibsa.