Walking into the Black Foodfest and Art Expo, students were welcomed by energetic music that makes you want to look for someone to dance with — and the Great Hall swelled with people to choose from. Black culture was on full display the night of Feb. 29, through sound, tastes, words and art. But also, connection. Powerful speeches, electric dance performances, a singer with a touching voice and food that tastes like home, even if it’s not your own.
Now that February has come to a close, St. Thomas University’s Black Student Association hosted a celebration to end this year’s Black History Month filled with light, life and colour.
The event featured performances by Hero B, the M.A.P Dance Crew, Manny Sabina and many others. The theme followed for this month’s celebrations was “The Joys of Being Black.”
“While there are hardships and things that the Black community has gone through that are difficult, we also wanted to equally highlight the happiness and the pride that we show in being Black and what comes with that and the community within,” said STUBSA president Manny Sabina, who was also one of the showcased performers.
The Black Food Fest and Art Expo featured various speakers who shared different messages about the appreciation and celebration of Black History Month in the community.
Sabina said they were happy to see everyone from different backgrounds get involved at the event, not just Black students. Uniting the STUdent body was a goal of the night.
“It contributes a sense of community, not to just the Black students, but to everyone because it shows that we can have these events and have everyone come out and celebrate just this joy of being Black,” they said. “I think it is important for unity and diversity, especially on the campus.”
Vice president of STUBSA Pearl Gyamfi started off the event with a welcoming message, followed by a song by Chaunte Blackwood, gathering all eyes on her.
The president of St. Thomas University International Students’ Association, Alberto Chávez, spoke about allyship and the need for students to get to know each other to appreciate each other’s cultures. The President of the New Brunswick African Association, Yusuf Shire, was also one of the featured speakers who expressed the importance of Black History Month celebrations at the university.
To facilitate this unity and connection, STUBSA ran a Bingo Social Mixer game. During a half hour, students had to have a conversation with five people from different countries that they didn’t know and once they finished all five conversations students yelled out “BINGO!”
Attendee of the event, Rwandan student Shamy Iliza Rukokora, expressed how happy she is about Black History Month events happening at the university and the increasing events from STUBSA in general.
“Last year, I didn’t even know the association existed,” she said. “So this year, it was a lot better.”
Rukokora was content with the number of people who attended and took the time to appreciate the elements of Black culture that were offered within the event.
“It’s like a bridge to connect different people of different backgrounds. And I feel like it’s also a way for people to express themselves,” she said.
The Foodfest included chicken jollof rice from Nigeria and Ghana at the Ultimate Jollof Competition, jerk chicken and banana fritters from Jamaica, as well as waakye from Ghana.
Throughout the event, the STUBSA auctioned things like hair services from student Sochane Campbell, and artwork donated by the NBAA and Diversity Coordinator Saa Andrew. The proceeds from the auction were in support of the STUBSA bursary fund for Black STUdents who need financial support.
Celebrations of Black History Month promote black visibility in the student body, and for Rukokora, the Black Foodfest and Art Expo did just that.
“You feel like the university remembers us and to see the black students organize it and people come to see it, it’s such an amazing thing,” said Rukokora. “It’s a really nice way to end Black History Month.”
