Although Black History Month has ended, celebrating Black culture and its impact is a year-long commitment at Long Beach State.
With organizations such as the Black Student Union (BSU) and the Black Resource Center (BRC), achieving that goal is not a solitary endeavor.
“Black History Month is a time to reflect on the history. The leaders who have made the sacrifices and also made the advancements and achievements that have led us to this point in history today,” BRC Assistant Director Paul Carter said.
During Black History Month, the BRC hosted multiple events, starting with the Black History Month Cookout.
Attendees enjoyed food, music and dancing while having the opportunity to meet new people. Carter said it is “almost like a family reunion.”
Other events included a Martin Luther King Jr. Celebration where students learned about the historical elements of Black History Month.
“It’s a celebration because I think of Black history and joy as an act of resilience,” said Carter.
The BRC and BSU work together to provide Black students with a physical space to gather and a community to connect with.
BSU President Michael Anaya came into his presidency with the goal to, “make sure I left the community better off in a sense of togetherness.”
While president, Anaya expanded the intake of interns that BSU could hire and made more of an effort to turn BSU into a political organization.
Members of the club attend local city council meetings and participate in campus protests. Most recently, BSU members were at the protest against tuition hikes on Feb. 28.
“We’re just trying to make sure our community is informed because that is, at the end of the day, our main goal,” Anaya said. “Make sure our community is informed enough to take action.”
While the BSU is separate from the BRC, Anaya said they make sure to support events hosted by the BRC.
“Don’t Touch My Hair,” is the BRC’s next event on March 13. The event was created as a collaboration between the Women’s & Gender Equity Center.
“It’s an event that’s going to focus on Black hair as it relates to microaggressions, but also the celebration of Black hair and rich diversity within Black hair and culture,” Carter said.
The Black Consciousness Conference (BCC) is scheduled for April 27 where the BSU brings in speakers to host panels and allow students to engage and network within the space.
Atani Nelson, BSU membership development coordinator, said events like the BCC help uplift the Black community and “educating them in terms of how we are perceived throughout the world and even here on campus.”
Occurring annually in January, BSU board members serve as representatives for Long Beach State at the African Black Coalition Conference (ABCC). Given the conference’s rotating locations each year, attendance can be costly.
To increase the number of its members capable of attending, BSU is hosting its first spring formal to fundraise for next year’s ABCC.
While celebrating Black culture and history is always at the forefront for these organizations, Anaya said Black History Month is a “checkpoint…to reflect on where we’re at, where we plan on going and how we’re going to get there.”