I started my journey at SMU in December of 2020, right in the midst of a global pandemic. As the Coordinator of Intercultural Engagement, my primary role was advising multicultural students’ organizations and organizing events for each of the heritage months. I jumped right in making connections, reaching out to student leaders, and learning the lay of the land. My first big assignment was planning and organizing Black History Month. I have to admit, it was a daunting task, not because I was not prepared or supported, but I was new. Would the community like what I planned? Would the events fit well into what everyone else was planning? Most importantly, would my way of doing things teach and expose the community to information that would prepare them to be change makers?
First up was Dream Week. I loved the idea of Dream Week and wanted to provide a rich experience for students and staff alike. SCIE hosted a Day of Service event where the SMU community packaged essential items for The Bridge Homeless Recovery Center. Due to Covid-19 restrictions, spaces were limited, but we made it work. SCIE’s graduate assistants, Vic Norris and Fernanda Reyes worked tirelessly to coordinate and guide participants through the experience. Next up, we hosted our annual Unity (Circle) Walk event. Over 70 community members gathered, physically and virtually, to celebrate the life and legacy of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.
With this, Black History Month officially kicked off with a virtual experience with Sybrina Fulton, mother of Trayvon Martin and activist. SCIE hosted a month-long movie series highlighting Black stories not often shared enough such as “Kiki”, “Bessie”, “Major”. The movie series also included the award-winning film and novel “The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks”, which deep dives into the life and legacy of Henrietta Lacks and the relationship/history many Black Americans share with the medical field. A live lunch and learn was shared on Instagram with teacher, speaker, and author, Shanterra McBride.
Alysia R. Lane, ABS Public Relations Chair
“The Association of Black Students’ (ABS) Black Herstory Month was one for the books. Our Programming Chair, Kennedy Coleman proposed a month chalked full of events highlighting Black women. Each week was dedicated to a different topic: politics, STEM, the arts and sports. We hosted Lunch & Learns, where Black women shared their extensive knowledge in their respective fields throughout the week. It was important to us to include virtual events that offered our remote members opportunities to stay connected with us.
Our annual Black Excellence Ball was a night to remember as always, as we gathered to honor our outstanding members of the community and take a look at the Centennial Timeline, led by Lexxi Clinton. The project shared a timeline of Black history on SMU’s campus from the archives.
Among our other events, such as the women in STEM Trivia Night, the virtual Art Exhibit and a movie night, we had the Black In Time fashion show. The event showcased the evolution of Black fashion over the decades. The show, spearheaded by Sparrow Caldwell, was a collaboration with the African Student Association and FRO and took loads of imagination and planning to bring it to life. Our members shared their thoughts on social media, thanking us for the month full of events. We are grateful to our community for sharing the joy of Black HERstory month with us.”
With the help of ABS, SCIE, and the entire SMU community, Black History Month 2021 was a great success. I have never been more proud to be a Mustang.
-Zana Morris, Coordinator for Social Change and Intercultural Engagement