By Rory Dulock | Staff Writer
Baylor’s Zeta Phi Beta Sorority Inc. hosted Jazz ‘n Stanzas on Monday evening in the SUB den. The event was in conjunction with Black History Month and included a variety of performances, from singing to reading poetry.
Houston senior and Zeta Phi Beta member Makayla Williams said the event allowed attendees and performers to share in one another’s cultures.
“It’s just an event that’s here to raise cultural awareness about Black culture, Black art and Black music, so we just celebrate those things by using this space on campus for students from all different cultures,” Williams said. “We’re just creating another opportunity for students to share their voices and to be heard, because there aren’t that many spaces on campus, unfortunately, for students to express themselves.”
Baton Rouge, La., junior and Zeta Phi Beta member Kara Ellis said the event is special to Black History Month.
“It’s just an event where people can come to freely sing, sing poetry and all these different things to be an expressive moment for them,” Ellis said.
Ellis said the event is a tradition for the sorority.
“This event has been going on for many, many years,” Ellis said. “We take pride in this being in the beginning of Black History Month, and we think it’s very similar to our history — and just having the opportunity to get together to hear each other’s spoken words in which we can articulate how we feel about the semester, about the school year and just being ourselves in general.”
Williams said what makes the event important is its focus on cultural awareness.
“We’ve had this event for multiple years, and we’ve always had a turnout,” Williams said. “Our sorority actually focuses specifically on the culture of Black history, and we’re just celebrating what that looks like in different cultural spaces. … I think that’s one of the great influences of Black culture and Black history, is that it’s very versatile.”
Ellis said the event is for all students from all backgrounds and organizations, not just members of Zeta Phi Beta.
“We really enjoy that we get to perform music, and we really enjoy students with different cultures and backgrounds to participate as well,” Ellis said.
Ellis said the sorority is proud of the event because it carries a lot of value by uniting people across experiences and cultures.
“It’s just something special to us,” Ellis said. “We came up with this idea, and we really saw the vision behind it and how meaningful it can be not only for us to share our experiences, but for others to also share theirs. And I think it’s a good way for us to connect.”
Ellis said she hopes Jazz ‘n Stanzas, which is deeply rooted in the sorority’s history and tradition, will continue to expand.
“I’ve just learned about [Jazz ‘n Stanzas] throughout our history, and I honestly think that it’s just something I can’t wait to continue to grow,” Ellis said. “It’s an event that is welcome to all people, and we really encourage those who really want to share their experiences, no matter where they come from and no matter their background. … We’re happy to sit here and listen about your experiences at this event next year.”
