By Bella Whitmore | Intern
Despite being fairly new to Baylor, the Black Student Union has made major strides toward diversity and has fostered a welcoming community for black students on campus.
Dallas sophomore and executive board member Lauren Whitfield outlined the Black Student Union’s commitment to representation and inclusivity.
“Really, we are just trying to create a safe community and outreach for Black students on campus,” Whitfield said. “Going forward, our goal is for them to know they have people that are there for them, representing them and showing them that they can be a part of the organization — whether they’re interested in social media, community changes or structural and leadership roles.”
With February kicking off, Black History Month is in full swing for the Black Student Union, and there is no shortage of events to attend and activities to participate in, according to Cypress senior Brooklyn Joseph, the organization’s president.
“We are trying to take advantage of the time to offer Baylor students an opportunity to see Black history in different scopes through different themes like historical events, more fun events, Valentine’s events, etc.,” Joseph said.
Just a few of the activities hosted by the Black Student Union this year include a kickball tournament on Feb. 6, a Black History Walk in partnership with Baylor Libraries on Feb. 15 and “Soulful Sunday” on Feb. 23, which supports local Black-owned eateries.
The concept of having a Black Student Union on college campuses has been around since the 1960s, with the number of unions growing into the thousands across the country. These unions serve to foster unity within college campuses, but also among the unions at different universities as well.
“One of our major goals is to connect with other schools as well — for example, our upcoming Big 12 Conference,” Whitfield said. “It’s going to take place at Oklahoma State University, and we’ll have the opportunity to connect with other Black Student Unions that have similar ideas and in that way we are able to help build each other up.”
Now more than ever, it is crucial for cultural clubs and organizations to stand firm in their principles and their right to occupy space in different communities, according to Joseph.
“No matter what students are doing outside of the Black Student Union, you just kind of want to have something that you know you can always rely on,” Joseph said. “We are fortunate to feel rooted enough and to have someone like Dr. Livingstone, who sees the importance of having spaces for multicultural affairs. When we connect with other universities who, in the last weeks and months, have had those resources stripped away from them suddenly, we try to support and help them as a university that still has those resources.”
Baylor’s Black Student Union remains a cultural and community hub for students on campus while also making it a priority to lift up other Black Student Unions across the country that feel under attack and stripped of identity.
“Overall, the question is: How can you be bigger than just what you have in front of you?” Joseph said.
