February is notable for being Black History Month, where celebrations take place to recognize black excellence around the world. Nova Southeastern University held an array of events and celebrations in honor of Black History Month.
Jessica Goldson–behavioral neuroscience major, Black Student Union Vice President and senior at NSU–discussed some of the events that the Black Student Union planned for February.
They kicked off the month with a spirit week, each day members would participate in different activities according to the theme. We are having a black history month tabling [event] as well.
“There is going to be food and free giveaways to get people excited about Black History Month, it’s time to be black, be proud,” Goldson said.
She also talked about NSU’s annual Black Excellence Showcase that has taken place at NSU the last four years.
“The last week of February we have our annual Black Excellence Showcase, where we invite students not only at NSU but around the surrounding universities as well, to come and showcase what black excellence means to them. We have poetry, we have painters come, we have musicians, dance teams and modeling, which is my favorite part. Every year we get a new type of talent to showcase at the Black Excellence Showcase,” said Goldson.
Goldson said that they always ask performers “what does black excellence mean to you,” as regardless of the talent that’s what matters.
The BSU is not the only organization putting on events for Black History Month at NSU. Adler Marchland, coordinator of the Diversity, Equity, Inclusion and Belonging Office, discussed their plans for Black History Month.
“We as a diversity office wanted to make sure we kicked off the black history celebration, so we did the ZuZu acrobats from Kenya. We also collaborated with our Pressure Dancers, and they came to open the show. We collaborated with many of our Black Organizations to do a Melanin Mashup. It was family reunion cookout vibes, giving you that black culture with a DJ, food, and entertainment,” said Marchland.
The office put on several other events during the month in celebration of Black History including a drive-in showing of “Hidden Figures.”
“There are a lot of Black History events happening on this campus a lot of the times people just don’t know about, or they are not well marketed especially to our students so with this diversity office that is something I wanted to make sure we focus on, on how do we reach our student demographic and letting them know,” said Marchland.
For more information on the Diversity Equity and Inclusion and Belonging Office student council follow their Instagram @nsu_dsc.
