Black History Month, DEI

Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion

Marist Celebrates Black History Month

Black History month is a time to acknowledge and celebrate the contributions and achievements of African Americans and Black people. It also acknowledges the suffering, challenges, and pain Black people have had to overcome. Marist's celebration of Black History Month is informed by understanding the historical and ongoing struggles faced by Black communities and appreciating their resilience and accomplishments in the face of challenges.

The Office of Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion, along with campus partners, presents programs that are educational, experiential, and entertaining. We encourage you to participate and enjoy the diverse offerings.

Educate

Take advantage of opportunities to learn about Black and African American history, culture, experiences, and societal contributions.

Experience

Engage and actively participate in events. Be a part of the conversation and reflect on what you learn.

Entertain

Enjoy the diverse offerings of food, music, art, and literature that bring our community together. Have fun!

Events and Programs

Edwidge Danticat Author Talk
Thursday, Feb. 1 - 5 p.m.
Cabaret

Haitian-American author, activist, educator, and cultural ambassador speaks on voice and vision vis-脿-vis diaspora identity. A question-and-answer segment will follow the talk. This event is open to the public.

Library Display
Feb. 1 - 29
James A. Cannavino Library, Second Floor

Features books, graphic novels, children's books, and films from the library's collection. There will also be works by Edwidge Danticat, who will be speaking on campus on Feb. 1.

Rep. Park Cannon - Discussion on race, queerness, and being a woman in politics
Friday, Feb. 2 - 5:30 p.m.
Fusco Recital Hall

An elected official from the Georgia House of Representatives, Cannon will discuss her experience as a black queer woman in politics.

Fashion Department hosts Boys & Girls Club of Southeastern Michigan
Tuesday, Feb. 6

Fashion department faculty will host an information session with Tori Nichelle of Maison Black and students from the Boys & Girls Club of Southeastern Michigan. This is part of the Maison Black Foundation mentoring series, which establishes pipelines to develop aspiring teen designers by providing real-life experiences on what it takes to be a successful fashion designer.

Bentley Brown Talk - Frederick J. Brown, 120 Wooster Street, and Lower Manhattan's Black Avant-Garde 1970s-1980s
Thursday, Feb. 8 - 4 - 6 p.m.
Lowell Thomas 129

Brown will discuss his father Frederick J. Brown鈥檚 career and the creative community of artists he cultivated at 120 Wooster in SoHo Manhattan. In doing so, he aims to share with students the important history of Black creatives in Lower Manhattan and their critical role as pioneers of the 1970s Loft Creative Movement. His talk addresses the systemic factors within Western Contemporary Art History that continue to render this history and histories of Black intercultural avant-gardism invisible.

Author Dipo Faloyin - Africa Is Not a Country
Wednesday, Feb. 14 - 2 - 3:15 p.m.
Lowell Thomas 129

Faloyin is a senior Editor at VICE, where he focuses on race, culture, and identity around the world. He was born in Chicago, raised in Lagos, and now lives in London. Dipo will talk about his process in writing Africa Is Not a Country.

Pre-Game Jam Fest with DJ Envy
Friday, Feb. 16 - 6 p.m.
McCann Center Turf Room

DJ Envy from The Breakfast Club, the most popular hip-hop and R&B morning show in the country, will host a pre-game jam fest prior to the Marist men's basketball game against Canisius. Celebrate Black History Month and root for the Red Foxes.

Dr. Yomaira Figueroa, Michigan State University Professor
Tuesday, Feb. 20 - 6:30 p.m.
Student Center River Room 3101

Dr. Figueroa-V谩squez will discuss parts of her forthcoming book, The Survival of a People (Duke University Press) which traces the disappearances and excesses of Afro-Puerto Ricans in the colonial archive and in contemporary cultural memory from the late 19th century to the present.

kpanlogo Dance Workshop
Wednesday, Feb. 21 - 11:30 a.m. - 1 p.m., 5 - 7 p.m.
Cabaret

Join Nii Okai Aryeetey and members of the Omanye Music and Dance Ensemble for a workshop where students will learn to dance the Ga dance kpanlogo.

Gourmet Dining
Wednesday, Feb. 21 - 4:30 - 8 p.m.
Main Dining Hall, Murray Student Center

The Marist Black Student Union, the Office of Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion, and Gourmet Dining honors Black History Month with several food selections that are representative of black culture. In addition to great food, representatives from BSU will be present to discuss their work. There will be a raffle and prizes include cookbooks from a prominent black female chef specializing in plant-forward cuisine.

kpanlogo Drumming Workshop
Wednesday, Feb. 21 - 5 - 7 p.m.
Cabaret

Join Nii Okai Aryeetey and members of the Omanye Music and Dance Ensemble for a workshop where students will learn to how to sing the songs and play the instruments for the Ga traditional music piece kpanlogo.

A Celebration of Traditional Ghanaian Music with Nii Okai Aryeetey and Omanye Music and Dance Ensemble
Thursday, Feb. 22 - 6 - 7:30 p.m.
Cabaret

A performance covering several drum-dance and folk music traditions from Ghana.

Truth Tellers: Teachers of Color / Photovoice Exhibition
Saturday, Feb. 24
Lowell Thomas Atrium
Exhibit will remain active through March

The Storied Experiences of Teachers of Color through Photovoice brings together educators of color from the region to explore their experiences in P-12 schools. The Marist community is invited to engage with these photographs and hear from the educators themselves as they share their perspectives on their lives in schools.

Aaron Mair: Intersectionality and the Climate Crisis - A Post-COP 28 Call to Action
Tuesday, Feb. 27 - 7 p.m.
Student Center 3102-3103

Among many accomplishments and honors, Mr. Mair was the 57th president of the Sierra Club and its first Black president. He is a dynamic, engaging speaker who is sure to broaden and deepen our understanding of social concerns surrounding the climate crisis.