February is Black History Month and a time to recognize, appreciate, and celebrate Black excellence. Campo’s BSU has various activities planned including a interdistrict “Quad City” dance, posting renowned Black leaders on the Canvas homepage and on posters around campus. All the revenue from the Quad City dance on February 28th will go to funding the BSUs in the district.
BSU president Owen Ludwig said the posters and homepage posts “help people understand what they [the Black leaders] did and their impacts.” These descriptions of Black leaders were researched and written by Miramonte’s BSU president and the idea was adapted by schools across the district.
Ludwig also hopes to get a Black owned business to come and cater food during academy or lunch to support them. Considering the themes of Black History Month overall, Ludwig said “it’s really cool that like every month highlights a different culture and people can have a voice so that everyone knows about and talks about the impact [that culture and people] have made throughout history. It’s not just the white Europeans you learn about…you can hear different stories and perspectives…it’s important that everyone understands how the world was shaped.”
Members of the BSU have exciting plans for the future. They have started a mentorship program with the Joaquin Moraga Intermediate School [JMIS], to give students a “sense of community…prep them for high school…and so they don’t have to feel scared that they’re not gonna have a group [in highschool]…we’re making sure they have a place to feel confident” said Ludwig.
BSU member, junior Malik Li also said the mission of the mentorship is to “make sure [the Black students from JMIS] have a safe transition into Campo, especially because the black population here is really low…we want to make sure they have people they can recognize and feel like they’re not in a foreign place” said Li.
Expanding the BSU and “continuing to grow the club…to have it be that safe place” is another goal Ludwig hopes to contribute to achieving. The BSU is a place for all students who want to honor Black history, Black stories, Black lives; it’s a place to cultivate a valuable community for advocacy and belonging.
BSU member, junior Violet Ludwig wants to emphasize “the club is for everyone…I feel like the name can be really intimidating because it just has Black Student Union in it but it’s just a place where everyone can come together and be themselves…it’s important to be conscious of other people’s cultures, which includes black culture” she said.
Advertising and marketing the BSU is especially essential for its members because “the meetings run way better with more people because we [the BSU] have stuff to talk about and we have things planned,” said Li.
Taking advantage of this affinity month to spread messages of acceptance and awareness centered around Black history, excellence, and pride, Li said “remember where you came from. Don’t try and reject that just because you don’t see anybody else who’s like you, you need to remember how you got here and that there are people who look like you out there in the world even if they’re not here.” Protecting the freedom and autonomy one has to own, build, and mold their identity extends beyond the month of February, beyond the BSU, and is something for all Campo students to embrace.
