The History

On Feb. 28, the Black Student Union (BSU) hosted the ongoing tradition of the Black Excellence Gala for the community. According to theater performance senior and BSU president Monique Watkins, the Black Excellence Gala was started 10 years ago by students who saw a need for black students, faculty, staff and community members to have a safe space to come together and celebrate each other.

“It was a thing for [the Black Excellence Gala] to be on the last day of Black History Month, which is Feb. 28 this year,” Watkins said.

She mentioned she is glad they “were able to keep up with that tradition and have it on the 28th” but she also stated that it is “just a moment for all students, faculty, staff, [and] anyone who is available and willing to celebrate black history and excellence on our campus and community.”

The Event

“ I’m having a wonderful time. The atmosphere is very much welcoming and I feel very pretty and safe in the space,” graphic design senior D’Sani Buie said.

Another attendee, political science senior Tucker Smith, mentioned how the black excellence gala has an importance to him.

“ I firmly believe that God doesn’t see race. He put us on this earth together to live amongst each other and to love one another. That is the ultimate goal of this whole thing called life: to live a life pleasing unto him, but doing so by loving each other,” Tucker said. “If you can’t love each other, then you lose the purpose of life. So I think events like the Black Excellence Gala contribute to that love.”

Academic recruitment specialist for Prothro-Yeager and McCoy Jeanette Perry was also an attendee at the gala as well as one of the contributors.

“ Any opportunity that I can be at to support my students, I’m gonna be there for them. I’m a resource person on campus, so it is a absolute honor and a pleasure to see the students that come and visit me every day, go on to do amazing things. And if I can support them in any small way, that’s what I’m gonna do,” Perry said.

As the gala came to an end many attendees mentioned how they loved seeing all the support of other black students as well as non-black students. Mass communications sophomore Nia Butler was one of those attendees.

“ I just love the fact that we were all able to come together. I think in today’s climate, doing an event like this would be great for all the students to come out and I can’t wait for next year,” Butler said.