Throughout February, the Black Student Union and the DEIB office highlighted Black students and culture at UPrep with a series of events and resources both inside and outside the classroom.
The BSU wanted to pursue an idea that looked toward the future, instead of just thinking about the past.
“One of the biggest themes we wanted to emphasize this year is that we are Black history in the making,” senior and BSU leader Nuani Santiago said.
Other events the BSU held last month included a movie night, where they watched “Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse” and had conversations during community time on ICE and walkouts.
She also claimed that a few of the goals of the celebrations were “honoring our graduating seniors while also symbolically passing the reins to our underclassmen as they step into leadership.” To do so, the BSU hosted a photoshoot featuring the senior leadership as well as younger members.
Director of Diversity, Equity, Inclusion and Belonging, Taylor Kanemori, brought back the Black History Month Playlist. Each week, the DEIB office shared a collection of resources, links and reading material with the staff and student body.
“A lot of our job in DEIB is being a resource and sharing resources, so the playlists are in that spirit,” Kanemori said. “We also want to make sure BHM is celebrated, and this is a small way for it to be highlighted throughout the month.”
Kanemori brought the idea for the playlists from SAAS. The themes that were included were: books and poems by Black authors, things to watch and businesses and organizations you can support.
