By: Rachael Jackson Staff Writer
The Journal is introducing a new Campus Life feature that focuses on promoting club activities. Every week, a new club will be spotlighted, which will include a summary of the club meeting and any upcoming activities the club will be holding.
The Black Student Union is part of Western’s Diversity Committee and has an active presence on campus, sponsoring events for Martin Luther King Jr., Day, as well as Black History Month.
Their meeting on Feb. 9 was a little different than usual because they were missing their group president, Thelma Hale. Leading the meeting in her stead was future club president G’Waun Dudley, an undecided first year, and secretary Courtney Briscoe, junior psychology major.
Though they both said they were nervous, they jumped right into the discussion with gusto. They started with signups for the upcoming week of events — be sure you check the Black History article for more information on what’s happening.
The group energy was high and electric as they discussed the upcoming events that would be occurring during Black History Month. Everyone seemed excited about signing up for various events.
Dudley, once the group had settled, brought up a recent event in the news coming from London. A West End club has recently been brought into the limelight for refusing, or over charging, service to dark-skinned and overweight women.
The discussion about the West End club went for a while as group members pulled apart the news story and examined it while asking critical questions.
Next, there was discussion on the legality of using rapper’s lyrics against them in the court of law. Most notable among those mentioned is Bobby Shmurda who recently had parole denied after being convicted in 2014 due in part to lyrics in a song.
There was a more polarizing effect in the group with this topic. Many believed that you were taking that risk when you write lyrics like that; others saw it as another level of artistry, likening it to writing crime novels.
The group was an eclectic bunch that all held varying opinions and came from different backgrounds.
“It helps me keep my culture,” said Dudley when asked about why he joined the club. “I think it is good for people to know about what has happened in the world. With anyone — we support all races, all cultures. I like that about the Black Student Union.”
If you are interested in lively discussion, the BSU meets on Tuesdays at 4:00 p.m. The next meeting is on February 16 in the Klamath room. Non-black students are welcomed and encouraged to join.
