Portola High’s Black Student Union hosted its second annual Black History Month (BHM) Unites celebration in the Student Union on Feb. 20 at 4 p.m.
A student-led event, BHM Unites attracted a large turnout of students to celebrate Black culture, history and excellence. Similar to the inaugural celebration last February, this year’s event offered extra credit for social studies students, but also expanded from last year’s structure, according to BSU president and senior Mariam Elsharif.
“This year, we took a different approach,” Elsharif said. “Instead of having rows of seats where there would just be one presentation on the screen, we did a fair style, where people can visit the different booths and enjoy the performances on the stage as well, then all the food is outside for people to also enjoy.”
Lead organizer, co-vice president and sophomore Rimike Omolewu, who also pioneered the BHM Unites event, emphasized the spirit of the community in her speech, a reflection of the evening’s theme, “Together We Rise.” The spirit of community was also explored through a short panel discussion where three youth leaders, including the Irvine Valley College BSU president and the president and vice president of the OC NAACP youth council, shared their experiences with leadership. Building a community fostered on resolve was central to the event, according to Omolewu.
“If there’s something that you want to say or something you want to talk about, speak up about it. Don’t be afraid to talk about what you care about, or talk about what you want,” Omolewu said. “Because at the end of the day, that’s what’s most important, saying what you think, your opinion.”
Featuring booths from various organizations such as the OC NAACP, the Arts and Learning Conservatory and multiple historically Black sororities and fraternities, students learned more about each organization and played games in exchange for candy or snack prizes. Meanwhile, a graffiti and hip-hop dance performance by Dance LA Entertainment engaged students. Various vendors were also arranged outside the central space, serving food options ranging from Jamaican patties to Nigerian favorites such as jollof rice and puff puff, offering attendees a multicultural experience.
“As an Asian, I always also feel like I’m in the minority sometimes,” attendee and junior Jiwon Kim said. “So I wanted to be [part of] the act of letting people [honor] their community and participate in those so that they can feel more empowered.”
BSU hopes to continue the BHM Unites celebration in upcoming years, growing the event into a larger annual celebration that further strengthens unity on campus and amplifies Black voices within the Portola High community.
