The Black Student Union of Baruch College hosted its first-ever Gala to honor black students at the end of Black History Month.
The “Black Excellence Gala” required attendees to wear formal attire in order to celebrate the “black kings and black queens” of the BSU community and other members of the black community through elegance, music and performances, as stated by BSU’s Instagram page.
“They had good vibes and good food,” said Dana Brown, a senior finance major who’d never attended a gala before and always wanted to go to one. “It was an amazing experience.”
The Gala was the 21st and final event that BSU managed to host for Black History Month within the 29 days of February, where some days had multiple events occurring, according to BSU’s vice president Bintou Samura.
“The Gala was a way to celebrate our hard work and thank all of those who came out to our events to support us,” Samura said. The night was particularly important for members like Nayancie Matthews, a sophomore majoring in international business, who said that the BSU Gala was a great way to honor students of color on campus.
This is because the presences, struggles and social issues of black students are somewhat hidden and not particularly popularized at Baruch, with the many different cultures that the school houses. “I wanted to meet other students of color,” Matthews added when asked why she attended.
“I heard that BSU does a lot for Black History Month, so I thought this Gala would be a nice way to end it out.” The event consisted of roughly 100-150 attendees who are Baruch students, alumni and other guests at the multipurpose room.
The night also featured DJs such as PVO sounds, DJ KO, DJ OLA and was hosted by Shiggy. Students were able to party it up with a photo booth, fine dining and dancing.
They also enjoyed performances from the College of Staten Island’s dance team, a saxophonist and a “spoken words” poem recitation about black history and black America today, according to Jillian Lino, a marketing analytics senior who helped set up the event and get the word out about the Gala.
“They recited a poem, very deeply reflecting black history and today’s issues too,” said Gregory Antoine, a junior finance major. “The poem really connected everything together.”
Some members, like Antoine, attended the Gala purely because they were invited and knew what to expect from it. “I don’t think I’ve ever been to Gala. They did not disappoint when I came here. I had a very fun time,” he said. Antoine also mentioned that it’s important to enjoy college nights like this and was planning to keep the party going with several other members from the Gala who were going to an after-party located elsewhere.
“If you have second doubts, just come and see for yourself,” Antoine said in reference to students who aren’t sure whether they want to join BSU or be a part of any cultural organization at Baruch. “I had a good time.”
