February is an important month of the year to highlight the history and celebrate the contributions of African Americans in our society. Black History Month also serves as a reminder of the ongoing fight for equality.
Asaph Tekeste and Jada Williams are two Black Student Union (BSU) leaders who shared their insights about Black History Month and its importance.
“This month highlights all the achievements black people have done throughout this country,” Tekeste said. “And I think that's something that hasn't been highlighted for a long time, not just thinking about recent years, but throughout the whole history of America. And US black people aren't always accredited for the work they do so this month is for those people who did things, who actually helped this country and shaped it into what it is today.”
Both Tekeste and Williams have faced challenges because of their race and had to struggle through racist remarks.
“I think there's a lot of people who make little judgments that might not seem like a big deal. People ask me, where are you from? Or, like, where my parents are from, and if I were to say, Portland, they continue with ‘where are you really from?’ Those kinds of microaggressions happen a lot,” Tekeste said.
These comments are even more prevalent growing up and in school environments.
“In middle school and elementary school, people used to ask me to touch my hair,” Tekeste said. “And it was so weird to me so I kept my hair super short so no one could ask me that. There's a lot of little things like that that happen to every black kid. That shouldn't be the standard.”
Learning how to work through judgements and push back on microaggressions, Tekeste and Williams have found a better sense of who they are and their identity.
“I realized that I don't need to focus on what other people say because that's not me,” Williams said. “And I need to surround myself with good people and have good self confidence so that if these things happen they don't affect me as heavily as I feel like they would.”
Black student union (BSU) has gained more popularity in the past few years, with more people consistently joining meetings and participating in activities such as the MLK assembly and social justice week. The overall message of the club is to provide a safe space for all African Americans on Jesuit’s campus and allow a diverse environment that doesn’t judge and comes together as one identity.
“Being a member of BSU definitely created a community for me, especially at Jesuit, where I came here not knowing a lot of people,” Williams said. “The BSU community was a place where I was accepted and started to find myself so that I could thrive in the whole environment of judgment.”
Tekeste hopes that Jesuit students start to learn more about Black History Month and the many African Americans in the US that have accomplished so much yet haven’t been recognized.
“This month we have been doing Black History Month facts on the PA system, so I encourage students to listen in and learn something they didn’t know before,” Tekeste said. “Even I learned that the traffic light was made by a black person and it's important to learn these little things and know how influential those advancements are.”
A big question to ask during this month is “How are we ensuring black voices are heard on Jesuit’s campus?” It’s important to recognize voices in our own community and continue to amplify their culture when we can.
“There might not be a lot of things that celebrate black people but having things like the multicultural assembly where this year we're finally participating in it and the MLK assembly helps to remember and commemorate us. I'm seeing steps towards the right direction and Jesuit’s trying to make sure that people don't forget our voices,” Williams said.
As Black History Month comes to an end, students should continue to celebrate black history and the numerous achievements African Americans have contributed to society. Recognize and learn more about this month and further explore the impact black culture and history has had on not only the world but our Jesuit community.
“Learn new things about new people and start to understand how our culture is important and relevant to society today. Don’t brush over things of the past,” Williams said.
