On Tuesday, Feb. 11th, the Office of Student Government (Student Gov.) and the Commuter Resource Center brought African American culture to life in "Know Your Roots," at the Human Rights Institute. The event was hosted in honor of Black History Month, as well as to celebrate African American culture and diversity in the Kean community.
Attendees got a chance to experience Black History at its finest, all while enjoying great food, good music, and even learning about legendary icons and events from previous generations. Those figures included Harriet Tubman and Jackie Robinson. Walking into the first floor of the Human Rights Institute, students were greeted by Student Gov. staff members, and checked in with their Kean University event passes. They were then given tickets to participate in activities that were spread out across the hallway of the first floor.
The activities were engaging, like trivia games, in which they were presented with facts about famous figures in black history from today or previous generations. If students got the answers correct, they were given free, custom made t-shirts, courtesy of the Office of Student Government. A photo booth was also set up, where students and guests captured some memorable moments holding flags of many different countries that represent African American culture.
Next to all of the activities that were in session, there was also a table labeled "My Black Is," where students wrote down what being African American means to them, to better express themselves and to promote representation for Black History.
Tatyana Rafael Calderon, one of the student coordinators for Student Gov., believes events such as this will help students learn more about Black History, especially beyond the boundaries of the classroom, because students can only learn so much in a certain amount of time about one particular topic.
"Every table present has a purpose and [provides] information about African Americans and their history, including how it came to presence in modern day culture. This, by far, is one of my favorite events that we do because it brings culture and awareness about important people who have made a contribution to the United States and the entire world." said Calderon.
The event had a massive turnout. and was a complete learning experience for all of those who were interested in Black History month. The community can keep on the lookout for other upcoming events through Cougar Link. Students can visit the Commuter Resource Center, on the first floor of the Nancy Thompson Library, for more information. For questions regarding Student Government, contact their office by phone at (908) 737-5190, or by email stuorg@kean.edu to learn more.
