On Friday, October 23, the students of Catawba College were silent yet their actions were among the loudest in the wake of the protests in Charlotte. In response to the shooting death of an unarmed black man, Keith Lamont Scott, the ensuing conflict among citizens and police has grown tremendously throughout the United States. The college’s chapter of The Black Student Union organized a peaceful silent protest to mourn Scott and others who have lost their lives in the ongoing issue of police brutality.
For those there to witness the silent protest, it was an unforgettable experience. At first glance, one might disregard it as kids just being kids, however; when you look more carefully at the faces of the faculty, staff, and students in attendance, you see caring. While their bodies were draped in black for those lost, their faces expressed the questions that we have been asking ourselves for years. Why is there is so much intolerance in this world? What can we do to stop it? These are the questions marked across each face along with one of great sadness for the loss of life in this period of civil unrest.
“We want to be liaisons to the community,” said Black Student Union (BSU) chapter President, Alexis Beverly. The Black Student Union, established in 1969, served as a means of bringing black students together to achieve academic and personal success through the pursuit of knowledge and service to their respective communities. “We want people to know that we are all inclusive and that having the word ‘black’ in the title does not exclude you,” she continued. This group could not have come at a better time for the college. Not only is the school growing in terms of cultural diversity but also includes more socially aware programs such as the ‘It’s On Us’ campaign and Diversity Club with their inclusion of LGBT representation on campus, the Black Student Union fits in well to the new culture and attitude at Catawba College.
Recently, I sat down to discuss BSU’s other memorable events with Ms. Beverly herself. One of the most recent being The Cypher, a freestyle rap event for students to come and express themselves freely and creatively. “We had one student who rapped about being autistic and it was great to see so many people come out of their shell.” Additionally, on Saturday, October 22, the group hosted a Halloween party from 9 pm to 12 am in the cafeteria. Beverly stated that students should come out and help them kick off their inaugural bash this year. So, if you are a student looking for an amazing group with a great message, please check out the Black Student Union.
[This article is featured in the Fall 2016 Print Edition of the Catawba Pioneer.]
