Gathering for Black culture, Feb. 28
Students enjoyed food provided by CMU for Gather for Culture event Feb. 28.
From 6 to 8 p.m. on Feb. 28 Central Michigan University’s Multicultural Academic Student Services (MASS) Office and Organization of Black Leaders (OBL) hosted a cultural celebration of Black culture through food, games, music and more.
These activities were hosted in the Bovee University Center Maroon, Gold and Chippewa rooms. This event was free and open to the public.
CMU senior and OBL event coordinator, MoniQue Miller gave a small speech about the gathering before the event started.
"We wanted to end Black History Month with something more uplifting for the Black community itself which is why they called this event ‘Gather for the Culture’," Miller said.
The Maroon and Gold rooms were open for conversing and dining that MASS and OBL chose which includes crucial staples in the Black community that have been passed through traditions and enslaved ancestors for many years.
“Everything we have tonight is a celebration of everything we have overcome and we have extended that to other cultures to participate with us,” Miller said.
The menu consisted of po’boy catfish sandwiches, slow cooked collard greens, baked mac and cheese, cornbread and lemon glaze pound cake all made by CMU’s higher education dining services, Chartwells. Food was first come first served.
In the Chippewa room, MASS and OBL created space for students to dance to music and set up several tables to play games including Spades, #Culture Tags, Tell Me Without Telling Me, Black Card Revoked, Phase 10, dominoes and many more.
Attendees were encouraged to dress in their best cook-out outfit. At 7 p.m., students that participated in the best cook-out outfit were entered into a competition in which the judges chose two individuals who dressed their best to the event to win a prize.
“I want to thank everyone that came out to the event tonight," Miller said. "Thank you for partaking in this event, you are making history by being here."
MASS and OBL hope to host more events and asks students and followers to stay tuned for more events on the OBL instagram.
