With Black History Month well underway at Ramapo College, the Black Student Union (BSU) has been hosting events every week to honor and celebrate Black culture and history. On Thursday, Feb. 20, BSU and the College Programming Board (CPB) came together to host Black History Through Food and Fashion. This event was a two-part event that gave students a chance to experience Black culture in two unique ways.
Before the coronavirus pandemic, BSU used to host yearly fashion shows during Black History Month as one of their biggest events of the semester. They would have outside runway models come and join the celebration of culture and to bring to life art of design and clothing.
After a small break due to the pandemic, BSU president Faith Duncan wanted to bring back this annual event and to show off the fashionably-inclined Black students on campus.
To start off the night, BSU hosted their reinstatement fashion show event. For weeks, they have been posting looking for individuals to walk in the fashion show showcasing their individual culture and style.
At the event, attendees of the event were asked to sit in the chairs placed around the stage giving the runway style appeal giving the fashion show feel. With cameras placed around the stage, participants took in a line formation to get ready to walk.
For the runway portion of the event, there were four different categories in which people walked: Soul of Africa, In the Streets, Fashion Story and Going Greek. Participants were able to choose their outfits according to their chosen category and showcase their unique style. Each category had three to four people walking with their different clothing.
As each participant walked across stage, an announcer would say the person’s name and give a little background about the outfit that they wore regarding what it represented and why they wore the chosen outfit.
For many, they took the opportunity to represent their culture and identity, while others showed off their own individuality in their style. Within the categories, each person and outfit made a statement about their culture, history and identity that are not always seen.
For the runway portion of the event, there were four different categories in which people walked: Soul of Africa, In the Streets, Fashion Story and Going Greek. Participants were able to choose their outfits according to their chosen category and showcase their unique style. Each category had three to four people walking with their different clothing.
Duncan said in an interview with The Ramapo News that, “A Fashion show is a perfect event for showcasing the diversity in our personal identities as black people. It leaves us with a lot of opportunity to showcase the pride we have in how we present ourselves and our stories.”
Following the end of the fashion show, all participants walked across the stage together once again showing off their clothing before coming together off the stage. As a part of the intermission, BSU hosted Black History trivia, as well as a showcase of student talents through rapping and poetry.
After, Ramapo’s Alpha Kappa Alpha sorority, Mu Sigma Upsilon sorority, Omega Psi Phi fraternity and Sigma Gamma Rho sorority performed a “strolling” performance where they showed the different chapters on the Ramapo campus that showcased a coming together and longstanding tradition.
To end the first part of the event, a student-organized band, Fog Moon performed three covers songs. Upon the conclusion of the night, students were encouraged to go downstairs to the Alumni Lounges to enjoy the special dinner offered by CPB. Soul food was served which included fried chicken, macaroni and cheese and mashed potatoes. Participants and attendees gathered in the lounges talking and enjoying the food.
BSU’s fashion show was an opportunity to showcase identity, culture and history in an educating yet entertaining way. It gave the opportunity for students to become more involved in Black History Month and to take a little history away from the event.
Duncan said, “I think the event was extremely successful! We had an excellent turnout. The models had great fashion and energy, so it was great to hear the crowd cheer for their friends.”
While it was small this year, she hopes to expand it in the coming years to get it back to the way it was before.
BSU continues the month-long celebration through the rest of their fun and educating events that all lead up to their end-of-the-month celebration Back to Black: The Turn Up. To learn more about BSU and its events for Black History Month check out their events at https://www.ramapo.edu/edic/
rbleich@ramapo.edu
Featured photo courtesy of @ramapocollegenj, Instagram
