Black Love Week is all about students spending time together and loving one another.

“We just want to show some love,” said Clarrissa Taylor, vice president of the Black Student Alliance.

The week features various events that give students an opportunity to show love and support to each other, said Aisha Mock, social chair for BSA.

“Support is important even though it’s not something really focused on,” she said.

Many students are away from home for the first time. Some students, particularly black students, are too far from home to see their families often. They can’t run home and get attention from Mom and Dad, so it’s important for students to stick together and help each other out, Mock said.

“No one can just do things on their own,” she said. “They need the support and the love of the people around them.”

Two days give students the opportunity to honor people who have shown them support. On Black Woman Appreciation Day and Black Man Appreciation Day, students gather to share stories of role models and positive influences.

People don’t often remember to appreciate others for just being themselves, particularly with the opposite sex, Mock said.

“Men and women have that gender barrier,” Mock said. “It’s not often a man will tell you, ‘I appreciate you.'”

In an effort to overcome that barrier, the women’s appreciation discussion is facilitated by men, and the men’s discussion is led by women.

Doing so makes the events more special because people are appreciated by people they didn’t think noticed them, Mock said.

Another event honors a former ISU student. A vigil for former ISU student Jack Trice will be held at noon Friday outside Parks Library.

“We want to take some time to remember the man and his legacy,” Mock said.

Jack Trice, the first black football player for Iowa State, died from injuries received during a game. Mock said that the opposing team intentionally attacked Trice because he was black and that it is important to honor his memory and remember that crimes committed in hate are unacceptable.

“We don’t want to put a damper on Homecoming,” Mock said. “We just want people to remember Jack Trice.”

Bringing a little piece of home to Iowa State is part of Saturday’s dance. Some students miss having a Homecoming with people from their culture like they had in high school, Mock said.

“We wanted this to be like a high school dance where you ask a girl out and drink punch, and people actually dance,” she said.

Another event provides community by sharing traditional foods from home. The event features foods that many black students would eat at home, but can’t necessarily find at the dining center, Taylor said.

“We call it a Soul Food Sunday because that’s the time when we make traditional black foods,” she said.

Foods to be served include chicken, macaroni, dressing, cornbread and collard greens.

Enjoying food that “sticks to your ribs” isn’t the only benefit from the event. Traditionally, students would be sharing conversation and a meal with their biological families. Here, fellowship is found with friends and new acquaintances at Iowa State.

“In the process of eating a big meal you get to fellowship with people more like you,” Taylor said. “It’s a time you can have a family away from your family.”

All events are open to anyone who wants to come, Taylor said.

“Though it may say Black Love Week, everyone is invited,” Taylor said. “We want to pour out our love to not only black students but everyone at Iowa State.”