Young Black voices were amplified at the Back on the Block event Wednesday, hosted by the Iowa State Black Graduate Student Association and the Black Male Coalition.
The event, which was hosted from 6 to 10 p.m. in Kildee Hall, showcased a wide variety of cultural activities and the amplification of young Black voices from the community. Movie and celebrity trivia, spoken word poetry, food and music culminated in a night of Black joy and significance.
The energy was vibrant and electric with an overall attitude of support and inclusion. This extended to participants who were fairly new within the Black community at Iowa State.
One participant in the festivities was Rockson Owusu Amponsah, a graduate student from Ghana.
“Being here has given me the opportunity to interact and learn more about the African American culture and also experience it for myself,” Amponsah said. “It was great.”
Between the fun activities, the spoken word poetry allowed listeners to experience different perspectives and appreciate the talent on display within the community.
Odosa Amadasun, a junior studying sociology, performed her spoken word entitled “More to Me,” which dove deeper into the intersectionality of being a plus-size woman in the Black Community.
“I wrote this on my experiences of not only being a Black woman in America, but being a fat Black woman in America; it’s a whole different ball game,” Amadasun said. “So, I was very, very, passionate about it when I was writing it and I really wanted to add in the different qualities about what it is, and how it’s not all of me. I’m more than that.”
Another individual, Confident Fandeh, a senior studying architecture, also performed a spoken word poem during the momentous evening.
“It makes me feel good, especially going to a PWI, we don’t really see a lot of faces around campus; on the bus, at the bus stop, in your classes,” Fandeh said. “It just makes me feel good to be in spaces like this outside of the classroom to see my own people, to engage with them and laugh.”
This is not the first, and certainly not the last, celebration of Black culture hosted by these associations. Pushing forward, striving for Black excellence will continue to be a driving force for these communities due to the bonds built and the passion for joy that is always aflame.
For more information on the BGSA, visit their website, or follow their Instagram page.
For more information on the BMC, follow their Instagram page.
