Brandeis students and alumni celebrated the 30th anniversary of Intercultural Center (ICC) and Brandeis and academic excellence by the Black student community in a two-day gala called the State of Blackness. The purpose of the event was to commemorate the contributions of BIPOC students at Brandeis through performance, personal reflection, music and art. The event was hosted by the ICC and the student leaders from the Black Action Plan (BAP) DeBorah Ault ‘22 and Sonali Anderson ’22.
The event consisted of an opening dinner on Friday, April 1 at the Faculty Lounge, followed by the Gala at the Rose Art Museum. Afterwards, there was an after party at the ICC that included music from DJ Dacaso ‘09 and a brunch the following Saturday along with a book drive. The evening’s performances began with Ault’s recitation of a poem called “The Hill We Climb,” written by Amanda Gorman who is an American poet and Black activist that spoke at President Biden’s inauguration. In a recent BrandeisNow article, Ault speaks to the reason why she chose to share this poem, saying, “I chose this poem because I related our nation to the Brandeis community. I can’t change this country, but I can change my community.” Afterwards, the Aerionna Step ‘21 performed a solo dance, the Platinum Step Team shared a group step dance and the director of the ICC Habiba Braimah delivered a speech.
At the Rose Art Museum, speakers reflected on their hopes regarding the future of Brandeis and future initiatives towards racial justice. Brandeis alum Robert Jones ’71 M.A. ’75, who had participated in the occupation of Ford Hall, spoke about the importance of establishing an inclusive and equitable campus legacy. According to the BrandeisNow article, Jones shared that “One of the critical things about Brandeis University is our roots that can endure. It’s important that we build institutions that are inclusive and will continue to fight after we’re gone. We have to pass the torch on.”
Additionally, the student leaders of the BAP recognized the initiatives that had come to fruition since the BAP’s founding in 2020 during the State of Blackness event. The BAP was developed in response to the nationwide protests of police brutality and discrimination against Black people and the continued system racism present in American society. BAP leaders organized community events allowing Black organizations, clubs, students and faculty to comment on the needs of Black students at Brandeis. Their comprehensive outline have spurred ground-level changes in many departments across campus and continue to inform future initiatives.
