Black History month celebration

By Jordan Ferris

Talent night celebrates Black History month

On February 25, Making it Awkward: Challenging Anti-Black Racism and Black Law Students Association held a Speak Black spoken word night at the College for Creative Arts. The night was designed to bring students of colour together to share life experiences but also raise awareness of the issues they face. It looked to do this through having spoken word artists and other perform. Along with discussing issues, the event also looked to shine a light on Black talent. Kayla Smith, one of the spoken word performers, said events like this are important to opening dialogue.  

“I think it’s really important in an event like tonight to get the community together to talk about about the issues that are important to people of colour,” said Smith. “We’re not living in isolation we live together in the city and that’s really what the takeaway is. We’re here together to talk about issues so that we can be better people.”

Over nine artists demonstrated talents from singing to slam poetry. The topics ranged from speaking about celebrating the history of Viola Desmond to the struggles they have faced because of their skin colour. Brian Nickson was one of the featured artists and was there to show off a couple of his paintings. Smith also gave a heartfelt speech about police brutality and the death of a Stephon Clark, who was shot in his (Clark’s) grandmother’s Sacramento backyard in March of last year.

Laci Carti, president of both Making it Awkward: Challenging Anti-Black Racism, and the Black Law Students Association, said this was a first-time event and she wanted it to end Black History Month on the right foot.

“This is the first time we’ve ever had a Black History Month event through the faculty of Law and the school social working collaboration,” said Carti. “So this event is here to celebrate Black culture, Black art and songs…pretty much everything.”

Carti said there are more events planned for the future that will aim to tackle issue minorities face, and that as long as there are inequalities she will fight to change them.