“The thing I wanted to leave with people is to develop that curiosity muscle because curiosity leads to learning which leads to action,” St. Thomas music department professor George P. Shoultz III said.
During the month of February, St. Thomas is incorporating events that are centered around celebrating Black History Month, hoping to spark students’ curiosity in Black culture.
“Black history helps us really understand where we are as a nation,” Nayely Becerra Castillo, Student Diversity and Inclusion Services assistant director, said.
Using TommieLink, students can find events that are based around educating themselves on what the month truly means.
Every Friday in February, the university hosts an opportunity for students to participate in an event called Purple Couch: Uncomfortable Conversations with a Black Man.
“Everyone gathers around a couch, we watch a video, and then we just talk about what we observed. It’s very low stakes,” Becerra Castillo said.
The whole event is centered around author Emmanuel Acho and his New York Times best-seller titled “Uncomfortable Conversations with a Black Man.”
“I feel like when we have uncomfortable conversations… you yourself, start judging your own thoughts and how you feel like you’re going to be perceived by others,” Becerra Castillo said. “This provides opportunities to have uncomfortable conversations.”
The university also hosts the Twin Cities improv comedy group Blackout.
Blackout is made up of a group of people that have stormed their way through the Twin Cities by discussing controversial topics in a comedic form to educate their audiences on Black culture.
“It’s very light-hearted, but they have such an easy way of talking back to the audience (while) on stage,” Becerra Castillo said. “As actors, they express themselves and what they hope for the future in a comedic way.”
Additionally, Teachers Editing and Creating Hope Club will host unique opportunities for community members to explore the diverse field of education, such as a white accountability workshop, Diverse Voices Authors Series meetings, Black history movie night, slam poetry events, and workshops focused on educating students.
Within the Anderson Student Center, the Office of Diversity, Equity and Inclusion also put up a mural in recognition of the death of Amir Locke and the many other Black lives that have been lost to police brutality.
“I believe that to confront our unpleasant history is the first step in healing,” communications professor Debra Peterson said.
Another way the community can get involved is by focusing on Black artists and looking at the exhibits they are hosting this month.
“Joe Davis is a poet, singer-songwriter and a cultural architect, as he calls himself,” Shoultz III said. “Throughout the month of February, he’s selling tickets to an online concert that is all about bringing Dr. King’s idea of the beloved community into reality.”
SDIS also piloted a 21-day racial justice challenge that has incorporated podcasts, videos, and speakers and has encouraged students to educate themselves around racial equity.
“When it comes to Black History Month, we take that extra initiative to honor and to recognize the designation, but the work is continuous,” Kha Yang, associate vice president for inclusive excellence, said. “Anti-racism is not just about the Black experience; it’s about the experiences of the different communities and the challenges that they face. It’s an everyday journey.”
Annabelle Wiskus can be reached at wisk9881@stthomas.edu.