During midday on Tuesday in the dining hall, Black Greek Letter Organizations, a collection of Greek life chapters targeted towards Black individuals, took to Center Stage to spotlight an underreported part within Black culture—Greek life.
As part of Emerson’s Black History Month celebrations, Intercultural Student Affairs partnered with Emerson’s Black Organization with Natural Interests and Bon Appetit to host the luncheon as a way to celebrate Black culture and community. Students interested in joining local chapters of BGLOs were also able to speak with representatives, many of whom were represented amongst the Emerson staff in attendance.
“Our culture and our heritage isn’t just for exploitation. It’s for honor and respect and celebration,” said Tamia Jordan, director of Intercultural Student Affairs and a member of Delta Sigma Theta. “There’s so much pride in that, so having it be so present and out is really important.”
BGLOs emerged during a time of turbulent race relations in America as a way for Black students to celebrate the principles of personal excellence, racial awareness, community service, civic action, and kinship, according to the National Museum of African American History & Culture. The nine BGLOs formed the National Pan-Hellenic Council, also known as the Divine Nine in 1930.
“Emerson should always celebrate Black history, no matter what month it is,” said Zola Lopes, a junior acting major and the co-president of EBONI. “Black Greek life is a really important part of Black history. It’s a way that people came together and found community.”
While Emerson doesn’t have its own chapters of BGLOs, interested students can still join chapters within the Boston area.
“It’s really important for folks to see us, not just in all the intense realities of what it means to be a BIPOC person living today, but also to see us celebrating who we are because we love who we are,” said Jordan.
Juanma Suarez, the program coordinator for Intercultural Student Affairs, said the department has been working with the dining hall throughout the year during heritage months and cultural celebrations to foster awareness and conversations about these traditions on campus, like Hispanic Heritage Month and Lunar New Year.
“We’ve been trying to bring a special station for students to experience food from that culture, as well as, if possible, bringing some entertainment for folks to get a better experience,” Suarez said.
During the luncheon, attendees enjoyed curated dishes of shrimp, sausage, and chicken gumbo with mac and cheese and collard greens while they listened to live music by Malagasy vocalist Niu Raza and guitarist Miguel Diaz.
Sequoia Pilgrim, a first-year visual media arts major, said she enjoyed the live music and the opportunity to talk with the BGLOs representatives.
“I think it helps some students from not feeling isolated, and gives them an opportunity to reach out to other people and get involved in a lot of things like this,” Pilgrim said.
“These events help bring [the] community outside of the school into the Emerson community,” Lopes said. “If we continue to make our community bigger here, it helps students of color, specifically Black students … feel safer in such a predominantly white school.”
Adia Hill, a first-year visual media arts major, said being a Black student at Emerson can feel isolating.
“We’re well aware that we are one of the smallest percentages of minorities at this school, especially when it comes to Boston schools in general,” Hill said. African American students composed just 6% of incoming first-year students in the fall of 2022, according to the most recent data released by Emerson.
She added that having events like the luncheon and engaging with organizations like EBONI and the Cultural Center are important to highlight minority communities.
“Having spaces where we can feel welcomed and appreciated is very necessary,” said Hill. “I feel like it helps keep peace and keeps people from feeling like they’re disappearing.”
