As Black History Month was celebrated across the nation, the hard work and enthusiasm of one Storm King School senior made February a time to remember for our community. Known for her vocal talent and her commitment to spreading awareness about Black experiences and culture, Madison B. ’24 took the lead in planning a series of memorable activities to help SKS celebrate Black History Month.
From preparing an informative slide show about Black historical figures to organizing a Black History-themed formal dinner and Kahoot! among other activities, Madison’s efforts infused the month with a sense of purpose and energy. “Everything is the result of many weeks of planning, both personally and with the Black Student Union (BSU). The BSU played an integral role in coming up with the ideas for the BSU disco party and many of the days during our spirit week, such as Black Out Day and Purple Accessory Day. We wanted to make this month fun for people so they would want to participate and engage with the message we have to share,” explained Madison.
“Regarding our formal dinner and Kahoot!, I knew I wanted to make a slideshow for the dining hall and I thought it would be fun to have it lead up to a lively trivia game. The BSU came up with lots of ideas, keeping in mind that I wanted to celebrate different people than what you’d expect to see during Black History Month. There are so many people that could be talked about, so I wanted to feature those who may not be as well-known as others such as Shirley Chisholm and Marsha B. Johnson.”
Another highlight of the month has been collaboration between Madison, the BSU, and Storm King faculty to prepare for an Advisory period themed after the movie The Color Purple. Through reading and discussing the Alice Walker poem, “Be Nobody’s Darling”, and various videos, students were given the opportunity to delve deeper into aspects of Black history and culture, and gain a better understanding of Black experiences.
Reflecting on her role in shaping this year’s Black History Month activities, Madison said it has been both stressful and rewarding. “To me, Black History Month is a time to celebrate the legacy of Black people in America. This is not just a time to reflect on historical struggles and hardships, but to celebrate our excellence and achievements. Seeing the engagement that came from the trivia that we put so much work and effort into was such an amazing feeling! I hope events like this become a tradition for the BSU, and for SKS. I think this is important because of how diverse we are as a school. We should all recognize the power that comes from everyone who makes up our community, and we should celebrate all year long, not for just one month,” she explained.