BSU shares how they celebrated Black History Month
Mar 2, 2022
The Black Student Union reformed this school year, after a year-long hiatus due to distance learning, and is back on track!
Co-President and senior Lydie Kizungu said that she decided to bring back the club, focusing specifically on fostering a safe environment for all members.
“We wanted to make the BSU a place where black people can feel welcome and comfortable, because Mountain View doesn’t have a lot of [black students],” Kizungu said. “It’s also just a club where anybody else can join, to get to know who we are, and learn more about black culture and history.”
To celebrate Black History Month, BSU watched “13th,” a documentary on Netflix that investigates how racial inequality manifests itself in the mass incarceration of African American men.
Kizungu said that the club often relates historical events featured to current events, like recent police brutality, while watching the film. Her goal is to facilitate meaningful discussion in the club surrounding “all the struggles going on with the black population today.”
“We connect the dots, and think about what our role is when it comes to all the issues today,” Kizungu said. “We try to see how we can make some differences.”
Black History Month was initially proposed by the Black United Students of Kent State University in 1969. However, it was officially recognized in 1976 by President Gerald Ford.
It is essential to support the black community, during and beyond black history month, Kizungu said, “whether that’s helping black businesses, recognizing black accomplishments, or learning more about their experiences.”
