#OMACelebratesBlackHistory

Celebrate Black History Month by honoring the legacies of activists like Sam Williams, a 40-year Haverford employee who marched with John Lewis, taking part in events ranging from a conversation with Dr. Ibram Kendi, and enjoying an evening of Southern-inspired cuisine followed by a workshop and performance by Philadanco, and by following the Black Students League and the OMA takeover of Haverford's Instagram Account, for which community members will be curating playlists, introducing their favorite artists, and uplifting the legacies of those whose lives and work illuminate the many ways in which Black lives have always mattered.

Haverford students, faculty, and staff members can check out Engage Events for full information; Zoom links will be shared the day before each event in the Daily Digest.

EVENTS:

February 11, 7:00–8:00 p.m.:“What makes a movement?”: Conversations with Masaru Edmund Nakawatase, the Office of Quaker Affairs Spring 2021 Friend in Residence on interrelations between civil rights, anti-war, and Native rights organizing.

February 12, 5:00–6:00 p.m.: “Not just surviving but thriving, not just adapting but transforming”: MMUF alums on catalyzing change in academia. Join alumni of Haverford’s Mellon Mays Undergraduate Fellows program—Sarah Derbew '09 (Classics and the Comparative Study for Race and Ethnicity, Stanford), Cruz Arroyo '15 (English, USC), and Jhoenidy Javier '19 (Comparative Literature, NYU)—for a conversation about how BIPOC scholars navigate and change educational landscapes.

February 13: Student Engagement presents Virtual Quizzo: Black History Month Edition

February 17, 8:00–9:00 p.m.: An Evening with Dr. Ibram Kendi, author of How to Be an Antiracist and co-author (with Keisha N. Blaine) of Four Hundred Souls: A Community History of African America, 1619-2019. Co-sponsored by Student Engagement and the OMA.

February 19, 7:00–8:00 p.m.: Teach-in on Afrofuturism. Join Valorie Thomas, professor of English and Africana Studies at Pomona College, for a conversation on how the intersections between African diasporic culture and technology, speculative art, and spirituality inform social justice work. Co-sponsored by BSL, MMUF, and OMA.

February 20, 7:00–8:00 p.m.: The OMA presents Leon Spencer and Keith Mburu '23 in a Mini-Concert. Leon Spencer is the assistant director of the Brandywine Valley Chorale and is also director of the handbell choir at the Episcopal Church of the Advent in Kennett Square, where he is also a vocal soloist. He is currently a member of the Council of Trustees at Cheyney University and works as a school support and career specialist at the Technical College High School in West Grove. Keith Mburu is a second-year international student from Nairobi, Kenya, interested in computer science and music. Co-sponsored by the OMA and Student Engagement.

February 22, 7:00–8:00 p.m.: The Hurford Center for Arts and Humanities presents STRANGE TRUTH: An evening with Garrett Bradley. New Orleans-based filmmaker and photographer Garrett Bradley, winner of the 2020 Sundance Film Festival Directing Award for her feature TIME, delicately captures one family’s milestones and everyday joys as they fight to free their father from prison.

February 22–26: The Coop will be featuring special lunches for the Haverford Community in honor of Black History Month.

February 26:

• The Dining Center presents an evening of Southern-inspired cuisine
• 7:00 p.m. Dancing While Black, Now and Into the Future: Performance, Class, and Discussion with The Philadelphia Dance Company, aka Philadanco! The Philadelphia Dance Company, founded in 1970 by Joan Myers Brown, is an internationally acclaimed modern dance company. Philadanco! was created in opposition to the systemic racism that denied Black dancers entry into dance schools and performance opportunities, and continues to champion Black artistry today. Join us for an open class workshop followed by live performances (over Zoom) of three works inspired by the experiences of Rosa Parks, Martin Luther King Jr., and the Central Park Five, as well as a subsequent Q&A. Ssponsored by Student Engagement and the OMA.

March Date TBA: Student Engagement offers Silent Disco featuring African American artists.

This programming and all the content for the Instagram takeover is thanks to the work of the following students:

Madison Adore, 2021, biology major/French minor, North Potomac, MD, I am the senior captain of the volleyball team and an Executive Board Member of the Athletes of Color Coalition.

What’s up everyone! My name is Darius Graham (he/him) and I’m a junior from New York City on the pre-health track, majoring in anthropology and minoring in health studies. At Haverford, I am the co-head of the Black Student League (BSL) and a cohort member of the Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, and Thriving (DEIT) Leadership Program. I spend my summers serving underserved communities as a medical scribe, but, in my downtime, I like to sleep, binge watch my favorite shows on streaming services, and listen to music.

Hi everyone! My name is Ebony Graham (she/her), and I’m a sophomore from Philly. I’m an environmental studies major and an education minor. Here at Haverford, I am a co-head of Black Student League (BSL), a member of our Questbridge Executive board, a student consultant  for the Students as Learners and Teachers (SaLT) program at Bryn Mawr and Haverford Colleges, a student facilitator for the Liberal Arts Collaborative for Digital Innovation (LACOL), and a member of our Black History Month committee. In my spare time, I love reading, listening to music, and spending time with my friends and family. Throughout the month of February on Tuesdays and Thursdays, I will be highlighting some local and global Black artists that you should know, so look out for that! Thanks!

Hello! I’m Bilikisu Hanidu '23 (she/her), born in Maryland, raised Nigerian. I'm currently on the pre-health path majoring in psychology with a double minor in neuroscience and health studies. At Haverford, I work in chemistry and neuroscience labs, am president of the Questbridge Chapter, and a Board Member of BSL. At Bryn-Mawr, I’m an events coordinator of the Ajoyo afro-beats dance team, and at Swarthmore, a member of the Muslim Student Association. In the scarce free time I get, I love almost all forms of artistic creation. Whether it be crafting a new recipe, creating choreography, or designing a photoshoot concept, it’s so fulfilling to watch an idea translate into an experience others can enjoy too. I’m excited to contribute to the Black History Month by highlighting hidden leaders in the Black community and facilitating conversations that share their journeys. 

Hi, I’m Jalen Martin (he/him)! I’m a sophomore and a prospective English major. I’m an editor for Shoegazing Magazine, co-head of the Black Students’ League, and I am also an Anti-Racism Project Assistant. For Black History Month, I will be posting Spotify playlists of music by Black artists every Saturday! Stay tuned.

Hi, my name is Keith Mburu (he/him). I am a second year international student from Nairobi, Kenya, interested in computer science and music, among other things. I really enjoy singing, whether on my own or in a group, and I’m honored and excited to perform in contribution to this year's Black History Month celebration!

Hello! I’m Lourdes Taylor, (she/her) a senior English major concentrating in creative writing with minors in dance and environmental studies. I’m from Chicago, IL, and currently live off-campus in Philadelphia with friends. I am a member of The Philadelphia Dance Company’s  (Philadanco) second company, D2, which I have been a part of since the spring of my sophomore year. On campus, I work in the Writing Center, and previously lived in the Black Cultural Center for two years. During Black History Month, I’m excited to be part of organizing the performance, Q&A, and class with Philadanco!