By SARAH CLARK
News Editor
The smell of homemade food and the sound of exhilarating music caught the attention of students and faculty members who passed by the Campus Green on Sept. 4 as the Black Student Union, BSU, held a cookout to celebrate the start of the school year.
The executive board for the club welcomed all students to the cookout, and they feasted on food such as baked ziti, chicken, macaroni salad, and more. All of the items were made and purchased by the BSU members.
“Our mission is to be the voice for those who really don’t have one,” said Janay Salter, the BSU president and senior interdisciplinary studies major (focus in history education) at The College of Saint Rose. She adds how creating community is one of the biggest parts of making students across campus feel welcomed and included. “I value the mission with my life.”
Salter explains that when she first began her academic career on campus, she was not involved in the activities the college had to offer. Her passion for social justice supported her decision to join the club. Since then, advocating and helping people has “lit the fire” inside of her that she thought disappeared.
“We have definitely had an impact on the campus,” said Salter. She has been part of the BSU since her sophomore year, and last year she was the events coordinator. She has found that the club has fostered beneficial dialogues between students and faculty members, which supports their mission of inclusivity. “We have definitely made a lot more students comfortable on campus.”
Ariadna Lopez, the secretary of the BSU and a Saint Rose senior in the Criminal Justice program, highlighted the importance of the club and how it has bettered the lives of students. Besides discussing issues on campus, a few of the topics the BSU has spoken about are police brutality, the Colin Kaepernick controversy, and colorism. Throughout their time as a club, members of the BSU have provided a safe space for students to talk about these issues.
“[The BSU] is actually more about unity,” said Lopez. When she first started attending meetings, Lopez was happy to find that the concerns students often brought up during meetings were often addressed and taken care of. “We talk about these things hoping that it is touching people.”
Joshua Ferris, the BSU Public Relations Manager and Saint Rose communications student, also has enjoyed being part of the club and its mission for inclusivity on campus.
“After going to it, I really loved that [students] talked about difficult issues going on that they don’t talk about going on in the classroom,” said Ferris. “Instead of being like a debate it is more so of a conversation.”
The BSU will old their next meeting on Sept. 18 at 7:30 p.m. in Albertus 216. All students are welcome to join and are encouraged to voice their opinions and concerns.
As BSU members and non members both laughed and enjoyed the event among their peers, the club demonstrated their mission to the student body in that inclusivity impacts campuses positively, as being unified is an important part to a college that thrives. “Community is so important to us, it’s just so important that we set an atmosphere where everyone feels welcomed,” said Salter.
