SC Family Reunion tops off Black History Month
Local businesses, student performers and various games highlighted the afternoon festivities.
By CALEB KIM
Early Thursday afternoon, Master of Ceremonies Damarea Parker took the stage to present his opening remarks to a crowd that had gathered around Founders Park, signaling the commencement of the University’s closing celebration for Black History Month.
Falling on the last day of February, the annual event — called SC Family Reunion — concludes the University’s catalog of Black History Month activities. From guest speakers and musical performances to games, food and dancing, a wide variety of festivities divvied the attention of attendees throughout the afternoon.
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Following Parker’s introduction were remarks from key University figures as well as student performances. President Carol Folt; Ken Bonner, the associate dean for inclusion and diversity initiatives of the Viterbi School of Engineering; Pedro Noguera, the Emery Stoops and Joyce King Stoops dean of the Rossier School of Education; and student-athlete Samirah Moody gave brief speeches.
Student-led dance and music performances were a highlight of the event. Applause rang throughout the air after student Giselle Strong performed her rendition of the Black National Anthem, “Lift Every Voice and Sing.” Various student and alumni artists, designers and dancers also displayed their talents, aligning with the University’s theme for this year’s Black History Month celebrations: “Empowering Excellence: Celebrating Black History through the Arts.”
Within the white picket fencing that bordered the perimeter of Founders Park, booths from local businesses and USC departments lined the walkways, attracting passersby during the breaks between speeches and performances.
Many of the booths featured local Black-owned businesses with deep roots in Los Angeles. Simply Wholesome, a Caribbean-inspired health-focused restaurant located in L.A. for the last 40 years, provided students with free samples of food from their menu.
Mia Keeling, Lead Marketing Director for Simply Wholesome, said she felt grateful for the opportunity to engage with the community that SC Family Reunion provided for small businesses such as hers.
“[USC] reached out to us with the intention of us coming but because we are a small business, sometimes in the past we haven’t been able to do different events,” Keeling said. “So this year, we are making it a point to go out into the community and remind people that we’re still here. We were really lucky to be here.”
Aris Carter, a freshman majoring in aerospace engineering, said the music, games and double dutch at SC Family Reunion created “good vibes.” (Jordan Renville / Daily Trojan)
In her accessories booth, eyewear and jewelry designer Raquel Rhodes displayed pieces from her brand I-Wear by Raqui. Rhodes, who has only spent a year in L.A., accompanied her sister Sequoia Roberts-Williams, owner of Kute Sis Accessories.
“[My sister and I] are here today representing her waist beads which are from West Africa, and they’re used to adorn a woman’s waist, to bring and welcome her into her femininity and womanhood,” Rhodes said. “My brand of eyewear is for people who were created to stand out and not fit in. We’ve got an array of accessories, gemstone rings, healing things, something delicious for everybody.”
Other booths included art displays, clothing pop-ups and informational booths from various USC departments. USC Hospitality, the Department of Public Safety and USC Student Life were among the many organizations that set up a booth at the event.
Many students also spent their time socializing and playing games. Cornhole, Jenga and jump rope stations were scattered throughout the park for attendees to use at any time. Aris Carter, a freshman majoring in aerospace engineering, enjoyed the music and the games the most from his experience at SC Family Reunion.
“I like the music, the old music and the new music,” Carter said. “It’s good vibes. It’s really fun, the games here, and the jump rope and double dutch and everything. It’s fun.”
For Carter, USC’s efforts in acknowledging and celebrating the University’s Black student population through events such as SC Family Reunion do not go unnoticed.
“It shows that USC is putting in an effort to acknowledge their Black students,” Carter said. “That’s one of the reasons why I came here. It’s because of how diverse [the University] is and how USC keeps that in the forefront of its mind. So I think it’s pretty cool.”
