The Black Student Union, representing diversity on K-State’s campus, is partaking in this year’s Homecoming Week.
This year’s BSU theme for Homecoming will be the 1980s, so the group has been preparing since Oct. 6 to represent Michael Jackson, Prince and other icons from the ’80s in the Homecoming Parade. Taj Brimmer, junior in public relations and social work, is the BSU social programs director and oversees the preparation for the event.
“We plan to participate in the (Student Organization) Sidewalk Chalking Contest, Pant the Chant, Paint the ‘Ville and the Parade,” Brimmer said. “We are a small organization, so we don’t need more than one week’s worth of time like greek organizations do.”
BSU, which was established in the fall semester of 1969, uses their mission “to become positive role models for future minority students” to lead their involvement in different K-State activities throughout the year, one of them being Homecoming.
Braxton Jones, junior in electronic media and member of BSU, said he is enthusiastic about participating in Homecoming for the first time.
“This is my first Homecoming here, so it’s going to be a new experience that I’m excited about,” Jones said. “I’m excited to see how everything comes together, not only from the BSU aspect, but from all the organizations and clubs on campus that are participating. I’m excited to see how it all unfolds. This is supposed to bring K-State together and I think that is something special, you know, when you are part of something campus wide. I think that’s something you can take value in.”
Jones also said being a part of BSU has a unique feeling that no one can take away.
“We come together and we share those common denominators of loving each other, and that’s what it’s all about, you know,” Jones said. “At the end of the day we are in a predominantly white campus, and being able to feel each others’ energy of being black it’s just special, is something that we have and nobody can take away.”
Muenfua Allen Lewis, president of the organization and senior in finance, said that BSU’s involvment in Homecoming is a good way for the group to represent a different culture in the K-State community.
“We’ll add a little color,” Lewis said. “We’ll add a different perspective in terms of culture, just a little something different, and we’re glad to represent the multiculturalism here and to be a voice for it in some way.”
Lewis said being the president is more like being the spokesman for BSU. He said besides making sure the day-to-day tasks the organization are running smoothly, he has to delegate the work that he will not be able to accomplish. One example is Brimmer being in charge of the member’s involvement in Homecoming activities.
“It is her second year doing this, so she does a pretty good job,” Lewis said.
BSU will be a part of the competitions and hopes to bring home some prizes, but Lewis said that their main idea for the event is to just have fun.
“I want (the members) to enjoy Homecoming, enjoy the BSU, enjoy with the university and really get that whole school spirit,” Lewis said. “That’s what I’m really excited about.”
