By Bryson Adkins
The Black Africana Student Union (BASU), at Grand Rapids Community College is welcoming students to celebrate Black culture and cuisine.
Food is a very important staple in Black culture and carries a very rich history.
BASU President Tyrell Jackson, 22, of Grand Rapids, said his student organization wants to share that love and welcome everyone to experience Black culture.
“We want every single culture to experience Black culture,” Jackson said. “Cookouts, that’s the moment, that was the time where family could get together in their busy lives just not worry about the outside world. Get together play games, listen to music, eat good food. That’s Black culture, if you don’t know that about Black culture then you’re not gonna know much about what we really like to do and our happy place.”
Jackson is hopeful that BASU’s campus events will help erase racial stereotypes that misrepresent Black people.
“The media likes to portray Black people as, you know, gang members doing X,Y and Z. They are always showing the bad stuff, some of the bad narratives,” Jackson said. “There are great things we actually do. Get some first-hand experience of what Black culture actually is.”
Jackson said BASU’s presences on campus is important.
“It’s a really big responsibility especially with BASU being one of the main student orgs bringing Black culture here on GRCC’s campus.”
Jackson mentioned BASU is creating a space where Black people feel welcomed and don’t get “lost in the sauce” as the president of BASU puts it.
To define the history of soul food, a lot of Black cuisine that is highly favored today can be traced back to the days of enslavement. Many Black people were given scraps from chickens ,pigs and cows. Gizzards and Oxtails are prime examples of what was made from those scraps. These dishes are now considered modern day delicacies.
As time went on and African Americans gained more rights,the one staple that kept Black families together is community gatherings and where people eat good food, play cards and listen to soulful music.
BASU has hired Woods and Woods Catering to cater the event. Some dishes that will be served will be mac and cheese, banana pudding and sweet potato pie.
“The rest you gone have to wait for,” Jackson said.There will be more menu items revealed at the event.
This free event will be hosted at the Applied Technology Center in room 120, Feb. 20 at 12:30 – 2 p.m.
You can follow BASU on Instagram @grccbasu to learn about future events.
