The Black Student Union of California Lutheran University has been celebrating Black History Month this year by hosting multicultural events every week throughout the month of February. 

Members of the Black Student Union, including president Izzy Arogundade, have been working hard to share African-American culture with the Cal Lutheran campus in order for the entire campus community to honor Black History Month.

“So far we have had a movie night where we showed the film ‘Dear White People’ and it was basically about a Black Student Union trying to find their voice at the campus they were at,” Arogundade said.

The Cal Lutheran culture club also had a group dinner at Roscoe’s House of Chicken and Waffles earlier this month, and on Feb. 7 the club had a private movie screening for Will Smith’s new film “Focus.”

On Feb. 26 the club will team up with Juanita Hall, senior director of Multicultural and International Student Services, for a racial profiling event called Policing for the 21st Century-Balancing Justice & Safety.

The Black Student Union will host a three-on-three basketball tournament on Feb. 28 on the basketball court outside of Grace resident hall for the club’s final event of the Black History Month celebration.

Arogundade said  her main goal for the club, not only throughout Black History Month but also throughout the entire year, is to make sure that African-American students have a comfortable place to turn to.

Junior Evan Carthen, the club’s secretary, said the purpose of the Black Student Union at Cal Lutheran is to spread diversity throughout the campus.

“I think we try to share as much of our culture with the Cal Lu campus as much as possible, and definitely give students a different perspective where people are from. Also how different people may act in different situations,” Evan Carthen said.

The Black Student Union meets every other Tuesday at 8 p.m. in the Grace lounge.

Arogundade said the club’s focus is to be a safe place on campus for all students to come to listen and discuss cultural issues the African-American community faces.

“We are open to a lot of people, and that is one thing that we have really tried to foster in the last two years. That we want to be able to be a spot where anyone can come,” Evan Carthen said.

Junior Eric Carthen, the club’s co-president, joined the Black Student Union his freshman year because he said it is a comfortable place to be. Eric Carthen said the Black Student Union is a crutch students can lean on because members can always count on one another.

“The Black Student union is just kind of bringing culture as a whole to campus. It’s very inclusive. It’s a place of sharing of our culture and people can come to gather and share about themselves,” Eric Carthen said.

Arogundade joined the Black Student Union her freshman year and through the club she was able to find her voice amongst the members of the Cal Lutheran community.

“I was really shy when I got to CLU and I just didn’t feel comfortable. When I found BSU I was able to come out of my shell and open up. I learn from the people who have been here a long time and know that they went through the same thing I did,” Arogundade said.

The club officers encourage all students to become involved with the Black Student Union because it is a great outlet where all students are accepted.

“It’s for everyone and we like to foster our conversations to include everyone and to be inclusive,” Evan Carthen said. “That is one thing that we keep striving for and that is one thing we hope we accomplish with each and every meeting and all our events.”

Brooke Straeter
Staff Writer
Published February 25th, 2015