Arts & Culture
Black Student Union Weekend celebrates African American culture
The Pointer
jmath438@uwsp.edu
This weekend, students and faculty are invited to step outside the boundaries of routine and attend a variety of music, dancing and culture events that celebrate African American culture in Stevens Point.
The Black Student Union will host the weekend’s events, which kick off with a dance at 7 p.m. on Friday, March 27.
Black Student Union members said the weekend is a way to create a greater degree of unity in the community.
“We just get everybody together,” said BSU member Katrina Lockett. “A lot of community members love it because it’s something different than what they’re used to seeing.”
Other events include “What It’s Like To Be Me” at 12 p.m. on Saturday, March 28 in the Allen Center, which is co-sponsored by the UW-SP Gay-Straight Alliance. In the forum, UW-SP students will be sharing their experiences and discussing what it’s like to be homosexual in the African American community.
“Stevens Point From My Perspective,” also in the Allen Center, is another discussion in which members of the Black Student Union will describe their experiences being African American at UW-SP.
The whole weekend will culminate with the annual Gospel Fest at 7 p.m. in Michelson Hall of the Noel Fine Arts Center.
There will be four gospel groups, all with their own signature styles at this year’s Gospel Fest.
“It gives different types of gospel music,” said Martina Spears, BSU public relations representative and gospel fest coordinator. “It’s not just that one church type of music.”
Rhymz Suhreal, a Stevens Point- based hip-hop group that puts a new spin on gospel music, will also be performing.
United in Worship, a Milwaukee-based group, will perform, as will the Lane-Tech High School Choir and a professional gospel group from Chicago under the direction of Mark Wright.
Tickets to Gospel Fest are available at the University Information and Tickets Center and are $3 for UW-SP students and $5 for adults.
