News from Grand Valley State University
Students participate in the Office of Multicultural Affairs' 2024 Blackout event.

Black History Month: GVSU students reflect on celebration, education and finding community

In partnership with several student organizations, Grand Valley’s Office of Multicultural Affairs will host several events to celebrate Black History Month. 

Three students shared what this month means to them and how they celebrate on campus, both during Black History Month and year-round. Read on to hear their stories and for information regarding this year’s Black History Month events.

Jaiah Jones

Jaiah Jones poses for a portrait outside of Zumberge Hall.

Early during her time at Grand Valley, fourth-year student Jaiah Jones recalled not seeing many students who looked like her. “I honestly wasn’t able to really connect with other Black students,” she reflected. “I was always one of, like, four Black kids in class.” 

Her desire for community is what led her to join You Beautiful Black Woman (YBBW), a student organization that uplifts Black women on campus through events and service opportunities. This year, Jones is serving as the fundraising chair on the group’s executive board. 

“You get a real sense of camaraderie. It's so important to have that network, so there's always somebody who knows what you're going through.”

For Jones, who is majoring in film with minors in Africana studies and theater, Black History Month is a time to highlight the history and contributions of the Black community. “This is when my people get to be celebrated, not just for things like contributions to hip-hop or fashion culture. This is the time to teach people that we aren't just the stereotypes that you see in media. We have an incredibly rich culture.”

When reflecting on what Black History Month means to her, Jones said she hopes everyone will participate in educational and celebratory events on campus. “I live in one experience. I walk through life with different experiences from other people. I think that commemorative months help provide new perspectives, help people understand the history and also ensure we don’t repeat the bad parts of that history.”

Jayln Jenkins

Jayln Jenkins poses for a portrait near the Transformational Link.

Sophomore Jayln Jenkins said that his passion for his degree, cardiovascular sonography and pre-graduate health professions, as well as his involvement on campus, comes from those who paved the way for him. 

“Playing football growing up, I saw a lot of teammates get injured. I always loved being the motivator and the one to work out with them,” Jenkins reflected. He eventually had to stop playing sports due to health problems that led to a cardiac ultrasound. “The person who performed that procedure really kept me calm. I feel like I could do the same for other people.”

His involvement in Black Leaders Aspiring for Critical Knowledge (BLACK) is fueled by a similar motivation: to be what others were to him and to pave a path forward for younger Black students at GVSU. BLACK promotes academic integrity and professional excellence through personal development and growth opportunities.

“[BLACK] helped me embrace the fact that I belong here and that's what I want to do for them,” Jenkins said. “Coming here, a lot of us are first-generation students. Just having that mentor or role model for us to not only see that it is possible but to show us the way is so important. I enjoy being that for the members of my organization.”

Jenkins enters Black History Month with a similar intention of honoring those who came before him. “Some people do forget how far we have come. Whether that be a job or internship or just being able to go to college. We couldn’t always do this,” he noted. “This is a celebratory month for not only how far we come, but to celebrate the people who took the first steps for us. That's really what it means to me, to pay tribute to them and let their legacy live on through us.”

A'shya Zander

A'shya Zander poses for a photo in Kirkhof Center.

Like Jenkins, A’shya Zander said she has been passionate about helping others from a young age. Zander is a communication and science disorders major and earned a badge in advanced American Sign Language. She fills her time with two jobs, where she works with people with autism spectrum disorder, attention-deficit hyperactive disorder and other disorders, and is also the president of the Black Student Union. 

Zander knows what it’s like to find your people and a sense of purpose at Grand Valley, and now as president of BSU, she’s creating opportunities for Black students to find community and belonging.

“I tell a lot of first-year students that. You have to find your people,” said Zander, reflecting on how she found her community. “I met the right people, and they pointed me in the right direction. I like to be that person, you know? So I got involved. I wanted to do that for others.”

For Zander, Black History Month is just as much about education as it is about celebration and community. She and others have discovered creators on social media apps who teach their followers about everything from historical figures to aspects of Black history that she didn’t know. 

Recently, Zander found a series of videos on TikTok that explored Tutnese, a secret language created by enslaved peoples during a time when they were not permitted to learn how to read or write. While formally considered a dead language, many continue to share about and even learn Tutnese, keeping the history and tradition alive.

“I think my mom told me about it when I was little, but now that I'm older, I get to really learn more about it. I think social media is really great for that,” Zander noted. “This is a time to educate about Black culture, beyond what was taught in school.”

Upcoming Black History Month events

The Blackout: Black Student Organization Showcase

  • Feb. 7, 6 p.m.-8 p.m. 
  • Location: Kirkhof Center Lobby
  • Presented by Black Excellence 365, Black Student Union and the Center for Health and Well-being

Black Historical Living Museum

  • Feb. 11, 6 p.m.-8 p.m. 
  • Location: Grand River Room, Kirkhof Center
  • Presented by the National Pan-Hellenic Council 

Taste of Soul

  • Feb. 19, 2 p.m.-4 p.m.
  • Location: Kirkhof Center Lounge

Black Business pop-up

  • Feb. 26, 11 a.m.-4 p.m.
  • Location: Kirkhof Center Lobby
  • Presented by Black Excellence 365 and the Center for Entrepreneurship and Innovation

To see full event details and updates, visit the Office of Multicultural Affairs’ Black History Month Celebration website .

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