A community-wide Black Student Union was formed recently in Spokane. Their first meeting was at the end of February in celebration of Black History Month. They meet on the last Sunday of each month and welcome any students in Spokane.
They are working on getting a BSU restarted at West Valley High School, but are running it as a community wide chapter – meaning no matter what school you attend, you are welcome and can participate! Their goal is to make this Black Student Union an option to all and to create a strong community in which we are all united and respected with a common goal and purpose.
Here is the founder, Mya Jefferson, in her own words on what this area-wide BSU means:
Before moving to Spokane, I lived in cities where the Black population was much higher and tightly knit. In states such as Texas and Missouri, I was only ever surrounded by people who shared my same race and culture. We went from a street in St.Louis where everyone was African American, to one where we were the only Black family on the block. I naturally gravitated to people of color at my schools, sports, or any events I attended. I felt more accepted and free to be myself. I realized that as people of color we needed and craved unity and a sense of togetherness. I wanted to create a community where people of color could find comfort in being part of a group. I was inspired by the influential adults in my life and by seeing other Black Student Unions host events and work together. With help, we have started our own BSU and are still in the process of building it. We have great hopes for the future of this BSU.
The city of Spokane is predominantly white with a 2% black population. That makes finding a community where you feel safe, embraced, and close to your culture crucial. The Black Student Union provides that and creates a safe setting to form connections. We focus on striving to educate our members, introducing cultural awareness, fostering unity among ourselves, contributing to our community, and creating a reliable support system for all members. We plan to accomplish our goals with regular meetings where we address each point and let our youth speak to their peers while teaching them about the experience of growing up Black in Spokane.
Along with our focuses and goals, we want our members to develop and improve their leadership skills and other attributes to help them excel, encourage them to challenge each other, and use their voices to speak about issues they are passionate about.
Having a strong community is important for support, giving us a sense of belonging, and giving us a strong foundation to lean on. A strong community also gives us strength and courage. It gives us pride to be who we are and embrace our history and culture proudly and without shame.
A strong community representing different shades of brown encourages us to be unapologetically Black. This is the vision for the new Community BSU, come out and join us.