On Feb. 22, the Black Affairs Association hosted “The All Black Affair” in honor of Black History Month, as part of their “Unapologetically Black” series.
The event took place in the Culp Center Ballroom, was free to any student who had an interest in taking part and encouraged them to come dressed in their all-black attire. The semi-formal, which was teeming with excited attendees, featured a live DJ, a photo booth, a dance floor, and a wide selection of appetizers catered by Sodexo.
An entrance dotted with rose petals gave way to a ballroom adorned in decorations that featured the colors of Black History Month – red, yellow, green and black.
“My favorite part of this event was the fact that I was met with all of the POC friendly faces here,” said Lin Goodman, an ETSU student who was in attendance at the semi-formal. “We are all always met with encouragement and friendly faces. Everyone in the Black Affairs Association is awesome.”
The Black Affairs Association is a student-run organization that serves the purpose of “providing a wholesome and supportive environment where students of color are able to interact and participate in activities together,” the website reads. Additionally, it states that their mission is to “unite, educate, and support students of all backgrounds at ETSU, while sharing culture with the campus community.”
The Black Affairs Association hosts a diverse range of events and activities throughout the school year, such as the homecoming comedy show, movie nights, virtual escape rooms, art events and an annual Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. birthday celebration.
“I didn’t grow up in the Black community, didn’t have the Black experience that I would’ve preferred to have,” said Goodman. “So when I got to ETSU, it was really nice to be welcomed into Black Affairs.”
“I hope that ETSU puts on more events like this,” added Devin Lomax, a sophomore. “It gets us out there.”
If students are interested in learning more about or becoming involved with the Black Affairs Association, they can visit https://www.etsu.edu/students/sao/organizations/baa.php or follow the Black Affairs Instagram @blackaffairsetsu.
