ARTS & CULTURE EDITOR – JORGE GUERRERO
ORIGINALLY PRINTED ON MARCH 2, 2023
The month of February is deemed Black History Month in the United States. For the first time, St. Mary’s Black Student Union hosted various innovative events on the last weekend of February that emphasized Black culture and excellence on campus. These events included a poetry slam, trivia night, vendor market, a MET gala and most notably a dazzling fashion show. On the runway, eight beautiful models showcased gorgeous outfits that complemented their beauty.
The dim lights shone on the models as they walked the runway and swept spectators off their looks that were rich in culture and elegance. The models who participated were freshman marketing major Sydnye Forde- Richins, junior criminal justice major Christine Nduhura, freshman english major B. Haynes, senior business major Juni Ejere, sophomore computer engineering major Jesse Onwuzurike, freshman Eric Gahire and freshman computer science major Nawalli Rubio. Their outfits ranged from traditional men’s and women’s wear to modern attire. The models walked to music from notable Black artists like Nicki Minaj and PinkPantheress. Some notable looks included a lion print garment called Isi Agu as worn by Onwuzurike, a baby blue Dashiki modeled by Gahire, and a graceful outfit inspired by the use of headscarves in Nigeria styled by Ejere. She tied a scarf around her waist as a sash and let another scarf flow freely on her head. To finish off the show, Onwuzurike showed off a red coat in honor of Andre Leon Talley, a black American fashion journalist who passed away in January of 2022.
By far, the crowd’s favorite outfit was the one worn by Sydnye Forde, which resembled a traditional Trinidadian Carnival outfit. Her ensemble featured a black top and bottom with jeweled tasseled details while she carried the flag of Trinidad and Tobago on her back. The most eye-catching feature of her outfit was the mask and headdress full of red feathers, which tied her look together. Forde noted that her outfit paid homage to Trinidad Carnival, which originated during a period where slave owners banned slaves from attending balls and parties.
In retaliation, slaves would throw their own parties, called fetes, in their quarters, where they dressed in creative and colorful costumes. Forde explained: “After [the] emancipation of the enslaved in 1839, former slaves challeneged the plantation owners by hosting their celbrations. Carnival became a symbol of freedom and defiance…”
The event was an absolute success— not a single model failed to receive praise as they walked down the runway. The BSU did a wonderful job in organizing the event. When interviewing BSU members, sophomore political science major Laura Poole and sophomore international business major Bella Ramirez were asked on what the organization means to them, Poole answered: “This group is bigger than us and it provides us with an opportunity to help uplift black voices in the school community.”
Ramirez also mentioned that participating in organizing the event was incredibly fulfilling, as it took several months for the BSU to prepare the fashion show. Jessica Depoo , a fashion enthusiast who attended the show, added, “This event was significant to me because I felt it was inclusive of different backgrounds and body types which is inspiring when the fashion world is so closed-minded.” The fashion show stayed true to the Black Student Union’s mission of being open to students of all races, increasing cultural awareness of Bblack culture and history, and uniting the surrounding community through organized events that educate, promote, and support diversity alongside the values of the university.