Black Student Union hosts annual Soul Food event on campus
Students came together in the TSC Ballroom to celebrate black identity and African culture at Utah State University’s Soul Food dinner, which was hosted by the Black Student Union on Friday.
“It is a two-hour banquet event complete with entertainment, great food and a 30-minute dance party,” said BSU president Keke Trawally.
The theme this year was “More Than Just a Color.” According to Trawally, the Soul Food event is the biggest event the group puts on every year.
Photo by Jason Rimando
“We’ve been thinking about this since October,” Trawally said. “It’s a formal event; we wanted people to dress up and come and have fun.”
USU Dining Services worked with BSU to serve southern-style macaroni and cheese and fried chicken, as well as African foods like plantains and African rice. Aeden Anbesse, BSU secretary, said the group is thankful for Dining Services making it easier to put on such a big event.
“It’s just grown over the years,” said Anbesse. “We wish we could open it up to more people and the entire community, but there are fire regulations.”
The event was sold out at 220 people. In past years, the group has had to turn individuals away at the door.
“People come because they want to see me perform,” joked Khairo Robinson, the public relations manager for BSU. “Honestly, we just have so many great partners who come and perform. That’s what makes our night so special.”
Entertainment included the USU jump rope club, a Kahoot trivia game, spoken-word pieces, a fashion show and a dance party at the end of the night.
“We want people to see the beauty of black culture and to feel included,” Anbesse said. “Our goal is to promote a higher level of black consciousness and create a mutual understanding among all cultures and people.”
“Why wouldn’t anyone want to learn about black culture?” Trawally said. “I want every culture to have the opportunity to be spotlighted and bring people together.”
The BSU presidency has pushed for more events on campus, such as guest speaker Lex Scott from the Black Lives Matter movement.
“This spring we’ve done a lot with a lot of attention,” Trawally said. “This will be our big bang end-of-the-semester event.”
Soul Food is an annual event, and its reggae beat and southern smells will be back in spring 2020.
“We hope everyone will come out, dance, eat some good food, have a great time and leave with a better understanding of community, black culture, inclusiveness and what the Black Student Union does,” Trawally said.
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