By Twahiba Kashe – Contributor

On Feb. 3, Bishop’s University launched Black History Month with a ceremony held in the Agora at the Library Learning Commons. 

This event was attended by faculty, staff and students alike, and it served as a reminder of the importance of celebrating Black History Month. 

The ceremony featured speeches from various guests, including Danai Belanger, the Vice President of Student Affairs and Sebastien Lebel-Grenier, the principal of the university. They emphasized the importance of celebrating Black History Month, especially in the current political climate. Both speakers encouraged the Bishop’s community to support and engage in meaningful discussions and activities throughout the month. 

A memorable part of the opening ceremony was the speech by two Bishop’s students, Damita Melchi and Krystopher Isidore, who also serve as co-leads for P.U.L.S.E (People United for the Love of African and Caribbean Societies Empowerment), a student-led association that aims to build a safe community for students belonging to African and Caribbean descent on campus. They discussed the meaning and history of the Pan-African flag, a powerful symbol of resilience, resistance and unity among Africans in the diaspora. Melchi and Isidore defined the flag’s three colours: red representing the bloodshed of those who fought for freedom, black symbolizing Black identity and pride and green representing the richness of the African continent. Following their speech, the two students raised the flag, which will remain in the Agora of the Library Learning Commons for the remainder of the month, as a visible reminder of the African and Caribbean presence and contributions. 

Following the ceremony, Damita Melchi reflected on the significance of this moment, not only personally, but also for the Black community at Bishop’s. “Finding the Black community on campus made me feel like I could be unapologetically myself even in a predominantly white space,” she expressed. “Being one of the only Black people in the music department was tiresome for a while, especially as an international student – it felt like the odds were against me, feeling ‘othered’, albeit unintentionally, every day can be exhausting. The Black community at Bishop’s soothes that anxious feeling that gnawed at me for quite a while. 

Celebrating Blackness boldly on campus and ensuring there’s a VISIBLE place for us here is important to me because then future students won’t have to go through the stage of being alone.” She continues, “Although we still have ways to go, the raising of the Pan-African flag and celebrating Blackness boldly during Black History Month is an important step to being a visible part of the Bishop’s community that future students can look forward to.”

Krystopher Isidore also reflected on the importance of celebrating Black History Month on campus. “Being a black student here at Bishop’s, a predominantly White institution, Black History Month is one of the few moments in the year where I feel like I am really represented and celebrated.,” he said. “Black History Month is important, because it can serve as a reminder to Black students that they are seen on campus. It helps to give an outlet of celebration of all heritage that is Black, and to remind everybody on campus that we Black students are present and won’t be made small.”

The university faculty, the Diversity, Equity and Inclusion office, the history department and P.U.L.S.E will be headlining different activities and events throughout the campus all month long to celebrate and highlight the achievements and contributions of the Black community, educate the broader university population and foster a more inclusive campus environment. The events provide a platform for meaningful dialogue and reflection, encouraging students and staff to engage with Black history and culture in a profound and lasting way.