Black Affinity this past year has made great strides towards their goal: to share Black culture and engage with the broader community. According to club leader, Jason Boyd ’23, Black Affinity has been busy reaching out to the rest of the D-E community, as well as collaborating with other affinity groups. “There were a lot of times in the past where we felt like we were kind of isolated; a lot of our issues. . . were talked about only amongst [Black Affinity], so we wanted to branch out” and enforce “solidarity between all groups of color”, explained Jason. From selling evil-eye bracelets with the Middle Eastern Affinity to organizing Multicultural Day, Black Affinity has worked towards their mission of building a hub of diversity within the school. Beyond working with other affinities, Black Affinity has also strived to spread Black culture and stories.
“Our biggest accomplishment would be this year’s Black History Month assembly,” Jason expressed. In the assembly, the club shared “fun facts about black culture. . . to show the rest of the community about the truth and story behind Black people”. The group also raised $410 for the Black Film Allegiance in February to support Black artists and creators; by hosting the fundraiser, the group was able to “show the rest of the community the struggles of being Black in certain fields”. In Jason’s words, Black Affinity is a space to “not be the only Black voice or person” and to be seen as “other” or as a minority. It is a community built upon the acceptance, growth, and confidence of the self.
