MYSTIC Preview:Black Student Union’s hosts Black Ball

BY JEREMY BINNING Staff Writer

Black Onyx: The Black Student Union is hosting its eighth annual Mr. and Mrs. BSU Pageant on Feb. 25 in the Warren Ballrooms of the Angell College Center at 6 p.m.

The union had been formed with the goal of providing college students of all backgrounds with help toward an easy transition to the college lifestyle. On top of that, advocating for Black heritage as well as spreading awareness of the culture. Giving multicultural students a voice is what the Black Student Union ultimately represents. This weekend’s events will showcase this as well as the talented members of the union.

The night will be filled with spectacular performances, including the main headline, which is the crowning of the new Mr. and Mrs. BSU. The contestants running for Mr. BSU of 2023 include Michael “Mikey” Johnson, Michael Gaines, Rashad Nicholas and Jaherah Seales.

Each contestant is representing a form of social justice. Johnson will be representing racial inequality in the entertainment industry. Gaines will be showing his support in understanding post-traumatic stress disorder within the Black community. Nicholas will be advocating for the awareness of the mental health of Black men. Finally, Seales will be constituted on the imprisonment of Black men.

The contestants who will be going up against one another for Mrs. BSU will also represent a form of social justice. Nochamy Bamba will be showing her support for inequality and racism among Black dancers. Ohemaa Owusu-Poku will be representing the anti-apartheid movement. Ayesha Abdallah will voice the systemic inequity of African Americans being under-treated for pain in the medical system. Lastly, Sydney Wise will be standing for the opening of Dr. Umar’s school which accepts traditional black families and values.

The contestants will be judged by a panel of judges and they will all come to a decision at the end of the show. Contestants will be judged based on their answers to the questions given from a panel of judges. As well as showcase their talents with the talent portion. Also included in the pageant will be performances from both High Voltage and JEDI.

Johnson explained what the BSU pageant means to him: “...it’s about honoring different people who exude Black excellence and crown them to be the new face of BSU.”

Heading into the pageant Johnson talked about the mentality he has going into it, “It feels good to be in the competition. I’m up against some amazing men,” he adds, “no matter the outcome everyone is a winner and I’m looking forward to it.”

The Black Student Union has worked around the clock to ensure the enjoyment and beauty of the celebration of Black culture. This event will highlight their much-deserved success and will showcase the best of the best.

Johnson as well as the other tremendously talented individuals going will head to head as they compete to be crowned Mr. and Mrs. BSU. Tickets are available now on the school ticketing site. Food will also be available at the event.

The second design was from the brand Save Yourself, which is about being in survival mode and overcoming challenges without hesitation. The models wore different-colored hoodies and shirts, with similar fonts on each piece of clothing.

Avant NYC, founded by Ibrahim Doukoure, showcased models in hoodies, sweatsuits and shorts.

“Avant in French means before it means the past, so I decided to create this brand centered around my aspirations of being a motivational speaker. A brand that I bring meaning to not just me but to everybody else’s story,” Dukoure said.

After thanking African Unity, Doukoure also took the time to announce the drop of his new clothing line this March, Cohérent.

Following the speech was a performance by Spicy Island Tings, wearing white button ups and fishnet stockings. The transitions between the performers and music looked well-rehearsed and there were no visible mistakes.

Abieyuwa Uzamere, African Unity’s president, then read the poem “Phenomenal Woman” by Maya Angelou surrounded by two young men and three young women in lingerie. The audience was filled with snapping and clapping as Uzamere read the piece with passion and a gentle tone.

Conscious NYC by PJ was the last designer for the night and his clothing brand showcased mostly sweat suits and hats in a broad range of colors. The last performance of the night was JEDI in red and black silk lingerie outfits. The dancers made eye contact with several people in the crowd and got the strongest reaction from the audience.

At the end of the show, Yogi introduced all members of the African Unity e-board and Uzamere gave a speech about why it’s important to love our bodies and how Mystic night was a representation of that for the ladies of African Unity while thanking everyone who showed up to perform, model and especially the audience for making this event a sold-out show.

Continued from page 9 Email