September 10, 2020
News
PAGE 6
Introducing: The Black Student Union The newly formed Black Student Union is here to be the safe space for BIPOC students on campus that the college has long talked about having.
By Irene Rotondo @irenerrotondo
F
or all of its programs, conversations, and talk of diversity and inclusion on campus, Springfield College has been missing an integral part of its journey to anti-racism: providing students with a place where they feel comfortable to express themselves and experiences they have had as Black, Indigenous, People of Color (BIPOC). This year, Senior Suraji Omoru has set out to do just that - create a club, welcome to any student of any color (including non-BIPOC), that supports students emotionally, academically, socially, and most importantly, promotes Black Excellence. This club is more commonly known as a Black Student Union. The idea of a Black Student Union is not new. Colleges, universities, and even elementary
and secondary education schools across the country have had the organization already in place for decades. However, Springfield College is the last school in the area to have an official Black Student Union club, and Omoru is more than excited to begin the work the campus is in dire need of. “I just really want the Springfield College community to know that as students, with the Black Student Union on campus, our aim is to push for people to feel safe, people to feel supported,” said Omoru. “Not only that, but as students we have to step up and do the same… what the Black Student Union is aiming to do is make it feel like we’re one big family, and that’s something that a lot of students of color haven’t felt over the years. They’ve felt kind of... not exiled, but just separate,
in terms of emotions and physically, and that’s something we are pushing for along with tangible change.” However, the Black Student Union will not
only be a safe-haven for all; they have a list of initiatives to accomplish as a club to further their mission. These initiatives will include topics related to struggles
Black people must face every single day of their life; specifically, Omoru stated, struggles with both Public Safety and the modern-day healthcare system.
Suraji Omoru is a senior at Springfield College and the President of the Black Student Union. (Photo Courtesy of Suraji Omoru)
