Taking the time to celebrate diversity on campus, the Lethbridge College Students’ Association and a group of Afro-Caribbean students and employees have teamed up for a series of Black History Month celebrations in February.
“Diversity makes us stronger and beautiful as a community,” says Ibrahim Turay, an instructor in the School of Justice Studies. “Celebrating this event helps students from this community feel welcome and is a way to teach everyone about the history of black people.”
On Thursday, Feb. 16, the cultural pride will be on full display during Traditional Dress Day. Students will be in the college’s Centre Core, wearing clothing that is traditional to their cultures, while also wearing flag printouts of the countries they represent.
“We want to show and celebrate diversity around campus,” says Turay. “That includes the diversity amongst the college’s black students’ body, shown through their cultural and traditional dresses.”
Black History Month celebrates the accomplishment and contribution of people of African and Caribbean descent to the development and cultural diversity of Canada. The Government of Alberta is officially recognizing Black History Month for the first time in 2017, as Alberta has the third-largest black population in the country, according to the 2011 census.
Other on-campus events at Lethbridge College this month include weekly screenings of movies with black themes and a cultural games celebration on Feb. 28.