Aiming to engage all members of the University of Miami community, Black Awareness Month (BAM) will include a plethora of events dedicated to promoting Black culture. Sourcing its name from the well-known Black History Month—founded to commemorate the achievements of the African Diaspora—the month-long programming serves to honor February as a month centering on Black celebration.
“We wanted to contribute to the legacy of Black History Month by creating a new and unique event to highlight Black culture through various lenses,” said Dahlia Mason, chairperson for BAM and second vice president for United Black Students (UBS).
This year’s BAM theme is Intersectionalities: Sharing Our Stories. Coordinated by UBS, events will feature partnerships with diverse student organizations on campus. From immersive art exhibitions to roundtable discussions, the program hopes to initiate meaningful dialogue about the Black experience on campus.
“The Black Awareness Month committee hopes to highlight our history and culture with every event to provide a space where Black students feel recognized and represented, and to further the development of inclusive mindsets on our campus,” concluded Mason.
The schedule of events for Black Awareness Month is as follows:
Wednesday, Feb. 1
- BAM Cookout & Opening Ceremony
5 p.m. | Lakeside Patio
Saturday, Feb. 4
- Students of Color Symposium
9 a.m. - 4 p.m. | Lakeside Village
Tuesday, Feb. 7
- “Hairtage” Showcase w/ Hairology
7 p.m. | Lakeside Expo
Friday, Feb. 10
- Art Exhibition VISIONS | Interpretations of Afrofuturism
7 p.m. | Lakeside Expo
Monday, Feb. 13
- Faculty & Staff Mixer w/ Athletics
5 p.m. | Schwartz Center
Thursday, Feb. 16
- Women's Basketball Game vs. Clemson | Celebration of Black Culture
6 p.m. | Watsco Center
Saturday, Feb. 18
- Men's Basketball Game vs. Wake Forest| Celebration of Black Culture
2 p.m. | Watsco Center
Monday, Feb. 20
- Music & Dance Around the World
6 p.m. | Shalala Student Center Grand Ballroom East
Thursday, Feb. 23
- Real Talk w/ Unity Center for Global Black Studies
6 p.m. | Merrick Building, Room 305/306
Saturday, Feb. 25
- Day of Service
10 a.m. | Lakeside Canopy
Sunday, Feb. 26
- Day of Service
10 a.m. | Storm Surge
Visit the Office of Multicultural Student Affairs website for more details on Black Awareness Month.
In addition to BAM events, several areas of campus will host programs throughout the month. On Feb. 9, the Office of Academic Enhancement presents Khalid el-Hakim and the Black History 101 Mobile Museum: Hip Hop at 50 Exhibit. The museum will showcase a diverse range of cultural and historical items from over 50 years of hip hop culture, as well as additional materials from Africa, the trans-Atlantic slave trade, Jim Crow era, Civil Rights Movement, and Black Arts Movement.
