Bella Patton, Campus Carrier features editor

Ava Jarrell, Campus Carrier asst. features editor

Amid the excitement of two consecutive snowy weekends, Berry College finds itself ushered into February, and thus, Black History Month. Many organizations on campus take this opportunity to hold events that celebrate and bring attention to the Black community at Berry.

One such organization, the Berry Brotherhood, creates a space for men of color on campus to socialize and support one another on their collegiate journey. It is a new organization compared to some of the more longstanding clubs on campus, but it has begun to have an effect that surpasses its years. Senior Quanah Martin, president of the brotherhood, described his reaction upon learning about the club.

“I was sitting right there in what was formerly known as the ICC,” Martin said. “Haley Smith was going over the different clubs and student organizations under the Belonging and Engagement Office. Once she said brotherhood, that it was a men of color group on campus, I got goosebumps.” 

The club was a huge part of Martin’s decision to stay at Berry, where “the Berry Bubble” can sometimes be detrimental. Students can struggle to find others who share their interests and experiences, but this only encouraged Martin and the Berry Brotherhood to work harder.

“We welcome people from all walks of life, and we can learn from new perspectives, but there’s something about having somebody you can relate to that just allows for so much growth,” Martin said.

To kick off the semester, the brotherhood will be hosting Vic Hixon, Rome city commissioner, who will give a talk on the history of Rome and Berry College, with a focus on Freemantown, today at 7 p.m.  

The Black Student Association (BSA) at Berry is also beginning their celebrations of Black History Month. Junior Kris Williams, BSA President, described the importance of Black History Month for recognizing and uplifting voices that aren’t always heard. 

“Black History Month is a month to celebrate people who don’t get as much recognition as they should,” Williams said. “It’s just to shine a light on people who have voices but haven’t been heard.” 

Currently, BSA is hosting “The Excellence Era” throughout this week. Each day, Monday through Friday has a different theme that students can follow to dress up and show support during Black History Month. Williams mentioned how she wanted this event and others BSA has planned to uplift and further the group’s influence compared to when she first arrived at Berry. 

“When I got here, there wasn’t that much that BSA did or stood for,” Williams said. “They were known for this one party they did at Halloween and a primary event after Casino Night. When I got here, I was really upset because I was like, ‘We are the Black Student Association. We should think of ourselves as higher and not have our main event be after another event.’” 

Williams described future event plans for BSA, including a game show event similar to Nick Cannon’s “Wild N’ Out” in collaboration with Kennesaw State University’s BSA. Williams also mentioned a CE credit, “Project Affirmations,” about Black hair on Feb. 16. She hopes to continue doing this signature event every year. Williams said the importance of these events lies in uplifting Black voices and wanting others to see the organization as a safe space to join, find a community and be themselves.  

“I just really want other people to see BSA and join BSA and be like, ‘Hey, this is a safe space for you,”’ Williams said. “BSA is a space where you can be loud if you want to be loud, and you can curse if you want to curse. You can say whatever you want to say without being judged.” 

Williams also said students should continue to learn about Black culture beyond Black History Month by staying involved with BSA. Students can use BSA’s hashtag #BerryBHM26 to tag their involvement in Black History Month activities. 

The Office of Belonging and Community Engagement will also be hosting events during Black History Month. Senior Mykelle Patterson, student support manager at the Office of Belonging and Community Engagement, spoke about the office’s role during Black History Month and beyond.  

“A big part of our mission is to create spaces on campus to acknowledge our differences and to celebrate them,” Patterson said. “Black History Month is a small facet of Black culture on a broad scale, and I think the work that our office does, like the programming that we have, is also a small facet on the broadness of our office, but I think it is super important work, and it aligns with our mission to create community for people to feel like they belong.”   

One of the Office of Belonging and Community Engagement’s Black History Month events will be the African American Read-In on Feb. 20 at 6 p.m. in the Good Neighbor Center. The event is available for students to sign up and share any reading they have that highlights African American voices and literature. Students, faculty, staff and community members are all invited to join and read. The event is being held in conjunction with the English department and Memorial Library.  

Patterson also mentioned the importance of having difficult conversations in furthering understanding and learning at Berry. Patterson mentioned her appreciation for these conversations, as they create an environment where all students feel like they belong at Berry.  

“As a Black student, I have really appreciated the conversations we create and the space to talk because I don’t believe that things have to be so divided,” Patterson said, “I think a lot of the division comes from being scared to talk about things.”  

Patterson also said these conversations open doors for understanding with not only Black students, but also all the different intersections that come with being a Berry student.  

“The community organizations we have really create an environment where people are not only comfortable but, being Black at Berry can sometimes feel lonely, and the goal is to create community,” Patterson said. “Having these events that don’t tiptoe around conversations help feel like they belong at Berry.”  

Patterson was joined in conversation by Mekhi Tchassama (25C), a marking and communications project director at the Office of Belonging and Community Engagement. Tchassama said that these conversations encourage being a good neighbor, which is a goal of the Office of Community Engagement and Belonging and Berry through Good Neighbor Culture.  

“Being a good neighbor to everyone on campus also means having tough conversations and learning about things you are not familiar with and being vulnerable to some of these tough conversations,” Tchassama said. “Hearing your partner, classmates, friends and peers, just hearing them out, being there for them; just being an intentional, active peer.”   

Overall, Black History Month at Berry is an opportunity for students from all walks of life to come together and learn about Black history and culture. Many events and organizations on campus encourage understanding, listening and Good Neighbor Culture to foster welcoming environments, activities and conversations.