The Collegio Pittsburg's student voice since 1916
With Martin Luther King Jr. Day approaching, the Black Student Association is hosting a ball to celebrate the legacy of Martin Luther King Jr.
“Last year’s event was a success, and we want to continue it,” said Harold Wallace III, assistant director of diversity programs, in the Pitt State Newsletter. “We had a huge turn-out from our international student population, as well as our residence hall population and the Tilford Group, and some community members, which is what we want. We don’t want people to think it’s an African-American event – that’s not what MLK was about. He was about diversity, about getting together and engaging with each other.”
The ball will be located in the Overman Student Center’s Crimson and Gold Ballroom Saturday Jan. 19, from 6:30 p.m. to 9:30 p.m.
“They can expect lots of fun, it’s nothing serious, I mean it’s a formal event because we wanted to do something at Pittsburg that was different and there’s not many times in Pittsburg where you can dress up and dress in a gown and do your hair all pretty and stuff so, we wanted to make sure we’re not only incorporating that but we’re also having fun. We also want to celebrate the legacy of Martin Luther King, so we just brought those two things together,” said La’Sha Thomas, senior in psychology and president of the Black Student Association.
This is the second year BSA will be hosting this event, as a chance for students, and community members to celebrate.
“A lot of things that go into it is we have a live DJ, we’re given a quote as the organization and a lot of people come together to interpret this quote in the form of a poem, a dance, a song, maybe a couple art pieces, however you may. He then goes about having food catered in, we have to get together the theme of the event and then goes about getting a DJ and orchestrating the event as well,” said Thomas.
Each year they pick a quote that they incorporate into the night. They will have a variety of artistic works being presented by students that are inspired by the quote. This year’s quote is “Our lives begin to end the day we become silent about things that matter.”
“It’s just a nice fun event, we want people to come out, don’t take it too too serious, it’s free this year, just come out, look pretty, we want to see your faces, we want you to enjoy the poems and the acts that are going on, and if you feel like it, get up and dance, you know we’re going to have a part that’s free dancing, you don’t have to know how to square dance, formal dance, or tango or anything, just come have fun, dance, bring friends,” said Thomas.
Admission to the ball is free for students and community members and anyone is welcome to attend. It is a formal, so attendees are encouraged to wear formal attire. They will have a photobooth, as well as a DJ and dance floor after the performances are finished.