Alyssa Hempfield-Best & Elizabeth Mantush | staff writers

London Irish, sophomore biology and environmental science major and the junior vice president of marketing and communications for the Black Student Union, is often one of the only Black students in her classes.

She has also never had a Black professor. She said that this affects confidence within herself and other Black students on campus.

“There’s three other Black girls in my biology class, but as for other classes, the number just goes down from there,” Irish said. “I think we take that representation and then we sell ourselves short on how much we can accomplish or how much we can do based on who is in the room.”

On Wednesday, the Black Student Union hosted Black Love Day. The event highlighted aspects of the Black community with food, music and togetherness.

The BSU’s mission is to provide services and programs that address the needs and concerns of Black students, according to their biography on Campus Link.  

Their goal is not only to provide intellectual, political and social growth among members, but also to support the Black community and push for a more diverse and inclusive campus community.

Jaila Haygood-Calhoun, senior business management and marketing major, became president this year with the goal to be a leader for the Black community at Duquesne and promote change through inclusivity.

“It’s for us to come together as a unity,” Haygood-Calhoun said. “It’s really for us, but it’s really for everybody else as well. So everybody can really see what we do.”

Within Haygood-Calhoun’s experience as a Black woman pursuing a degree in business, at times she has felt that she is not accepted.

“My mom always taught me never be intimidated by nobody,” Haygood-Calhoun said. “But to be real, it is kind of intimidating. I don’t expect anything from anybody, but I would love to feel accepted by everyone.”

She said the event’s goal was to bring Black faculty and students together as one and enjoy a night of fun together.

Leah Smith, senior health sciences major and senior vice president of programming for the BSU, took on her role in hopes of helping to curate a more welcoming environment within the organization.

“Not only does it provide a space for us as Black students to come together, but it also creates a good opportunity to educate others who aren’t Black,” Smith said.

Smith was a part of the decoration committee for Black Love Day, making the Harlem Nights theme come to life.
 

“We took time to find things that would go along with the theme, make it as extravagant as we could with our budget. And I think we did a pretty good job,” she said.

Guests came dressed in pinstripe suits, satin gowns, feathers, pearls, wide brim fedoras and suspenders. The event featured jazz performed by vocalist Erika Denar J and a decorated ballroom with candles and dim lighting.

Like Irish, Smith’s experience within her studies has also left her feeling uncomfortable in classroom settings.

“In all of my classes, I’m the only Black girl in there, and I think it’s a little hard to feel comfortable when you don’t see someone else like yourself,” Smith said.

For Irish, this means holding BSU events like Black Love Day on Duquesne’s campus is all the more important.

“We can go out, and we can possibly create these same events somewhere else, but it just won’t feel the same because we do need that representation on campus,” Irish said.

Irish acted as the social media chair for the event, making posters and TikTok videos.

“Not only does it show the students of color that we’re here and on campus and ready for them to engage with us, it gives them an informal way of engagement,” she said.

Events such as Black Love Day introduce Black excellence to the campus community, said Jordan Dawson, a freshman attending the event.

“Being such a minority at Duquesne, it helps bring light to a situation where you feel like an outsider,” he said “It helps you lift up your spirit and lift everyone’s spirit around us.”

Irish said that is the point.

“Every single time we come in here, we’re chopping it up about anything,” she said. “You can just come in here for a safe space or for a laugh if you’re feeling down. It just creates a community and a space to be who you are.”

Alyssa Hempfield-Best can be reached at gasparrohempfia@duq.edu

Elizabeth Mantush can be reached at mantushe@duq.edu