Clubs at WHS are a way for students to create a space with their peers that aligns with their interests and provides opportunities to be more involved in things outside of academics. This year, many clubs have started and many new ones have been created. The Black Student Union (BSU) has been one of the many established this year.
Sophomore Yaa Boateng and other students saw a need to start this club. Other schools have established black student unions and Boateng and her peers decided that by creating this union, they would provide a safe environment for people who have similar experiences.
“…throughout the school, we saw a need for people who look like us to have a safe space of community,” says Boateng. “…that’s really the birth of all of this.”
Some of the goals the BSU team has for the club are to foster a network and build a community that will provide a safe space for students of color, specifically black students, students with African heritage, and anyone else who wants to learn about the community.
“We need to conduct essential conversations around being black and experiences we’ve had because that could lead to healing,” Boateng explains.
She and other members want to emphasize the conversations they have, and they hope to see a change in the conversations that they have with their peers.
“And also how people feel when they have those conversations,” Boateng says. “Whether it’s with other classmates who may not be black but who want to know more about our experiences.”
The recent club meetings have been going well, according to Boateng: “All of the members have expressed something along the lines of, ‘We wanted this, we needed this,’ because it wasn’t something that only I was experiencing, and I knew that, but it’s better when you actually see it, and you see responses to your efforts.”
Some of their plans for the future include movie nights and collaborations with other clubs, such as Women’s Color Connect club, and Multicultural Club. They also have some exciting field trips planned to go to college BSU’s, specifically in the Boston and Worcester areas. Boateng explains how their club is focused on building community in and out of school, and the importance of educating people about their community.
BSU is also committed to recognizing the beauty of their culture and people, which is something they think isn’t shown all of the time. They want to find places to go to educate people about these matters. “It’s important, especially when you’re a minority, to have a positive picture of yourself,” Boateng explains.
The BSU meets every other Wednesday in room C125. For more information, contact Yaa Boateng ([email protected]) or Ms. Alkeia ([email protected]).
