February is Black History Month, and several organizations at San Diego State have celebrated with events, discussions, and tributes.

“Since SDSU is such a diverse campus, it’s important that all lives are represented,” Ashley Haughton, secretary for the Africana Studies Majors and Minors Association.

Haughton was among the SDSU students and faculty who gathered in Montezuma Hall on Feb. 11 for “Our Black Experience,” an event to help students of all races connect with and empower each other.

The event was organized by the Afrikan Student Union and Africana Studies Majors and Minors Association (AMMA) as part of Spring into Diversity. The African Student Drama Association, Student African American Sisterhood, Black Business Society, and Black Student Science Organization also took part in the event.

Haughton said this event was crucial to making SDSU a more inclusive campus.

“Black lives don’t matter any more than anyone else’s lives,” Haughton said. “But the point is they don’t matter any less.”

The “Black Lives Matter” movement was also discussed at an event on Feb. 16. Four faculty members from various departments on campus led a discussion on the local and global implications of “Black Lives Matter,” as well as issues of race and privilege. They also discussed many of the challenges facing African-Americans in education.

“We must start with the premise that these institutions weren’t created for black students to begin with,” said Dr. Paul Minifee of the rhetoric and writing studies department.  He went on to say black students must fight back against institutional racism by trying their very best to establish themselves within higher education.

Communication major Imani Hollie said people need to become more aware of cultural differences.

“I encourage everyone to come and educate themselves so they could know someone else’s story and educate the next person,” Hollie said. “We can work together as a nation to get rid of ignorance.”

There are several more events this week honoring Black History Month.

On Friday, Feb. 26 there is a Yard Show Performance put on by the National Pan-Hellenic Council.
For more information on these events, visit the Center for Intercultural Relations.