West High’s Black Student Union, or BSU, was founded during the 2022-2023 school year, and is hoping to continue growing during the 2023-2024 school year. Though West High has had a few different Black Student Unions in past years, it once again needed to be built up from the ground.
After working to get the foundations of BSU up and running, the members of Black Student Union are ready to showcase to students the impact this union could have and why they should be a part of it.
With the slogan of Black Student Union being, “Be The Conversation,” BSU aims to create a safe space for students to have difficult conversations and provide a community they feel safe in. BSU founders mention feeling that many students don’t have a comfortable space to discuss topics that may be impacting them, such as struggles with colorism, hair texture, the beauty standard and more. They believe that there’s a lack of solidarity among Black students at West, and that this does not help with students feeling isolated. Members of Black Student Union are determined to improve that sense of solidarity through BSU.
Keiara Bakare, one of the members who helped to get the Black Student Union started, remarks that they hope that BSU becomes, “a community, a safe place for people of color to be together. To talk about topics that they can’t usually with other people.”
Although Black Student Union hopes to have, and create, conversation in regards to the Black community at West High, BSU welcomes all students to join. Any student who is willing to protect the safe space of BSU, listen, be respectful and discuss is urged to consider joining the West Black Student Union.
If you are interested in attending, Black Student Union will be holding meetings in the IMC every Monday, at 2:50 p.m, right after school.
