A soulful event full of positive energy took place Wednesday, Feb. 25 from noon until 3 p.m. in the Downtown Milwaukee campus S-Building cafeteria. The area was filled with students and faculty waiting to be a part of this electrifying experience. DJ equipment was operated by Pierre Hall of the Black Student Union. The event was coordinated by Black Student Union member Alex James and hosted by third-year BSU member Sam Alford.
The event got a slow start but gained momentum very quickly, taking ears and minds on a joyride of history.
Adult High School program student Kelvin Krause opened the show by performing a choreographed juggling act that originated in Hawaii called “Spinning Lights.” When asked to describe how he was feeling about kicking off this function, Krause simply responded by saying, “Dope.”
Following shortly after him was Sam Alford, who recited a poem called “I Stand on my Desk,” a piece about the misconceptions people learn and see in society.
Milagro Jones, stage name Frankie Rack$, ripped the stage with his speech called “The Anniversary of Malcolm X Assignation,” followed by two positive rap songs. “Students need to get more involved and more enthusiastic about events like this,” Jones said. The Black Student Union President Watkins even got a piece of the mic by reciting a poem entitled “Block Streets.” This work was about the struggle of African- American men.
The gathering was nothing less than inspirational and educational on every level.
Aleyaa Anderson, Early Childhood Education major, said this platform is “Giving everybody a chance to explore their talents, which is a good thing.”
Others like her were so excited that their eyes stayed glued to the stage, absorbing every word and applauding on and off every act. This poetry jam session was the place to be for enlightenment of the mind and for enrichment of the heart.