The Black Student Alliance (BSA) set the tone for the semester on Aug. 27 with its yearly Blackish event, which filled Frank Parker Plaza at Sam Houston State University with community, food and music.

To honor culture and start the school year with energy and unity, the event gathered students and campus groups.

BSA president Keyanna Newman, a senior criminal justice major, said that although the event has a lengthy history at SHSU, it was just recently reintroduced.

“Blackish has been going since before I even came to Sam,” Newman said. “BSA kind of fell off for a year, but we brought it back [in] Spring 2024. It’s really an event catered to bringing all African American students together.”

Newman added that the objective was to provide a friendly environment where students could feel appreciated and represented, particularly at a university where Black/African American students make up less than 20 percent of the student body.

That feeling of representation was particularly noticeable to Chelsea Sam, a freshman majoring in criminal justice. She stated that she went to Blackish in order to support the Black community. She noted that she observed the sense of community right away.

“I really like how it’s for the Black community, you don’t see that a lot these days, so I wanted to come support,” Sam said. “It feels like a sisterhood. Everyone’s interacting, not competing to be the best, and I really like that”

Other groups reported that the event provided them with an opportunity to interact with students and present their objectives after Newman stressed the need of togetherness.

Samantha Whittaker, a senior criminal justice major and member of National Black Law Student Association (NBLA), said her group participated to build connections and raise awareness.

“We’re fairly new to Sam, so this was a way to showcase who we are and let people know what we do,” she said, adding “it’s about being a resource for students, even beyond law, and showing how we can be part of the community here.”

Looking forward, Newman said she hopes the momentum from Blackish continues throughout the semester.

“I want students to feel like they have a place to be themselves, to make new  friends and new connections,” she said.

BSA’s next general body meeting is set for next Wednesday, with details posted on Instagram at @BSA__all_day.