Arts & Features

Virtual open-mic night event held to celebrate Black History Month

By Delfino Camacho|February 23, 2022

Attendees were welcome as they logged into the BSU open mic night virtual event on Friday, Feb. 18 2022. Chris Hurd representing the BSU (top left) and faculty member Jacquelyn Sims representing AFAM (top right) welcomed and addressed the virtual audience. Photo credit: Delfino Camacho

El Camino College’s Black Student Union and the African American Employee Network hosted a virtual open-mic night via Zoom in celebration of Black History Month on Friday, Feb. 19.

The two collegiate organizations collaborated to organize the event where students and faculty alike could share their personal artistic expressions of Black pride.

The hour-long event was hosted by Black Student Union (BSU) advisor Christopher Hurd.

“We’ve been having a bunch of events for Black History Month and this is one of the amazing collaborations with African American Employees Network (AFAM), so it’s been a pleasure to look forward to and I’m really excited to see all of the talents we have here today,” BSU President Surafuel Tesfay said.

BSU President Surafuel Tesfay reads two excerpts from African American writer Lanston Hughes as audience members respectfully listen on at Fridays BSU open Mic event, Feb, 18 2022. Tesfay was joined onscreen by an unidentified ASL interpreter making sure even listening impaired viewers could enjoy the show. — BSU President Surafuel Tesfay reads two excerpts from African American writer Lanston Hughes as audience members respectfully listen at Friday’s BSU open-mic event. Tesfay was joined onscreen by an unidentified ASL interpreter making sure even hearing-impaired viewers could enjoy the show. Delfino Camacho/The Union.

The event began with the first performance being a recorded musical rendition of the song ‘Lift Every Voice and Sing’ by James Weldon Johnson sung by AFAM representative and Interim Vice President of Academic Affairs Jacquelyn Sims, who said the song is known as the Negro National Anthem.

“[It was] a great way to start of [a] wonderful evening of talent,” Hurd said.

The open mic also involved pre-recorded spoken word performances by faculty member Kim Legier who performed an original poem that celebrated the beauty and strength of black women, while ECC professor of Sociology Kell Stone performed a poem by Ntozake Shange entitled ‘Box and Pole’.

Onika Kilkenny, a student, performed two spoken word readings, an excerpt from author Marianne Williamson and a reading of Psalm 121. Other performances included a rap song performed by Domani Berry and a reappearance by Tesfay who read two excerpts by African American author Langston Hughes including his short poem ‘I, Too’.

Okina Kilkenny was the first “live” performer at the BSU open mic event on Friday, 18, 2022. Her two spoken word excerpts were briefly interrupted by an unidentified toddler who was accompanying the performer off-camera, to the delight of the event's audience members. — Okina Kilkenny was the first “live” performer at the BSU open-mic event on Friday, 18, 2022. Her two spoken word excerpts were briefly interrupted by an unidentified toddler who was accompanying the performer off-camera. Delfino Camacho/The Union.

Monteyah Butler, a student and audience member, sang a rendition of ‘I Remember’ by R&B singer Keyshia Cole, followed by two spoken word pieces by Julia Mathews including the poem ‘Life Doesn’t Frighten Me’ by Maya Angelou.

Participants such as Mathews expressed excitement that in-person classes had begun again following the two-year pandemic hiatus.

Tesfay praised the BSU members and encouraged audience members to join the BSU at an ‘Eat and Greet’ event to be hosted on campus Tuesday, Feb. 22.

“The BSU would love to have more members … this is a great opportunity for us to promote the BSU and get more events like this happening in the future,” said Tesfay.

Tesfay also gave credit to Keina Daniel in preparation for the event.

“She did a lot of work for the [open mic],” Tesfay said.

Kim Legier performed a spoken word reading of her original poem via a prerecorded video while BSU open mic attendees watched on on Friday, Feb, 18, 2022. Legiers reading was so well received it was replayed as a closing performance to finish off the event. Delfino Camacho/The Union. — Kim Legier performed a spoken word reading of her original poem via a prerecorded video while BSU open-mic attendees watched on on Friday, Feb, 18, 2022. Legier’s reading was well received and was replayed as a closing performance to finish off the event. Delfino Camacho/The Union.

The event ended with a repeat of Kim Legiers’ recording of her original spoken word poem. The final stanza of Legiers’ poem repeated as attendees signed off one by one.

“I am a complex Black woman and that I am proud to be, so again Black women, how beautiful are we?” said Legier.

Editor’s Note Feb. 23 2022, 10:38 p.m.: Corrected event date for accuracy.