Outside the cafeteria, students gather around wearing colorful flags, cultural jewelry, and clothing representing their homelands. Dancing and singing to “Gasolina” by Daddy Yankee, they all celebrate their different heritages with laughs and smiles.

Black Student Union (BSU) held its annual BSU Spirit Week Block Party during lunch Monday, Feb. 26. The theme of this year’s party was “Diaspora Day,” which refers to the dispersion of a group of people with common origins.

Co-president of BSU and communications senior Jasmine Mullings

“Since we’re celebrating Diaspora Day, we tried to incorporate a mix of different types of music. A lot of our Caribbean kids really preferred the reggae music and dance hall that we had, and then we have more traditional African American hip hop and rap songs…  I think this year’s theme is important because a lot of the BSU students aren’t just African American, and it’s important to have a day to highlight that as well.”

BSU member and visual senior Cherise Hightower

“Each culture brings different aspects of their culture, their music, fashion trends, food that they love to eat, and their different dialects. It just brings a whole melting pot of cultures together in school. Today everyone’s representing their culture by their different attire. A lot of people brought flags that are kept in their belt loops.”

Co-community outreach officer of BSU and strings sophomore Musiq Williams

“I think that each culture brings representation. Some of us bring different types of music (and) different types of beats. Some of us are representing our culture by wearing different shirts, bringing flags, and a lot of us added different music from our culture. I’m Gullah Geechee, and I’m wearing a shirt, which shows the south coast where they are.”

Co-vice president of BSU and visual junior Taniyah Aris

“Each person brings their presence, their essence, their stories and their history. Everybody’s from all different backgrounds, and we come together just to celebrate collectively, and that’s what this whole party is all about. I’m Haitian and Jamaican, so I have the Haitian flag and I got green on my jersey that represents the color of the flag of Jamaica.”

BSU member and theatre junior Chasity Walters

“I think each culture brings a different style of music and dancing and overall vibe. A lot of people are wearing different colors to represent their flags (and) accessories to show off like where their family comes from. I’m wearing a shirt that says Jamaica on it, and then I’m wearing this necklace my dad got from a friend who went to Jamaica.”