In partnership with the WSU Athletics Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) Council and the Black Student-Athlete Association (BSAA), the WSU Athletics department hosted several events in celebration of Black History Month. Founded by student-athletes, the BSAA is a student-athlete driven organization established in 2019 after several student-athletes returned to campus following their attendance at the Black Student-Athlete Summit in Austin, Texas, in January 2019. Their vision was to provide a safe space for Black-identified student-athletes to gather, offer mutual support and participate in open discussion, with the goal of creating a closer connection to the athletic department.
In addition to publishing learning materials, graphics and historical information about Black History Month, staff and student-athletes coordinated several activities which included:
Outreach to the community was a key element of WSU Black History Month planning. After receiving donations of 80+ children's books, which discussed and highlighted Black history, student-athletes coordinated virtual classroom visits to read the books to local Pullman elementary school students.
Travion Brown, a BSAA member and football student-athlete described how the Black History Month programming impacted him by saying, "Black History Month is important to celebrate as we can reflect on the history and struggles of Black people. These events allowed our department to learn and reflect, and helped me embrace and celebrate who I am."
To culminate the month's activities, student-athletes and staff participated in the Ahmaud Arbery Memorial Run to honor his legacy and discuss the impact of activism. Over 150 student-athletes and staff members participated. Birgit Smith Burton, Board of Directors Chair for the Ahmaud Arbery Foundation stated, "The board of directors of the Ahmaud Arbery Foundation are grateful to the Washington State University Athletics staff and student-athletes for organizing an event on February 23, 2022 to honor Ahmaud's life in a meaningful way. We appreciate the support this event will generate for the Ahmaud Arbery Foundation and send heartfelt thanks to all who participate."
More information on the mission of the foundation and opportunism to support can be found at www.ahmaudarberyfoundation.org.
In addition to publishing learning materials, graphics and historical information about Black History Month, staff and student-athletes coordinated several activities which included:
- Black History Month Book Drive
- BSAA Visit to the Jordan Schnitzer Museum of Art, which featured the exhibit "Mirror Mirror: The Prints of Alison Saar"
- BSAA Black History Month Trivia Night
- WSU Athletics Staff Black History Month Lunch & Learn
- BSAA Black History Month Movie Screening
- Ahmaud Arbery Memorial Run
Outreach to the community was a key element of WSU Black History Month planning. After receiving donations of 80+ children's books, which discussed and highlighted Black history, student-athletes coordinated virtual classroom visits to read the books to local Pullman elementary school students.
Travion Brown, a BSAA member and football student-athlete described how the Black History Month programming impacted him by saying, "Black History Month is important to celebrate as we can reflect on the history and struggles of Black people. These events allowed our department to learn and reflect, and helped me embrace and celebrate who I am."
To culminate the month's activities, student-athletes and staff participated in the Ahmaud Arbery Memorial Run to honor his legacy and discuss the impact of activism. Over 150 student-athletes and staff members participated. Birgit Smith Burton, Board of Directors Chair for the Ahmaud Arbery Foundation stated, "The board of directors of the Ahmaud Arbery Foundation are grateful to the Washington State University Athletics staff and student-athletes for organizing an event on February 23, 2022 to honor Ahmaud's life in a meaningful way. We appreciate the support this event will generate for the Ahmaud Arbery Foundation and send heartfelt thanks to all who participate."
More information on the mission of the foundation and opportunism to support can be found at www.ahmaudarberyfoundation.org.