February is known as Black History Month and Black Student Support and Engagement (BSSE) hosted an open ceremony to celebrate at the Humber North campus.
The three-hour launch in the Learning Resources Centre on Feb. 4, 2025, offered an inspiring opening ceremony with music, dynamic performances and powerful reflections on the legacy and future of Black creativity, heritage and community.
The event included free food, refreshments, live music, kiosks and displays highlighting other Humber resources.
This year's theme is Roots and Rhythms, emphasizing the profound influence of Black culture and the boundless creativity of the Black community.
Jack Lewis, program coordinator for Black Student Support Engagements, said he loves to bring in more Black voices and the Black community to show their traditions and culture to others.
He said this year's theme is distinct from others because the focus is on Black voices.
“When it comes to Black history or Black heritage ... I think a lot of the time we focus on specific key figures like Harry Tubman, Martin Luther King, et cetera, but this year we want to include other Black voices as well,” he said.
Roots and Rhythms themes focus on students celebrating different Black cultures, creativity, and different communities.
However, students have different interpretations of this year's theme.
Onoriode Francis Osif, the announcer of the event, said this year's event is a way for him to connect with his heritage.
“As a Black person, I just love to connect back to my roots. I’ve been in this country for almost 10 to 11 years and this is one way I can connect with back home in Nigeria,” he said
Osif also said he is excited to show students his food outfits and music and show he is proud to be a Black African man.
Ann Marie Vaughan, president and CEO of Humber Polytechnic and a guest speaker at the ceremony, described some of the challenges to the Black community today.
“I don’t walk with the same history and current life experiences as a Black student and employees at Humber,” Vaughan said.
“But I really believe in Humber is one thing, but actually feeling that essence of knowing that you belong somewhere is a deeper understanding and I would hope that’s where we constantly reflect as an institution,” she said.
