On Monday, Nov. 18, Black Leaders Aspiring for Critical Knowledge held an event called “Family Feud: EMU Edition” in the Student Center Auditorium. Inspired by the original TV game show hosted by comedian Steve Harvey, B.L.A.C.K. invited a variety of different clubs and organizations to get involved in the festivities as part of B.L.A.C.K. Week.
Organizations such as I.M.A.G.E., Young Beautiful Black Woman, Poetry Society and NAACP participated in the event, which had an overwhelmingly huge turnout, to the point that the auditorium was filled with close to 250 people.
Taaj Logan, a member of B.L.A.C.K., was instrumental in putting together the entire event and was pleased with the participation from fellow students.
“People really enjoyed the event and were really excited about the event as well,” Logan said. “I came up with the idea, but I wouldn’t have been able to do this event if it wasn’t for my brothers helping me out along the way.”
Logan also said that they plan to do the event annually as a part of their organization’s week.
“As with anything, there were a few technical difficulties here and there, but now we know for next time what we need to improve on, and we will go from there when that time comes.”
“These activities that are going on this week were designed to celebrate the black male,” said Reggie Barns, B.L.A.C.K. advisor and Director for Multicultural Affairs at EMU.
The motive of hosting this event was to have a fun time with students and to show the campus “that as young black males, we can still get together in a large or small setting, have good clean fun
with not even one altercation,” according to B.L.A.C.K. President Ken Hill.
The organization used the event as a charitable platform, making the cost of entry for each student a canned good or non-perishable item, all of which will be donated to the HOPE Clinic in Ypsilanti.
“With Thanksgiving right around the corner, it was the perfect opportunity to help feed a few families just as we will be doing at the end of our week for another community service,” Hill said.
“First we gathered the food and then we will deliver, help distribute and also prepare it.”
Students who attended the event appreciated the initiative to have fun events for people in the campus community to be involved in.
“I think that it was a nice idea considering that this was the first type of game show in the black community and I like how it involved all the orgs on campus,” said Alexandra Michelle.
“I thought the concept was very original,” said Carlie Robinson.
The events of B.L.A.C.K. Week are sponsored by other organizations on campus as well, including Women in Philanthropy Foundation, YBBW, EMU NAACP, Minority Women in Leadership and more.
For more information on how to become a part of B.L.A.C.K., and also find out about which events are going on this week, contact Jarvis Hailey, vice president of B.L.A.C.K. at jhailey4@emich.edu or Reggie Barnes at reginald.barnes@emich.edu.
