Students gathered in the Memorial Union Underground on Tuesday, Feb. 24, as snaps and applause filled the room during Washburn University’s Black Student Union poetry slam. The event brought together students, faculty and community members to close out Black History Month with an evening centered on storytelling, education and student voice.
Throughout February, BSU hosted events celebrating Black identity, culture and expression. The organization’s programming encouraged dialogue, raised awareness and strengthened community on campus. The poetry slam closed out the month’s events, pairing students’ literary voices alongside a Kahoot trivia segment highlighting Black literary history and notable authors.
DeMarques Hinds, BSU vice president, guided the evening’s program, introducing each poet and setting the tone for the night.
“We want to create socially aware and literate people who are able to express themselves in many creative ways and whatever speaks to their personality the most,” Hinds said.
Hinds added that events like the slam help students step outside their comfort zones and develop confidence through creative platforms.
The performances explored themes of mixed-race identity, colorism, self-discovery and mental health. Participants addressed both personal and shared experiences, using poetry to reflect on resilience, self-awareness and belonging.
One among the participants was Ka’hari Mcfan, a criminal justice major with minors in sociology and psychology, who delivered a poem centered on self-expression and awareness surrounding borderline personality disorder.
When asked about the meaning behind his poem, Mcfan said it was about confidence and openness.
“What it meant for me is just to continue to be confident within myself, to continue to express myself where people can relate to me and I can just relate that to them as well, just being very transparent with one another,” Mcfan said.
Teresa Leslie-Canty, student success professional and lecturer, and Kris Bailey, Washburn Alumnus and 2023 Kansas Association of Broadcasters (KAB) Award Winner, concluded the program by distributing certificates and prizes to all participants
Bailey addressing the event to all the students, emphasized the importance of continuing the tradition and supporting student voices.
“To the Washburn Black Student Union members here, keep putting this on,” Bailey said. “Your voices matter. You have deep topics to talk about. This is a great opportunity to get out your poetry. Keep writing and keep finding opportunities to get your voice down.”
Beyond Black History Month, BSU continues to build community engagement on campus through its Study with us sessions held every week on Union underground. Further, BSU’s next event, Don’t touch my hair is set to be held on April 7 and will feature hair experts and vendors students about different hair types and care.
Edited by Anushma Dahal and Bidhya Sapkota
