Red, black, green, and gold—representing battle scars, resilience, prosperity, and triumph—abounded during the Black History Month celebration held at the Upper School on Feb. 12. The schoolwide event featured a variety of presentations capped off with a community backyard barbeque.
When asked which Pan-African hue best represents this year’s Black History Month observance, Black Student Union (BSU) Advisor Veronique Sumbu replied:
“Gold or maybe green. Colors that symbolize hope and the future and looking ahead, because the struggles are always narrated,” Sumbu said. “[From the African diaspora to] even the students, we all agree that we need the narrative to change because African American history is not all about struggles, there’s a lot of win[s]. And that’s what I think is more important to focus on.”
Echoing the “Lift Off” theme, the school hosted Donovan Livingston—a doctorate awardee, educator, hip-hop musician, and spoken-word poet—at an assembly commemorating the month. The Renaissance man performed his viral spoken-word poem “Lift Off,” originally delivered at the Harvard Graduate School of Education convocation. In 2016, “Lift Off” gained widespread acclaim, including praise from Hillary Clinton, who called it “powerful.” Additionally, Livingston emphasized the urgency of critically analyzing media in an era of AI, social media-driven misinformation, and xenophobic narratives.
“His message of self-understanding and self-knowledge mixed with how we should know and understand our personal truths but also understand others’ stories resonated with us [the Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) Office],” said Don Lawrence, Upper School DEI Director.
After the assembly, Raider students, parents, and faculty found another way to connect—through the universal language of a warm, shared meal. Attendees gathered for a backyard barbeque serving various African and African American dishes.
“My mom brought Nigerian jollof rice,” BSU member Levi Mbadwe said. “She makes that dish a lot—ever since I was a kid and still now to this day. So it means a lot to me that a part of my culture was featured at school since I practically grew up eating the food.”
Just as food connects generations, preserving culture and history, so does gold—symbolizing heritage and triumph. Reflecting this, the DEI Office and BSU continue their work beyond February, ensuring that heritage appreciation isn’t just a moment but a movement.
“We [the Upper School DEI Office] aim to ensure our classroom instruction embeds cultural knowledge and understanding … for all cultural backgrounds throughout the year,” said Upper School DEI Director Lawrence.
![Raider YMUN competitors pose for a picture after touring Yale. "Touring an Ivy [League school] and taking group photos was a lot of fun," sophomore Valeri Bermudez said. They insulated themselves from the 29-degree Fahrenheit weather and wind chill with puffer coats, UGG boats, scarves, and gloves.](https://theraidervoice.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/01/IMG_5547.jpeg)
