The celebration must go on

Organizing a black-tie gala for 275 people wasn’t on their to-do list when school started in the fall, but members of University of Idaho’s Black Student Union rose to the occasion — with help from the Moscow community.

Moscow businesses and organizations began sharing social media posts last week proclaiming support for the Black Student Union and urging others in the community to consider donating to the group’s third annual Black Excellence Gala.

Organizing this year’s gala fell to students when the school’s Black/African American Cultural Center, which previously helped organize and fund the event, was closed in December. The Black/African American Cultural Center, Women’s Center and LGBTA Center were among “diversity, equity and inclusion” programs eliminated at the University of Idaho following a vote by Idaho’s State Board of Education to ban them.

“These brilliant young people deserve to have a great event,” Bans off Moscow posted on Facebook and Instagram on Friday. “Give to support the UI Black Student Union.”

A post asking followers to “Join in a night of celebration, recognition and empowerment at a tribute to the remarkable achievements and enduring spirit of the Black community hosted by @uidaho_bsu,” went up on the Moscow Food Co-op Facebook page Monday, along with a flyer about the event.

It’s much-appreciated support, said Black Student Union Vice President Seyi Arogundade, who described the formal event as “crucial — and fun.”

Arogundade, who will speak at Friday’s event, attended last year’s gala and said the sense of community fostered there for Black students and students of color was inspiring.

She was among the students scrambling to secure a venue and caterer, arrange for ticket sales and schedule entertainment after the Black/African American Cultural Center’s closure.

“This is a large endeavor,” Arogundade said. “Especially for students who don’t have experience (organizing large events).”

Rebekah Riehm, formerly an administrative assistant for the Black/African American Cultural Center, was the one to tackle many of those tasks on behalf of the students before the recent changes.

Riehm, who now works in a different capacity at UI, was told she and other staff members “could not facilitate, assist or put on the event.”

“No one is able to assist the students,” she said. “They have to do it alone. It’s all on them to get this to be something.”

The event will take place on campus, in the Bruce M. Pitman Center International Ballroom, and by early this week most pieces had fallen into place.

Though they didn’t have the Black/African American Cultural Center support they’d expected, the groundwork had been laid.

“A lot of connections we’ve had in the past are mutual (between the Black/African American Cultural Center and Black Student Union), and students were aware of who donated in the past,” Riehm said.

Arogundade said she was pleasantly surprised by the support from the community.

“I think it’s awesome and amazing the way our community has rallied around us,” she said. “This has been a beam of light.”

Community members of all races and ethnicities are welcome to attend the gala, she explained, likening it to any celebration of culture — like the Nepalese student celebration happening Sunday on campus — or to achievement nights for sororities or sports teams, where accomplishments are celebrated.

The gala is for “anyone who wants to come and learn about our club and learn about the students (it encompasses),” she said. “To experience the community that we have.”

Stone (she/her) can be reached at mstone@inland360.com.

IF YOU GO

Black Excellence Gala

When: 7 p.m. Friday.

Where: International Ballroom, Bruce M. Pitman Center, University of Idaho, 709 Deakin Ave, Moscow.

Tickets: $10 for community members, $5 for UI students at linktr.ee/uidaho_bsu.

Details: Members of the university’s Black Student Union organized this year’s gala after the Black/African American Cultural Center was closed in December. The evening includes food, music, speakers and awards.