There was certainly no shortage of energy stepping foot into the Helene Fortunoff Theater at Monroe Lecture Center for the annual Black Student Union Unity Showcase on Thursday, Nov. 17.
Students, faculty and guests came out to show their support for the organization and enjoy the variety of talented performers who took the stage not only for the chance to win the $300 cash prize, but to show the inclusiveness of the Hofstra community.
“Unity is all about bringing people together and being able to support each other, and I think that it was shown throughout the night from a good portion of the audience,” junior and returning performer Maurissa Buster said.
Buster, accompanied by Nathaniel Larose on piano, performed the Christian song “Oceans,” which she felt was different and out of the ordinary from her performance last year.
“I used the show kind of as a way to minister to people that probably needed some encouragement,” Buster said. “And I think that's the best part of performing and having the opportunity to bring whatever you want to the table.”
Other musical acts included performances from Hofstra’s very own a cappella groups; Making Treble, The Hofstra Dutchmen and Sigma’cappella.
Sophomore Gabrielle Spann performed individually as well as with her group, Sigma’cappella, in their renditions of “L.O.V.E” by Nat King Cole, “Woman” by Joy Williams and “Voodoo Child” by Jimi Hendrix.
“It was exciting to be a part of such a unifying event, especially for my group as a whole. It was a great opportunity for us to show our peers how we unite to create music in a very unique way,” Spann said.
Coordination was key as dance troupes Imani, Strictly Steppin’ and transcenDANCE – who took the first place spot at the end of the night – showed out in great quantity as well as quality. Senior member of transcenDANCE, Christian Mason, spoke about performing in the showcase and the importance of BSU, stating, “I feel like the unity aspect added an element of acceptance to the showcase, which is probably why everyone had fun. Even if you didn't know a song or dance you were still encouraged to participate in the fun.”
Spoken word creatives utilized the diverse atmosphere to address hard-hitting issues, such as the Black Lives Matter movement, police brutality in the media, the Flint Michigan water crisis, gender inequality and the recent election, to name a few.
Sophomore Genesis Rivera performed a spoken word piece on social injustice in America.
“I’ve always used poetry to portray messages of social injustice to people who don’t necessarily want to listen,” Rivera said. “[This piece] in particular targeted people of color who are complacent under oppression. And after the voter turnout of the [people of color] community last Tuesday, I felt it was necessary to get [that message] out.”
If there’s one thing everyone took away from this event at the end of the night, it was the open door mentality that BSU prides itself on. Keiyonia Williams, the president of BSU, offered her thoughts on what makes this organization stand out from the rest. “Through our events and programs we promote proactive leadership, community outreach and student empowerment as well as embracing our cultural heritage, unity and appreciation for diversity.”