By Khalia Lewter
BSU held its famously known annual event, The Ebony Ball, on Friday, Feb. 7, from 8 – 11 p.m. Every year holds a new creative theme, and this year’s theme was Hollywood Glamour. The event took place right across the street from the WPU’s campus at the American Institute of Architects North Carolina Chapter, otherwise known as the AiA building to Peace students.
The night was filled with glamour indeed. Upon entrance up the stairs, the doorway and lobby area were beautifully decorated as a red carpet photography area where guests would enter and take selfies and also have their pictures taken by school known photographers. Towards the open lounge area of the building, event goers gathered to enjoy music, good company, and even dance battles. An array of students dressed in suits, formal dresses, and others used their creativity to form outfits to fit their personal aesthetic with a hint of fashionista glam.
(Photo by Isaiah Grady)
Downstairs, underneath the lounge area was the dinner, desserts, and drinks area. On the table, you would find a mac and cheese bar with all sorts of dressings and toppings, barbeque-coated meatballs, salads, baked chicken, and also finger foods like cheeses, crackers, cut-up sandwiches, olives, fruits, and cured meats. Not too far from the entree table was the dessert table. Some of the desserts that event goers enjoyed were strawberries with a chocolate fountain, an array of candies from chocolate-covered candies, taffies, hard and soft fruity pieces, and of course cupcakes.
Alesia Brack, a WPU senior, SAC Representative for swim, and Secretary for the BSU group, shared the vision and set up behind the ball for this year.
“We [The BSU student board members] wanted it to feel glamorous and since we were having it off campus,” said Brack. “We wanted it to be something to get people to be up and excited and to be memorable, we then had decided to do a Hollywood theme so students could come out and glamour themselves.”
Another student, Royale Horton, who is the freshman liaison for BSU, had this to say about her experience at the Ebony Ball.
“It’s a nice little event that I feel like most people wanted to attend, like personally I was excited for it,” said Horton.
Both BSU members said the organization has changed their experiences in college as a person of color, and both hope to have an effect on others in the same groups or other diversity groups through community engagement and sharing fun moments such as the Ebony balls.
“BSU has helped me stand out coming into William Peace, it was a hard time coming from home, and I feel like becoming a member of BSU gave me another community and place to go to.” said Brack.
Horton also shared how BSU helped her, “Personally, the only outward community experience that I’ve gotten was from working, so once I found BSU, it kind of showed me how to be outward, and receive opportunities through organizations like community service.” said Horton.
(Photo by Isaiah Grady)