Diversity, Equity & Inclusion Director Marleigha Evans (left) and Administrative Coordinator of Institutional Effectiveness and Co-lead for Employee Resource Groups Shellee McCullum (right) stand in front of the Hoops & Heritage raffle stand. The event served to celebrate Waubonsee’s current Sophomore athletes and make a tribute to the college’s Black athletic alumni.

By: Kisella Valignota, Communications Director

Throughout February, Waubonsee Community College has hosted events celebrating Black History Month, providing opportunities for students, staff and faculty to come together and learn about Black history. This month has served as a time to learn different cultural practices, recognize its significance within our local community and reaffirm our commitment to supporting the Black community year-round.

On Friday, Feb. 7, Waubonsee hosted its Rise 2030 Strategic Plan Launch Party, an event that debuted the school’s five-year plan. Aiming to foster a culturally educational space, they celebrated Black History Month by starting with a performance by the diasporic African sisterhood dance company Ayodele Drum and Dance. 

The performance showcased the dancers wearing traditional colorful African clothing and makeup, performing rituals and dances to a series of different drum-focused songs from African culture. Leading the performance was Assistant Artistic Director Imania Fatima Detry. 

“I’m one of the founding members of Ayodele Drum and Dance. We’re celebrating 16 years this year,” Detry said. “We were founded as an all women’s drum and dance company. Our studies and backgrounds are specifically to dances, drumming and rhythms through West Africa – majority Mande language speaking countries that would include Mali, Guinea, Cambia, Ivory Coast and then dances of the diaspora.”

Their organization uses the various studies of African countries to create a unique, informative experience for their audience. In addition to their educational purpose, Ayodele Drum and Dance also uses their art to bring people together. For them, their diasporic performance is an important part of empowering women from different backgrounds, as well as cultivating a stronger connection with their local community. 

“[Starting the organization] was about creating a space for everyone to be able to come to learn about the history and the culture of our people. And, not just specifically Black and African American [culture], but across the world globally. So, our mission is to foster community from a feminine perspective through the study and performance of diasporic African music and dance,” Detry said.

Bringing people together is a large part of Ayodele Drum and Dance’s overarching mission. Therefore, although they reside in Chicago, the dance company makes sure to perform in places outside of the city to inform and educate other communities. Applying their goal of cultural exposure and community cultivation makes coming to diverse spaces, such as Waubonsee, just as important to them as it is for the college.

“We like to attend to our community as well as the younger generation, so they can learn more about the culture and be able to pass on…so we like to be able to spread our knowledge, entertainment and education through doing these [performances] around [the Chicagoland area],” Detry said. “It’s always a pleasure to be able to share the knowledge and the culture to places that’s outside of the city and even more of the colleges and universities because there’s a lot of diversity that’s happening within these spaces. To be able to know about different cultures, that’s what’s most important.”

Ayodele Drum and Dance’s performance offered Waubonsee’s faculty an educational and entertaining look into African culture. Whereas the college’s second event for Black History Month focused more on how we can celebrate locally. On Thursday, Feb. 20, Waubonsee hosted Hoops & Heritage, which served as a joint celebration of Black History Month and Sophomore Night for the school’s athletes. 

The celebration included signs and announcements that were tributes to Black athletic alumni, a food truck from Black-owned BBQ restaurant Soul & Smoke and a raffle stand that offered athletic, academic or cultural related prizes. Working the raffle stand were Administrative Coordinator of Institutional Effectiveness and Co-lead for Employee Resource Groups (ERG) Shellee McCullum and Director of Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Marleigha Evans.

At her position for ERG, McCullum helps organize the promotion of diversity, equity, inclusion and belonging at Waubonsee. This month’s work focused on incorporating Black History Month celebrations into the community’s events with the Ayodele Drum and Dance performance and incorporating Black history recognition at Sophomore Night. 

“We decided that we were gonna honor Black History Month as a part of the sophomore celebration to just really showcase and highlight all of the African American athletes that have come before the student athletes that we have now,” McCullum said. “I think [these events] just raises awareness to, first of all, Waubonsee’s outstanding athletic program, and then overall, just shines a really bright spotlight on the number of African American athletes that have come through our doors over the years.”

As she’s grown up, McCullum has watched how the celebration of Black History Month has grown and changed for the better. Having been raised by her parents to honor Black history and its importance, and she ensures that her community continues to do the same. 

“I grew up celebrating Black History Week. And then when it actually spread to a month, it was monumental. My parents were highly involved in the civil rights movement growing up. There’s a number of times my parents were arrested, and I was at the police station waiting for my grandparents to pick me up, so Black History Month is huge in our family. It’s been an extremely important month for us: my sister and I and my parents. We make it a point to highlight the successes and highlights of African American history throughout the United States and the world.”

The educational and cultural purposes of celebrating Black History Month align with Waubonsee’s mission to promote diversity among its students and staff. Although Black History Month and its celebrations have come to an end, Waubonsee remains committed to fostering a supportive and inclusive space for everyone in its community.

“[Hosting diverse celebrations] is not only for black and African Americans. But [also for] Hispanic Heritage Month, LGBTQ+ and Pride Month and things like that. I think it’s highly important that everyone, not just our students and our staff, but everyone in the community recognizes everyone for their achievements and the importance of our differences,” McCullum said.