The Office of Diversity and Inclusion will hold its annual African American Family Affair and Reunion Friday to welcome Black students to campus with opportunities to get involved. Credit: Zachary Reilly | Photo Editor
The Office of Diversity and Inclusion will hold its annual African American Family Affair and Reunion Friday to welcome students with dinner, games and opportunities to get involved in Black student organizations.
Interim Director of the Hale Center Andre Brown, said the event is a chance for Black students to interact with programs and organizations that reflect their culture and strengthen familial bonds.
“A lot of students of color, when they come to the large university involvement fair, a lot of them feel overwhelmed with so many student orgs that didn’t represent them,” Brown said.
Brown said Family Affair aims to offer students of color both a range of resources on campus and support from the Black community at Ohio State. ODI partnered with The Center for Belonging and Social Change, Black Students Association and the National Pan-Hellenic Council to organize this year’s event, Brown said.
“They’ll identify Hale Hall as a place where they feel safe, supported and welcome,” Brown said.
Brown said Vice President for Student Life Melissa Shivers and Executive Vice President and Provost Melissa L. Gilliam also plan to attend the event to interact with students.
“This is a phenomenal opportunity for students,” Brown said. “They’ll get to see them [Shivers and Gilliam] and connect with them, shake their hand and connect the name with a face.”
Ariam Gabriel, a third-year in political science and African American studies and secretary of the Council on Minority Political Affairs, said she attended Family Affair last year and is looking forward to being surrounded by her community.
“I enjoy the atmosphere,” Gabriel said. “I enjoy just seeing, especially minorities, being able to exist without feeling the need to account for the space that we are taking up.”
Brown said students will engage in games — including like dodgeball, kickball and jump rope — as well as watch performances from the university’s Black Greek organizations.
“I feel like a lot of the time when Black people come together, we’re talking about topics that really weigh down our community,” Gabriel said. “Family Affair is just a time for people to get together and kind of have fun.”
The event will also provide an opportunity for students to view the most recent “Black Joy” art exhibit on display in the Hale Center, Brown said.
Brown said he is looking forward to students interacting face-to-face and making connections with the community.
“I want to see a lot of smiling faces, people having a good time and really associating their experience with the Black community at Ohio State,” Brown said.
The event will be held in Hale Hall and on the Siebert Lawn Friday from 5-7 p.m.
