Celeste Cruz / Vaquero Radio
The African Student Association celebrated African vibrant traditions and culture at the Edinburg campus Feb. 24. The event consisted of African dishes, music, art works and games.
Bukola Awotoye, member of the African Student Association, said why the event is significant to her.
“I feel like Black History Month is where people can gather to talk about Black people’s achievement,” Awotoye said.
She said she helps the association members by providing them with opportunities for internships, scholarships and jobs.
Teresa Guntling, co-president and co-founder of Village in the Valley, mentioned why she loves the event.
“I love it because it allows the community and students to really get together, meet one another, learn more about our culture,” Guntling said. “And more than learning, celebrating our culture, and music and poetry and dance.”
Guntling said what Black History Month means to her personally and how life was like when schools were desegregated
“I was a part of the first school to be desegregated in my area where I lived at 5 years old,” she said. “I think for me, it is really about looking at what happened to people going before me, what they went through, celebrating it, remembering it, because without people having the courage and the bravery to do what they did, I could not be where I am today.”
Lolly Peña, educational officer at the Museum of South Texas History, spoke about a Black history story that occurred in the Valley and how people do not know about it.
“It stems from a love story between Daniel Jackson and Matilda Hicks,” Peña said. “It was a mixed-race marriage and they left the south and came even more south to San Juan and they purchased 5,000 acres and had a little-bitty farm. They came to south Texas and they would help [slaves] cross into Mexico.”
Students interested in joining the African Student Association may visit the organization’s V Link page. To learn more about the association, visit its Instagram @asa-utrgv.
This is Celeste Cruz for Vaquero Radio.
