Event celebrates black women with songs, poetry

    Murray State’s Wrather Museum will fill with the sounds of poetry and music in a showcase celebrating black women on Monday night.
    The Women’s Center and the English Student Organization are collaborating to celebrate Black History Month and diversity with the “Black Women:  Bold, Beautiful, Brilliant” event.
    Jennifer Minnis, junior from Memphis, Tenn., founded and helped organize the event. She said students from different backgrounds will come together to celebrate black women through song and poetry.
    “People should expect to be blown away by the level of talent that will be displayed,” she said. 
    The event highlights the importance of black women and includes a slide show highlighting important black women of the past and present, Minnis said.
    Minnis said she came up with the idea while discussing upcoming events at a Women’s Center staff meeting.
    “I had a light bulb moment and suggested doing a spoken word event during Black History Month,” she said. “Jane Etheridge, director of the Women’s Center, said she loved it but wanted to put a spin on it.  She wanted to celebrate women through poetry and music.”
    Minnis said the event holds importance for many reasons, but the main goal is bringing people together.
    “Not only will there be African-American students participating, (but) there will be students of different race s participating, as well as attending,” she said. “This alone is a sight that is worth celebrating every month, but especially during Black History Month.”

    Portia Combow, freshman from Franklin, Ky., said she shares Minnis’ and Etheridge’s excitement.  
    “I’m really interested in African-American heritage,” Combow said. “One of my best friends is black, and I would go over to her house and her mom would teach me all about African-American heritage.  I always found it really interesting.”
    “I think African-Americans are obviously a minority, especially at Murray State,” Combow said. “For Murray State to have this event, especially since it’s dealing with women too, is really good.”
    Carrie Schmidt, freshman from Louisville, Ky., said she plans on attending because she enjoys being involved on campus.
    “I like going to events that involve things different from my own background,” she said. “There are a lot of boundaries here at Murray, and it’s nice to be able to reach outside of those.”
      Minnis stressed the importance of men and women from all walks of life witnessing the event.
    “It is important for individuals from all races to be exposed to the boldness, beauty and brilliance of African-American women,” Minnis said.
    “So many people from previous generations fought and risked their lives so that everyone could enjoy life together as people,” she said. “Not as black people or white people or Mexican people, but just as people and that makes this event and the atmosphere it will produce very important.”
     “It seems like an exciting time to be a bold, beautiful, black woman,” Combow said.
     “Black Women:  Bold, Beautiful, Brilliant” is at 7 p.m. Monday in Wrather Auditorium. The event is free and open to the public.
    Contact Booth at jamie.booth@murraystate.edu.