The Black Student Union is putting together an African Ball on Saturday, March 23, in the University Center.

“We just wanted something different. This was a project we started planning in the summer but previous efforts fell through,” Ke-La Harris, the Black Student Union President said. “We wanted to give people a ‘night to shine.’ It’s another way for them to embrace who they are.”

For many people within BSU, there were a variety of reasons why they decided to put the event together.

“What I hope for people to get out of the event is something different on this campus. People see sports, academics, I don’t feel like they’ve ever gotten to see a ball, a night out, where you’re actually dressing up, and getting to experience something that’s totally out of the norm,” Jada Roberson, the Sergeant-at-Arms of the organization said.

The members of BSU were inspired to do the event in many ways. Last year the event had been talked about from previous executive boards and the idea was passed down.

Ke-La Harris mentioned they had to get the right executive board to execute it and get the funds to enact it because when they started they had nothing to work with.

“We had to do a lot of fundraising, figure out how we could get money, and many other things,” said Ke-La Harris.

“It also started out of us wanting to do a prom, something where people can come and have a good time. It turned into more than that, it got a little deeper,” said Karis Gamble, vice president of the Black Student Union.

The members of the Black Student Union strongly emphasized the African Ball was open to everyone, including people from other races and ethnicities and all walks of life. Hydea Hatcher, philanthropy chair said, “Faculty, students, children, community members, black, white, Puerto Rican are all welcome… it doesn’t matter.”

“The main point is it’s a celebration of our blackness, of black excellence, it’s not necessarily only for black people. So that is what the African Ball represents,” Jada Roberson emphasized.

A dinner is planned, there will be a backdrop so people can take photos of themselves dressed up, a special video presentation and a River Campus presentation, as well as other entertainment.

Tamara Zellars Buck, Associate professor of mass media, will be the guest speaker. In addition to the entertainment aspects of the event, they hope to build a connection and a network between the students and the faculty. They want the faculty to be able to “put a face with that name” and build a relationship between themselves and the students.

Tickets for the event can be purchased for $25 on eventbrite.com. The event takes place between 5:30 pm. and 9:30 pm. and is in Ballroom A.

Although the event is the first of its kind at Southeast, the members of the Black Student Union hope the event becomes an annual event.