Student Affairs
Cultural Celebrations
African Awareness Week
A week set within the framework of Black History Month that celebrates the
rich cultures of Africa. The events for this week are sponsored
by the Afrikan Student Kollective.
Ajani Celebration
The Ajani Celebration is a ceremony held the day before commencement that
celebrates Mary Baldwin College graduates who have been engaged in diversity
programming and who have supported the goal of building inclusive excellence
during their educational tenure. Ajani Celebrants receive a kente stole
that designates this involvement that they are approved to wear during
Commencement.
Black Baby Doll Day was started in 1996 under the leadership of Vashti Colson, the first president of the Black Student Alliance. The event is done each fall to collect African-American dolls for area children and to help raise awareness about the need to develop positive self esteem in African-American girls. The Black Baby Doll Day Project was adopted by the Ida B. Wells Living Learning Community in 2003. The project has received national acclaimed and has been featured in national magazines like Jet and Ebony. In past years the project has served more than 400 area girls a year.
Black History Month is a national event each February that celebrates the contributions of African-American people to the progress of humanity and to the development of the United States. At Mary Baldwin College, Black History Month extends beyond calendar borders, embracing programming offered by all of the sister organizations in Minority Women In Unity as well as the Baldwin Program Board. The calendar of events traditionally begins with the celebration of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Day (January 15) and includes other annual events such as Kwanzaa, Gospel Extravaganza, Greater Things Dance Ministry recital, and a Kuumba Players production. To mark the strength of our African and Caribbean communities, special weeks are set aside to pointedly celebrate these cultures. The Caribbean Student Association and the African Student Kollective direct these special interest weeks.
The Black History Month Oratorical Contest encourages community children to strengthen their public speaking skills by reciting African-American poetry and prose. The competition includes students from second through fifth grade. Applications are available through the Office of African-American and Multicultural Affairs.
Kwanzaa is an African-American holiday traditionally celebrated from December 26 to January 1. It was created by Civil Rights activist Ron Karenga. The word “Kwanzaa” means “First Fruits.” Traditionally, many West African people celebrated the harvest of the first fruits. Kwanzaa is designed to be a time when African-American people come together to give thanks for the harvest and to celebrate unity after working, struggling, and building together throughout the year. This cultural celebration is sponsored by the Ida B. Wells Gateway each year serving as an important community rite of passage.
At MBC, first year African-American students present the principles of the Nguzu Saba through various art forms. The event has become a special rite of passage ceremony and is given in honor of our freshmen and graduating seniors. It is a celebration filled with feasting, music, dancing, drumming, and storytelling. The Mary Baldwin community as well as Staunton community is invited every January to participate in the Kwanzaa celebration. This event is sponsored by the Ida. B. Wells Gateway.
Las Posadas is a reenactment of Mary and
Joseph’s search for shelter and a place for the birth of the baby Jesus,
an event celebrated in Latin American communities around the world. Las Posadas
dates back to 16th century Mexico and has become part of the traditional
Christmas celebrations in many parts of America including our college community.
Las Posadas Mary Baldwin Style is a pilgrimage that winds its way through
the residence halls with lead characters Mary and Joseph knocking on doors
and asking for a night’s lodging. Each stop along the way will reflect
a different holiday tradition, including Chanukah, Kwanzaa, and Christmas
in the Caribbean, Ireland and Africa. The procession concludes with a fiesta
at the Student Activities Center. This is an exciting program for people
of all ages. Participants are encouraged to wear warm clothing, comfortable
shoes, and to bring a flashlight.
Latin Awareness Week is a nationally recognized event that
is celebrated on campus during the second week of September. Events are planned
through the Office of African-American and Multicultural Affairs with direction
given by Latinas Unidas.
Tenth Anniversary Celebration
Wall
of Honor The theme for the Wall of Honor project: A Great Cloud of Witnesses, acknowledges the extraordinary voices of students, alumnae, college family, and friends who have shared sacrificially in the development of our very successful diversity program. When we rehearse the history of college diversity, certain names are always called: alumnae, administrators, faculty, staff, organizational founders, family members and community members who have given freely of their time, talent and treasure to support the work of the office and the cause of college diversity. In respect for the power of narrative, the Ida B. Wells Living Learning Community created this oral history/visual arts project in 2006. Each year the community members complete a project to meet and to put a face with the stories that are so lovingly passed down from class to class.