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.

Ajani Criteria
Information Form (MSWord)
Ajani Brochure (PDF)

Black Baby Doll Day is an event sponsored by the Ida B. Wells Living Learning Community. African-American and Latina dolls are collected and given to girls in the community to help foster positive self image. These dolls are normally given to children in need during the holidays. It is a community service project that began with the Black Student Alliance in 1997 and has since been expanded to collect more than 400 dolls a year.

Black Family Reunion occurs each spring and invites the college community, family members, and alumnae/i to share in a weekend of fun. Some of the activities include an old fashioned fish fry, barbecue, horseshoes, hula hoop contest, and just about anything you would find at a traditional family reunion. The 2007 Black Family Reunion will be held on March 30. For more information, please contact Joanne L. Harris, director of African-American and Multicultural Affairs.

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.

Caribbean Awareness Week
A celebration set within Black History Month that punctuates the rich cultural heritage of the people of the Caribbean. This celebration is sponsored by the Caribbean Student Association.    

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 celebration is designed to lift up the importance of celebrating African-American heritage and instilling cultural pride.

At MBC, first year African-American and Latina 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.

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 10th anniversary of the Office of African-American and Multicultural Affairs — A Great Cloud of Witnesses — acknowledges the extraordinary voices of students, alumnae, college family, and friends who have shared in the development of our diversity program. When we research the history of college diversity, certain names are always recalled: alumnae, administrators, faculty, staff, organization 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 has launched an oral history/visual arts project, to help put a face with the stories that are so lovingly passed down from class to class: The Wall of Honor.