Civil rights and community activist presents during Black History Month
The Black Student Union (BSU) at Inver Hills Community College hosted a presentation by Spike Moss, a civil rights and community activist from Minneapolis, during Black History Month. Titled “Don’t Touch My Culture,” the event was held Thursday afternoon, February 21, 2019, in the College Center Lounge on the college’s main campus in Inver Grove Heights, Minnesota.
Grace Jones, a customer service specialist in the Inver Hills Bookstore, serves as the Black Student Union staff advisor. Grace took on that role more than 17 years ago. She started working at the college nearly two decades ago.
“One of my jobs as BSU advisor is making sure our student members are doing well academically,” Grace said. “I also help the students create an annual budget and plan for club events.”
Inver Hills BSU Presents Spike Moss • Black History Month
Grace Jones on student takeaways
Spike made a point of including all cultures represented in the room.
Spike insisted students are responsible for getting their own education—and then it’s up to them to give back when they succeed.
Spike emphasized the theme of his talk, “Don’t Touch My Culture,” by praising female Somali students in the audience for wearing their traditional attire.
Grace Jones
Learn more about Spike Moss by reading:
“Comcast Honors Minnesota Civil Rights Champions”
More about the Black Student Union…
Grace Jones reported that the Black Student Union has 22 student members this semester. Highlights of the BSU yearly calendar include attending the National Black Student Union Conference. In November 2018, club members participated in the 21st Annual NBSU Conference, “A Fifty Year Retrospective on Black Student Unions Across America,” in Lincolnshire, Illinois. The club plans on taking part in the 22nd Annual NBSU Conference, also in Lincolnshire.
“We will attending this year’s Pan African Conference at Minnesota State University Mankato,” Grace said. The 43rd Michael T. Fagin Pan African Conference takes place February 27 to March 1; the 2019 theme is “Dreaming of Wakanda: Black Consciousness, Liberation, Solidarity.” Grace noted that 15 BSU students will be going to the conference thanks to the club’s fundraising efforts.
Black Student Union (BSU)
Purpose: To promote awareness of diversity on the campus and to the community. To allow students an opportunity to explore other educational aspects of diversity.
Inver Hills BSU meets every Wednesday from 2 p.m. to 3 p.m. in Fine Arts 165. Everyone is welcome.
BSU holds monthly events throughout the school year. September is “What’s Up BSU?”, an event featuring an open mic and stage. November is the month BSU shows appreciation for student veterans; the club pays for and serves meals during a Club VALOR event.
“This past January, we celebrated Martin Luther King Jr. Day by hosting a panel discussion,” Grace said, adding that the panelists included Interim President Michael Berndt, Provost and Vice President of Academic Affairs Tia Robinson, Minnesota State Chief Diversity Officer Clyde Pickett, and Inver Hills Criminal Justice Instructor Dawanna Witt, who also serves as a sergeant with the Dakota County Sheriff’s Office.
Grace is working to establish collaborative relationships with Black Student Unions at other Minnesota colleges and universities, including Normandale, Century, Augsburg, Minnesota State Mankato and Concordia. She pointed out how Inver Hills BSU celebrates diversity through volunteerism and collaborations with local organizations.
“We work with Feed My Starving Children and Catholic Charities,” she said. “We are also reaching out to two senior citizen centers in Inver Grove Heights.”
