The Black Student Union (BSU) hosted a vigil outside of Brody Learning Commons on Sunday evening in support of the Black Lives Matter movement.
Students stood in a circle outside and lit candles to show solidarity with the movement. Participants were invited to a microphone to share their personal stories and read aloud works of poetry representative of the black experience.
In addition, the BSU had prepared posters and banners for students to contribute their thoughts.
Senior Tiffany Onyejiaka, president of the BSU, explained the reasons behind the organization’s decision to hold a vigil during her opening remarks at the event.
“We wanted to let you know that we are hosting a vigil today rather than a demonstration because we wanted to provide a space where we could just talk about the individuals... that these individuals that died were not just hashtags, they were human beings who had lives and families and connections that are no longer here,” Onyejiaka said. “[The victims] had families, jobs, networks, communities that will be forever changed by their unjustifiable deaths and we think it’s important to focus on that and remember that.”
She also emphasized how systemic racism was also present on campus.
“No black individual is safe from systemic racism, even the black people here at Hopkins are not safe,” Onyejiaka said.
The vigil began with the reading of 29 names of black Americans who had been victims of police brutality since January 2016. The specific names chosen highlighted the night’s emphasis on intersectionality. The reading was followed by a moment of silence.
Onyejiaka also spoke to the widespread police brutality across America in her introductory remarks.
“There have been more than 200 black individuals killed [since January 2016], so we will not be reading each and every name, but we wanted to read you the names of individuals that span different demographics and identities because this epidemic of police brutality affects black people with all ages, abilities, orientations, gender identities and ages,” Onyejiaka said.
Students were given candles at the start of the event and stood in a circle listening to speeches, poems and stories.
Among the authors sampled were Maya Angelou, Malcolm X, Big K.R.I.T. as well as other original pieces written by students.
Attendees of the vigil were encouraged to come up to a microphone and share their own thoughts, personal stories and poetry concerning the black experience and racial tensions.
Senior Jonathan Brown, a member of the BSU, explained why he attended the vigil and touched upon on how the vigil’s open forum style served as a cathartic experience for him.
“I think this is one of the opportunities where we can vocalize our anger and our sadness and our frustration, that’s why I came. This is the first time I’ve actually cried at Hopkins in two years and it was very therapeutic,” Brown said. “You need something like the BSU to have these events so you can speak in a safe space and let loose all your emotions.”
Brown also compared the vigil to the Black Lives Matter Demonstration which took place on Friday and noted how the vigil offered a greater chance for spontaneity in expressing the feelings and emotions of individuals reflecting upon the black experience.
“It was a great showing, great opportunity and nothing compared to the event that happened the other day,” Brown said. “Nothing was scripted in terms of the non-poem reading portion. [It was] very organic, and I think that was part of the emotion that I felt too... You need [something] like the BSU to have these events so you can speak in a safe space and let loose all your emotions.”
Sophomore JoJo Castellanos felt that the event was a success and spoke about the need for support between people of color at Hopkins.
“I know that Hopkins may not be necessarily the most welcoming place for people of color, so to stand in solidarity with them and know that I am here for them and that they are here for me is so important, because we have to support each other through whatever circumstances,” Castellanos said.
Onyejianka closed the vigil by thanking students for attending and for supporting the Black Lives Matter movement.
“Most importantly remember that black people are humans and that black lives matter and that, whatever you are doing to support the cause matters no matter how small you think it is,” Onyejiaka said. “So to everyone who came out, from the bottom of our hearts we say thank you.”
