On November 21, King’s marked an important milestone by hosting the first-ever Black Student Mixer in the President’s Lodge. This event was organized to create a space for Black students to connect, and to network with Black alumni and our extended community of support from Dalhousie University. It brought together 50 guests from King’s, Dalhousie and beyond, including 35 Black students from King’s and Dalhousie, 10 staff from King’s and Dalhousie, and five Black King’s alumni. Director of Equity & Community Supports, Karen Mutyabule and I organized this event, a priority project for me in my new role as King’s first Black Student Ambassador.
This event was formed because Black students have shared that opportunities for intentional connection and culturally affirming spaces had been limited at King’s. Students have also expressed the desire to have initiatives on campus designed intentionally for Black community, joy and shared experience.
This feedback, along with recommendations for action, was contained in a report delivered to King’s by PREP Academy (PREP) as part of a memorandum of understanding between King’s and PREP advanced by President William Lahey in 2023. To create the report, PREP organized an independent consultation process to learn more about the experiences of African Nova Scotian and Black faculty, alumni and students at King’s. One of PREP’s recommendations for action called for the organization of a Black Student Mixer in the President’s Lodge and we were excited to finally make that happen.
The event opened with remarks from President Lahey, who called the event, “…the best night ever,” noting that “next year, we’re going to need a bigger room!”
In the spirit of collaboration and solidarity, staff from Dalhousie’s Black Student Advising Centre (BSAC) also attended the event, including Matthew Thomas, a Black Student Advisor at Dalhousie, who addressed the crowd. “We look forward to continued collaboration between King’s and BSAC for the betterment of our Black student community,” he said.
I also gave remarks, along with Karen Mutyabule, who said, “This gathering here today is a seed. The collective efforts of each of us in this room are also seeds, and all of this will grow in the fullness of time. I end by affirming that Black students belong here. Your voices enrich our classrooms. Your presence makes a difference. Your creativity inspires others. Your resilience leaves a mark and opens doors.”
While mingling and making connections, the crowd enjoyed snacks and refreshments from a customized, culturally informed menu created by Chartwells that included Nigerian pastries such as puff puff and meat pies provided by Efty Dishes. We had music playing in the background and handed out human bingo sheets that encouraged engagement and competition for a prize.
Many in attendance expressed their awe at the ambience of the evening and the space, and a sense of excitement was palpable in the room. “I feel like I’m in a 1980s sitcom. Yeah, it’s like some whole other vibe,” said Emmanuel Tabiri, a third-year student studying kinesiology at Dalhousie.
“I’m so excited to be here… can’t wait” said Miqaela Olatundun, a first-year student in King’s BJ(Hons) program. Members of the King’s basketball team were also in attendance. “My experience at King’s so far has been amazing,” one of the players said. “Everyone here is super nice, and the school here is really good.”
Organizing the Black Student Mixer was a wonderful experience and a great success! We will continue to work collectively to strengthen the Black community at King’s. On January 31, I will be hosting a Black excellence portrait event at King’s. On February 27, I will be hosting a Black movie night at Alumni Hall open to all. Stay tuned for more exciting initiatives coming up this semester. This is just the beginning!
Dáminí Awóyígà is the first Black Student Ambassador at King’s and a student in the FYP-J program. As a storyteller, spoken word poet and community advocate, she’s passionate about using creativity and conversation to build spaces for connection and belonging. In this role, her goal is to support Black and racialized students in navigating academic and social life at King’s, whether by helping them access resources, connecting them to mentorship opportunities, or simply being a listening ear.
As Director of Equity and Community Supports, Karen Mutyabule provides support and consultation to all members of the university community on all issues concerning equity, diversity, accessibility, inclusion, discrimination and harassment. She’s available to provide connections to on- and off-campus resources and supports.
