Black Love Affair comes back to Kean
By Shelsie Ducheine
After a week of delay due to the on-again-off-again snowstorms we have encountered here at Kean, The “Black Love Affair” was set and ready to go on February 20. Students and their guest arrived in their Sunday best waiting to see just what the night had in store.
Pan-African Student Union (PASU) hosted the black tie event with the theme of “A Night at the Oscars” and everyone in attendance came dressed for the occasion. The event was held in Downs Hall and kicked off with a few speeches, games, and performances.
The first game proved to be pretty tricky for its contenders. Couples had to dance while keeping their feet on a newspaper which got smaller and smaller each round. A best dressed competition followed and it seemed that nearly half of the guests felt that they had the most eye catching outfit of the night. Almost 30 people took part in the competition and each gave their best runway walk to showcase themselves. Two of the winners Shannon and Shantel Wilson, twins from Kean, wore cocktail dresses that favored each other but still provided the girls with the opportunity to show off their own style.
The band, “UCYPHE” was in attendance as they performed live at the event. They were fully equipped with a guitarist, pianist, singer and a rapper. They subtly set the mood and opened the floor to Kean’s original dance team KDT, who performed two dances that were both seductive and sultry. The crowd’s attention seemed to be kept. The whistles and cheers belting from the crowd proved that. They danced together in sync but each girl got the chance to do a solo and broadcast their own natural talents. Dahlia Wesley, a senior at Kean was one who enjoyed it very much so.
“The dancing was really elegant. I starred the whole time, “Wesley said. “I couldn’t take my eyes off them.”
Once the live entertainment ceased, dinner was served. Fried Chicken, macaroni and cheese and collard greens were on the menu. It was obvious that most people in attendance enjoyed the food because second and even third plates were taken regardless of the 1 plate per person rule. Some guests were left without any food to eat unfortunately, but thankfully that didn’t stop the party. Once dinner was over, The DJ got people up on their feet and the rest of the night was filled with dancing, smiles and laughter. It helped remind everyone why PASU even started out in the first place and just what their mission was.
The Pan-African Student Union describes themselves, according to their website, as a “cultural organization uniting all people of African descent into a greater awareness of self.” They describe their mission as a way to give knowledge and empowerment of pre-colonial roots in order to provide strength in the future.
“I feel like it’s important to have nights like this,” Steele a senior at Kean, said. “It’s different from what we normally have and its pays respect to our culture.”
Years later, PASU seems to still be holding on to their legacy and on that Thursday night they shared that with all who were willing to join. PASU has every intention to keep stepping forward with the many events that they do, including none other than “Black Love Affair.”