By Azmeh Talha
Staff reporter
aatalha@owu.edu
In celebration of black history month, the Ebony and Ivory Ball brought together students of different schools in Ohio.
The event was hosted by Ohio Wesleyan’s Black Student Union (BSU) on Saturday, Feb. 16. BSU treasurer, junior Keionna Babie was in charge of planning the night.
Babie said students from Otterbein University and Ohio Dominican University reached out saying they wanted to attend the event.
“Before we could even reach out to other schools, somehow they got word and started asking us where can they buy tickets and stuff,” Babie said.
BSU aimed to make the ball a big event for all the Ohio schools to attend like Ohio State University’s African Night, Babie said. African Night is “a region-wide cultural celebration that provides a platform for diverse expression amongst alumni, current students, faculty, as well as other Midwestern African student associations,” OSU said.
“We have 30 [attendees] registered from Denison but we had some more that were not registered,” said junior Daniela Black.
The ball was held in the Benes Room of Hamilton-Williams Campus Center and welcomed attendees throughout the later evening. Described as “chill” by Otterbein University junior De’Andre Mckenney, the evening had a decorated monochrome and champagne atmosphere suited to the ball’s theme.
A photo booth was set up with glittering gold drapes on either side with a black and white striped backdrop in between. Balloons of the same color scheme were arranged in the shape of the letter M across the photo booth.
Each table had a centerpiece of white and black roses in a long, thin, transparent vase with gold diamante clusters in between. Tables were also scattered with circular gold confetti.
“It was a lot of stuff that we had to plan and think about; it was worth it though,” said Alexis Thomas, secretary of BSU.
BSU hired DJ Vnicee (Javon Forrester) for the Ebony and Ivory Ball, a DJ Babie says has worked with a lot of Chicago rap artists.
Vnicee’s choice of music consisted of mainstream popular rap songs such as 21 Savage’s “Bank Account” and Drake’s “Nonstop” as well as some African culture with music by regional artists.
“The Ebony and Ivory Ball was everything that Ohio Wesleyan University needed at this moment in time,” said senior Ares Harper. “It created a safe space for people of color to come and have a great time, enjoy themselves and for one night not think about their race.”