The Black Student Union
THE BLACK STUDENT UNION SERVES REPRESENTATIVE TO THE PAN-AFRICAN DIASPORA, AS WE STRIVE TO UPLIFT AND MANIFEST THE GOALS AND ASPIRATIONS OF THE STUDENTS WE TEND TO, AS WELL AS THE LARGER BINGHAMTON COMMUNITY. PRIOR TO OUR FOUNDING IN 1968 BY KIM WHITE,
BLACK STUDENTS WERE REPRESENTED BY THE AFRO-LATINX ALLIANCE NAMED AZABACHE. DURING THE HEIGHT OF THE BLACK POWER MOVEMENT, FROM AZABACHE, AROSE THE BLACK STUDENT UNION. SINCE OUR CREATION, WE HAVE FOUGHT TO REMAIN ACTIVE ON AND OFF CAMPUS, FACILITATING A MULTITUDE OF PROGRAMS WITH GOALS SUCH AS YOUTH MENTORING AND EDUCATION, AS WELL AS PROVIDING SUPPORT AND GUIDANCE TO YOUNG MEN AND WOMEN IN DETENTION CENTERS THROUGHOUT OUR ACADEMIC SCHOOL YEAR. WITH A VARIETY OF EVENTS ON CAMPUS SUCH AS BLACK SOLIDARITY DAY, OUR ANNUAL FASHION SHOW, AND CONTINUED EVENTS THROUGHOUT THE ENTIRETY OF BLACK HISTORY MONTH, WE MAKE OUR PRESENCE KNOWN. WE ARE THE BLACK STUDENT UNION-- HERE TO ELEVATE, SUPPORT, AND CELEBRATE THE BLACK AND BROWN INDIVIDUALS WHO ENRICH OUR COMMUNITY
A Message From Our President & VP
Hello, My name is Taylor Chance, I am the President of the Biggest and the Baddest Black Student Union. I joined BSU in my freshman year and now I am a senior which makes four years of being a part of this great organization. I originally joined BSU in order to find a family and a home on this PWI campus. I wanted to be in a space of like minded people that shared similar lived experiences to me. I came to find out that the Black experience is much more broad and diverse than I originally thought. While I did find people that had similar lived experiences I found so much more authenticity and creativity of diverse voices that have helped me grow and form into the person I am today. BSU has given me a community, a community that has challenged me, shaped me, changed me. My favorite quote that I heard from someone on this org is that “When you’re on BSU you have no choice but to grow”. Which is at times uncomfortable, difficult, and I’d rather not, but I had to. Which is not for everyone, but it is what I needed in order to be the leader that I am right now. I am not the same person I was when I first walked across BSU’s fashion show stage as a freshman. I am not even the same person I was when I decided to run for presidency last semester. With every changing season I have adapted and grown. In BSU I learned that anyone could be a leader. I came into this organization as a leader; similar to many of my previous and current eboard members. However, I am leaving BSU as a compassionate leader, as an empathetic leader, as an adaptable leader, as a confident leader. Skills that I wouldn't have grown into if not for this organization. I learned this org, I became a part of this org, I wanted to give back to this org that has given so much to me. So I became the president. I have enjoyed this position so much and I loved creating a family with my 56th eboard. The best part is knowing I have created a space that feels like home for my eboard, I love them and BSU so much and I wouldn’t have wished for a different experience.
My name is Yvedrenne Pierre and I am The Vice President of the Oldest Multicultural organization on Binghamton campus, our very own Black Student Union. I joined the Black Student Union my freshmen initially as an Model for the 53rd fashion Show. During my participation in the show I encounter so many confident and radiate Black Women on a campus where I struggle to find that elsewhere. This initially drew me to the Organization. I found that this was the only place I found people that emulated heritage and culture I was longing for. The Black Student Union was founded on the principles of Unity and Heritage, and as a member I have found that those are the most important values to not only me but for the community around me. Throughout my time on campus the Black Student Union has grown to so much more than an organization. It is a family, it is a home, it is a safe space, it is a breath of fresh air in an arid climate. The work I do as the Vice president of this organization is not only deeply important but incredibly emotional because it is tied to a great movement to infiltrate a space where we were not too long ago told we were not meant to exist in. My time in the Black Student Union has been a treasure and journey that I can only hope I give to the others around me as they encounter this space. I have grown to be that confident and radiant Black Woman I was searching for freshman year and I only hope to pass that down to the members around me.
GIMs, GBs, & MORE!
Come and find out what BSU is all about!
Homecoming Fashion Show 2024
Melanin Mosaic
The 56th Fashion show highlights the Black experience as rich and diverse, encompassing a wide range of interests, passions, and aspirations rather than being a single, uniform identity. Each individual is made up of a complex interplay of identities that form a unique narrative, contributing to a more vibrant and dynamic community. In this year’s show, we deliberately step outside of the restrictive and simplistic stories that have been painted on our behalf. Instead, we embrace the concept of beauty in complexity, akin to a mosaic—a stunning assembly of different pieces that come together to create a larger, more intricate picture. We acknowledge that our diverse backgrounds, experiences, and perspectives enrich our community and contribute to its strength and resilience.
Each participant in the fashion show embodies their distinct story, style, and sense of self, serving as a testament to the ways in which one can express their identity. Together, we create a powerful statement in our individualism that honors our differences while also showcasing our shared cultural heritage.
- Jasmine Braziel, Social Cultural Coordinator 24-25
Black Solidarity Day 2024
The Story of our Sound
Black Solidarity Day, observed on the third Monday of November, was founded by Dr. Carlos Russell in 1969 to promote unity and collective action within the Black community. It serves as a day of reflection on shared experiences of racial oppression and a call to address systemic inequalities. The observance encourages Black people to stand in solidarity, reinforcing the importance of mutual support in the fight for social, political, and economic justice.
Black radical creativity is a cultural and political force that challenges oppressive systems and reimagines possibilities for freedom and justice. It manifests through various forms of expression—art, literature, music—that critique societal norms and celebrate Black identity and resilience. This creativity not only resists marginalization but also fosters alternative visions for a more equitable future, using art as a tool for liberation and empowerment.
Music is a key outlet for Black radical creativity, providing a space for resistance, identity, and social commentary. Genres such as jazz, blues, gospel, and hip-hop have long served as platforms for confronting racial injustice while affirming cultural pride. Through music, Black artists express both personal struggle and collective solidarity, using their craft to inspire change and empower the community. Music, as a form of radical expression, continues to shape the broader discourse on race, justice, and liberation.
-Nadiah Layne, Political
Correspondent 24-25
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