The Black History Club’s annual African-American food fair, Taste of Soul, will be held virtually on Feb. 25. According to club sponsor Sherri Sistrunk, some club members will cook soul food dishes on video, as well as carry out other plans that are yet to be announced.
Sistrunk said that while they are unable to hold Taste of Soul in person this year, the event was a place where community members could come together in the past.
“It’s a good unifying event, not just amongst the club, but parents, the school, administration,” Sistrunk said. “So we’re really disappointed that we won’t be able to have this event.”
Sistrunk said that Taste of Soul allows the club to spread African American culture within the school.
“A lot of love goes into our food,” Sistrunk said. “That’s why it’s called soul food, and we just like to share that with others.”
The club members are planning other events for the month. They will also proceed with hosting speakers and sharing Black history moments over the announcements, as they have done in previous years.
Black History Club president Tamyra Kelly joined the club last year, when trivia about civil rights organizations and lesser-known Black historical figures were main discussion points. However, she said that she noticed a shift since then, as meetings this year have fostered discussions about issues highlighted in recent events.
“We had a meeting earlier this year… over systemic racism,” Kelly said. “And that was cool to be a part of because we don’t really talk about systemic racism in school, so it was nice to have a lesson where everyone gets a general idea of what problems we still have going on in this country.”
A large part of Black History Club is pride in Black culture, especially during Black History Month. Kelly compared the excitement of members of the Black community during February to anticipation during the holiday season.
“Especially because in the media, often, it’s more saturated with Black content and stuff like that,” Kelly said. “So you feel that love, or just a sense of pride throughout the community for at least 28 days out of the year, which is cool.”
Kelly said she has benefitted from spending time with other students who are proud of their culture.
“I’ve gotten to be around a lot of cool people,” Kelly said. “The energy overall of Black History Club, especially in person, is really nice, because it’s just a bunch of kids hanging out, having a good time.”
While the discussions are based around Black culture and history, Sistrunk said that the Black History Club is not only for Black students — rather, they welcome all members of the student body.
“We have members of all diverse backgrounds,” Sistrunk said. “So it’s good to see everyone becoming knowledgeable of history.”
