Rowan College of South Jersey (RCSJ) is proud to announce it is hosting the Celebrating Black Culture & Community: Rich Traditions of the Past, Present, and Future event. This free program is open to the public and will take place on Friday, Feb. 21 at 7 p.m., at the legendary Guaracini Center. The intention of the event, sponsored by the RCSJ’s Student Life and the Cumberland County Campus Educational Foundation, is to commemorate African American History Month.

“It’s about making our students of color, and our community feel celebrated,” said Shania Santiago, senior supervisor of Student Life and Alumni Relations, RCSJ. “I know that our community here may be small, but you are valued. You are respected. Your presence does a lot for our community.”

The Celebrating Black Culture & Community event will consist of a keynote speaker who is going to share stories about African diasporic traditions from the past and present and how they can be applied in the future, Santiago said. The program will also feature a hip hop performance, poetry readings, a “drumline & dance” performance, a recitation of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.’s “I Have a Dream” speech, plus more.

“The audience will have an opportunity to be in fellowship as a community,” said Arthur C. Horn, assistant professor, business department and adjunct professor, Behavioral Science & Law and Justice, RCSJ. “This fellowship and celebration will be filled with various traditional music, dance, and dialogue of the African American community.”

RCSJ remains committed to creating a space where people of all ethnicities, religions, and creeds feel welcomed. Horn and Santiago spoke about the importance of celebrating different cultures here at the College.

“In my humble opinion, there are different traditions among cultures, but there are many shared similarities among the varying cultures,” Horn said. “When we uplift a culture, or cultures in celebrations, we really are [celebrating] the community at large.”

“Growing up, we’ve always been taught that the United States is a melting pot or a mosaic,” Santiago added. “In our small community, the students come from a variety of backgrounds, however their goal is [the same] – to come here, be educated, and thrive in society.”

When asked what message she hopes the audience receives from the event Santiago said: “I want them to walk out feeling heard and seen. I want them to take in the message of unity and empowerment – empowerment of all cultures.”

For more information about the Celebrating Black Culture & Community: Rich Traditions of the Past, Present, and Future program, contact Shania Santiago at [email protected] or 856-200-4815. For information about Rowan College of South Jersey’s student life, visit RCSJ.edu/CampusLife​.​