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DSU Office of Diversity sponsors February Events

            Dakota State University Office of Diversity Services will be sponsoring a month long look into the African American Culture during February. Scott Zlotak, DSU Diversity coordinator, says the month long series of events “From Dakar to Dakota” is focused on the African experience in America. Quotes from famous racial activists are posted throughout the Trojan center and will remain posted throughout the month of February.

            “The goal of the series is to provide a plethora of opportunity to learn about the many facets of the African American experience,” said Zlotak.

On February 19, from 6:30-8:30pm, artist, musician social activist and scholar, W. Leo Robinson along with Curtis Taylor, Clinical Social Worker, MSW will speak on the Lecture Series and Topics, “From Dakar to the Dakotas,” Africans in America History, Pan Africanism, Civil Rights-Yesterday, Today & Tomorrow and Cultural Competency: What Everyone Needs to Know. Some of the focus will be on the African experience during the Post-Civil War/Reconstruction Era, Africans in the entire Diaspora, and developing Anti-racist among the mainstream community. The forum will be held in The Underground, Lower Level of the Trojan Center.

Robinson has been called a modern day African American Renaissance man. He is an articulate well rounded African American scholar and historian in the tradition of the Great John Henry Clarke; an accomplished fine artist, as well as, a professional 3D graphic artists and animator; an accomplished blues, reggae and jazz musician. Robinson will prove a global perspective of the African experience in not only America but also the entire Diaspora.

“Taylor is a wonderful orator with his experiences deeply rooted in traditional African Culture, using the Baltimore Urban experience, where he is a social worker for Johns Hopkins Hospital,” said Zlotak. “He recently finished his Masters Degree at Howard University. His video of daily Baltimore life last year was a riveting look which captivated the audience.”

            The Multicultural Leadership Collective and the Pan African Community student groups will kick off the week earlier in the day with a luncheon roundtable discussion on the 19^th. The luncheon will be open to all students and will provide a caucus for student leaders who are already involved in social justice and active agents of change. This roundtable discussion will highlight Jeremy Darden, Anti-racist Advocate who will address DSU’s Civil Rights Week and African American Heritage Month. In addition both Taylor and Robinson will be at the luncheon to provide a chance for students to ask them more in-depth questions and for them to gain a better understanding of the DSU campus community.

On February 20 at 6pm a Town Hall Meeting and Panel Discussion about the African American Experience, Highlighting Dakota State University students and guest speakers will be offered in the Underground of the Trojan Center. Anyone interested in learning more about the African American experience is encouraged to attend.

“The ‘Africans In America Series’ recognizes African American History Month,” Zlotak said. “The title ‘Africans in America’ speaks about the involvement of Africans in the entire Diaspora. Also this recognizes the “duality” of the African experience in America.”

“This event has proven to be an exhilarating and cross cultural experience for main stream students to learn what it is like to attend a homogeneous campus,” added Zlotak. “This will be a question and answer session.”

Then at 8pm, following the Town Hall meeting there will be “Club Blue Note” in the Underground. Live music featuring Blues, Reggae, and Hip Hop, and a special Spoken Word Session/ Spotlight Performance by Leo Robinson, Curtis Taylor, Jeremy Darden, and DSU’s own Mason Blake of Part Time Dawg and Red Line’s guitarist, Erik Miller will be featured.

On the 21^st at 7:30pm, Marc Bamuthi Joseph, Slam Poet, will “Speak Out,” in the Underground.

From February 28^th through March 3^rd, the DSU Spring play, Spinning Into Butter” will be performed at the Dakota Prairie Playhouse

“The intent of this enormous and exciting amount of programming is to give our main stream students a chance to really get immersed in the African American Culture,” encouraged Zlotak. “When we gain a better understanding of the experience of Africans in America, we gain a better understanding of present day Race Relations.”