Let the AAA second annual costume party commence
Featuring spooky music, raffles, a photo booth and more, many students attended the second annual costume party hosted by African American Affairs Friday in the CSU Ballroom.
The ballroom was decorated with cobwebs, fake skulls and multicolored balloons. Students were encouraged to compete in dance-offs and costume competitions to win prizes such as blankets, posters and even a karaoke machine
Christian Wise, a Graduate Assistant for the group, said “For Halloween, especially for college kids, it’s all about seeing people and crazy costumes and just having fun in general. So that’s really what we were aiming for.”
Xavier Thomas, the group’s President, said “Overall, it’s bringing something on campus, and I think a lot of times that, for international students, Halloween is new to them. It is an American holiday, we have Day of the Dead in Mexico, but that’s completely different from how the Irish and Americans celebrate Halloween. So, introducing them to that has been interesting, because originally there is a stigma against it, because it’s kinda like, worshiping the Devil and whatnot, and getting them to have fun and engage and forget about that for a second was beautiful.”
Wise also said, “I think (a costume party) just captures the spirit of Halloween, because when you think of Halloween the first thing you think of is skulls and crossbones, and the next thing you think of is trick or treating, and with trick or treating comes costumes.”
“As far as events for this particular time, I feel like there’s nothing else that would really gather the attention of students as much as a costume party because it’s Halloween. I think a costume party was the best idea just to get our name out, the office out, get the name about BIG (Black Intelligent Gentlemen) out, so more people can learn about BIG. And I feel that it was the best overall event type to throw that would increase engagement with us, it would be a lot of fun, or was a lot of fun.”
On the African American Affairs organization, Wise said, “We’re just trying to make sure we have a safe space, and a place that people of color, more specifically African Americans, can come and just have fun. We want to be able to make events to allow people of color or students of color to collaborate and meet other people of color. That’s basically what it’s all about, just showing togetherness and having the students here know that they’re not alone.”
The African American Affairs organization is located in the Multicultural Center in CSU 269, everyone is welcome to stop by.
Write to Ellie Meschke at eleanor.meschke@my.normandale.edu
Header Photo: African American Affairs hosted their second annual costume party Saturday. (Ellie Meschke/The Reporter)