“Welcome to the third annual Black History Month Diaspora Party. I’m gonna need more energy than that,” exclaimed Dr. Arameh Anvarizadeh. She is a USC faculty in residence and one of the co-founders of the annual Black Diaspora party celebrated at the end of Black History Month.
On Wednesday night, Black student groups gathered at Tommy’s Place for a potluck-style gathering. They brought food from Soul, Cuban, and Jamaican cuisines, among many other offerings. A brief slideshow presentation accompanied each dish, describing its origin and how it relates to the Black Diaspora.
The line to enjoy the food was so long that it was split into four, but Kaycee Kaithula, a freshman studying business administration, already knew what she would dig into first.
“I always go for the soul food, but if I were to try something out tonight it would be the Jollof rice,” Kaithula said.
The event began three years ago when Anvarizadeh and students living at Somerville Place wanted to start a tradition for Black History Month. This year, they packed Tommy’s Place with students and on-campus organizations, including the Black Graduate Network, Black Student Association, and Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity Incorporated.
Obi Okolo, an MD/MBA student, had not attended the previous two Black Diaspora parties and was excited to get a glimpse at the fusion of Black cultures.
“I think it’s really important that we celebrate our diverse cultures as Black individuals in this country, that we come from all over the world,” said Okolo. “The fact that we’re able to come together and have a space to celebrate our cultures is really important.”
The Pan-African Student Association and Caribbean Student Association were also present at the event. While attendees ranged from vast to more intimate student populations, Kaithula felt the organizations represented a wide array of groups at USC.
“I feel like today’s event is really nice. I like that it captures all the different Black organizations we have here on campus, and it’s really nice to see everyone out and enjoying different foods,” said Kaithula.
If you plan on attending next year, make sure you have to-go plates in hand. You’re gonna need it!