IC News

During February, Ithaca College hosted a series of events in honor of Black History Month. Students, alumni, and faculty had turns in the spotlight over the course of the month. Several signature events included the BIPOC Students and Allies Showcase February 22, the Black History Month Concert on February 23, and the Community Celebration on February 24.

“Throughout February, our Whalen Center for Music has reverberated with the joyous sounds of community and collaboration,” Ithaca College President La Jerne Terry Cornish told a celebratory crowd in Ford Hall, capping off concerts that included music ranging from classic hymns to Beyoncé and African drums. 

Music and dance pieces came from around the world, including Ithaca’s historic Southside neighborhood in a thrilling multi-night celebration that literally and figuratively uplifted voices of color. The evenings were largely organized by Baruch Whitehead, associate professor of music education, along with student, community, and faculty leaders. 

The BIPOC Students and Allies Showcase featured 10 different performances in the Hockett Family Recital Hall, from the classic “Summertime” from “Porgy and Bess” to the more modern title song from “Dreamgirls.” Sprinkled throughout were pieces from the Philippines, India and Brazil, among other countries.  

The evening was arranged by Whitehead and student director Alexa Rahman ’24, who also contributed a moving violin piece called “Adoration.”

During a break between pieces, ICUnity, an alumni volunteer group that supports diversity-related programs and events, gave out awards to two recent alumni.

“What they’ve done at such a young age is so impressive. I am envious,” said ICUnity president Gary Gilbert ’91.

One recipient, clinical health studies graduate Treasure Blackman ’22, DPT ’24 sent a message to the audience at the event.

“I was gifted the opportunity to serve the Ithaca College community, whether that be as an RA or with the Black and Brown communities here,” she said. “I saw that as a gift to do community organizing, bringing communities together, bridging gaps, pouring into other emerging leaders just as other leaders had poured into me.

“I’ve learned a lot about structural imbalances that keep underrepresented communities oppressed and how to best combat that oppression,” said Blackman, who received the Du Bois/Mandela Scholarship as a senior.  

Nicole-Bethany Onwuka ’22, an actress, singer, and educator who received the Chung/Thorpe Leadership award as a senior and who still works and performs in Ithaca, was also honored at the event. She thanked the student and faculty leaders who are “creating space for POC communities here.”