Dancers boogied down to the Student Activity Center for a Disco Night hosted by Utah Tech University’s Black Student Union at 9 p.m. Feb. 7.
The disco was BSU’s kickoff event for Black History Month and was in collaboration with the LGBTQ+ Student Organization. They were bumping classic throwback tunes from the ’70s and ’80s while mixing up genres with some modern hits. Michael Jackson, Lil Wayne and other prominent Black artists could be heard all night.
The SAC’s gym was decorated with balloons, glitter and flashing disco lights that added to the spirited atmosphere. Students and club members alike came dressed in their best disco outfits and danced the night away.
Nevaéh Anderson, a junior criminal justice major from Atlanta, is the BSU club president and wanted to keep the energy high for the group’s first event.
“Every single Black History Month, we got to kick it off with a bang,” Anderson said. “Last year we did a house party, basically early 2000s. So we said, ‘Why not take it back to ’70s disco time?’”
Sharniece Pinex, a freshman criminal justice and psychology major from Las Vegas and BSU club vice president, said that social media also influenced their choice of the event.
“I think we wanted to start with a disco because it’s really trendy on TikTok right now,” Pinex said. “I feel like we would get a lot of people to participate since they see that it’s not something harsh like a poetry slam. We’re gonna ease into that.”
Pinex said she wanted to join BSU to find others she could relate to and find a sense of community. Similarly, Hayden Hellebrand, a freshman information technology major from Las Vegas, said he joined the club for the community as a first-year student at Utah Tech.
The group of students who attended made sure to keep the party energy high. The group included students of all races and backgrounds which is what the BSU wants to focus on.
“I just want to make it very clear that while this is the Black Student Union, it’s not just for Black students,” Talara Pelt, a senior creative writing major from Las Vegas and club secretary, said. “Of course, we do love our Black students, but this is for everyone to come together [and] have a safe space to just hang out and vibe.”
Anderson agreed. “A lot of people have that fear of, ‘Oh, I’m not Black, I can’t be in it,’” she said. “That’s not the point.”
Community was the theme of this event as everyone came together to have fun and dance. The BSU welcomes any student from any background to come and learn about Black culture.
“It doesn’t matter,” Pelt said. “Black, white, brown, purple, unicorn. It doesn’t matter. Please just come on down and hang out. It’s a really fun time.”
