Students, faculty, staff and community members enjoyed a fun-filled afternoon celebrating Black History Month in Pappas Quad on the last day of February.
The first-of-its-kind Black History Month Block Party at the USC Health Sciences Campus was organized by numerous groups including the Black Pharmacy Society, an affinity group at USC Mann School, and the USC Mann School Office of Organizational Success and Well-Being.
With planning led by USC Mann PhD students Michelle Kalu, PharmD ’22 and Atham Ali, the event received more than $10,000 in support from the Keck School of Medicine of USC Office of Diversity and Inclusion, USC Mann, USC Chan Division of Occupational Science and Occupational Therapy, USC Graduate Student Government and more.
Live artists, 20 exhibitors from Black-owned businesses and performers from Omega Psi Phi fraternity, Sigma Gamma Rho sorority and UC Irvine’s West African Dance Group joined the celebration.
“Health programs at the USC Health Sciences Campus are coming together, not only to celebrate Black and Pan-African culture, but also to show their physical support of the Black and Pan-African communities,” Kalu said of the event.
“This sets an amazing precedent for future collaborations at the Health Sciences Campus, and shows the USC community truly cares about supporting the Black and Pan-African communities within and outside of the campus.”
The USC Mann Student Committee for Diversity, Equity and Inclusion (SC-DEI) contributed to this event. The Black Pharmacy Society planning committee includes Jeremy Dow, PharmD ’21, MEd, Michelle Kalu, PharmD ’22, Atham Ali, Siara Magee, Melissa Lewis, Luis Larios, Shaun Brim and Sandra Onyemaechi.
Photos by David Zong / USC Mann.