The Black Coalition, recently renamed, remains busy with new goals

When members of Purdue University Fort Wayne’s Black Student Union decided to make a change, they went big. Recognizing that the initials were not unique, the group voted to rename itself The Black Coalition and create a new Student Government Association charter and constitution. The new identity continues to reflect the group’s mission as well as professional and educational goals.

But the core message behind the name remains the same, making the organization stronger because of it. The mission is still to cultivate the black experience through cultural events, meetings, collaborations, holidays, and more.

Throughout the name change process, the officers stayed busy. They created new fashions to raise funds, offering T-shirts, sweatshirts, jackets, and caps featuring the new letters.

“When we came up with the idea for the new name, we were thinking about how to promote it,” said sophomore Charles Lewis, TBC treasurer. “We thought clothing because everybody likes fashionable clothing, and it was a way to get people excited for the name change.”

The other officers are junior Lania Fleming, president, and junior Cameron Smith, secretary. Junior Juliet Ogunniyl and freshman Brooklyn Rivera serve as social media coordinators, and there’s also a panel of highly invested members providing input. The group’s new theme is “One mission with various visions,” and so far, interest is growing.

An early call-out meeting attracted nearly 40 potential members, most of whom participated in the club’s fall semester events. The officers presented a “Denim Doesn’t Discriminate” fashion shoot, hosted a game night, welcomed club members to a movie night, organized a mental health night, and volunteered at Jingle Jubilee. One highlight was attending a Black Business Card party by Big Brothers Big Sisters, giving members a chance to network with resources from across the Fort Wayne community.

During the second semester, they served as guest callers at February’s campus bingo night and are working hard to bring back the club’s traditional Black Excellence Gala. More events will be posted on the club’s Instagram and Facebook pages.

“It’s been a challenge, but I love the responses we’re getting,” Fleming said. “I love how people come up to us and are excited by what we have planned for them.”

There have also been collaborations with like-minded groups from Indiana Tech and Ball State, with plans to reach out to others. Their efforts were recognized with an Outstanding Student Organization Award from SGA last spring and a Spirit of Unity Award from Indiana Tech.

“It’s a little bittersweet because it is a lot of work to get everything going and then fight for stability, but it is also very rewarding,” Lewis said. “When we get a good turnout, it feels good.”