The Black Student Union (BSU) got a refresh this year with new leadership and the promise of more campus visibility and inclusivity.
This semester, the club gained a new president, Corteney Louis, and a new vice president, Memphis Dunsdon. BSU hopes to be more inclusive by having a safe space for all people of color and allies.
President Corteney Louis said, “It’s especially important at Simpson because whether there’s two of us or five of us, we all matter and we all deserve to have a space where we’re comfortable.”
BSU is planning on being more visible on campus through campus-wide events for all who are interested. First on the schedule is a cookout on Sept. 29 by the firepit between Kresge and Barker. This event is open to everyone on campus and includes free food, games, and conversation about BSU.
“We wanted to start off with this cookout which is open to all and we can kind of get engagement within the community and just get people interested in it,” said Louis. “I think we deserve to be visible. We don’t deserve to just be five specks of people that you see in your classrooms or throughout campus.”
The group also plans on having BSU-exclusive events for members. Louis said she was excited to host speakers on financial literacy, curly hair care and a black business giveaway to give back to the members.
When Louis transferred to Simpson College, she was not aware of a BSU group on campus due to its small size and lack of events. This year, she took on the challenge of bringing BSU to the forefront and making sure its legacy lives on.
“It got me excited to just be a part of an organization or just a space where I can bring my ideas and the stuff that I know because I’m not from Iowa,” said Louis, “I thought that my experiences would kind of make me fit to lead BSU.”
Louis wanted the rebrand of BSU to be more inclusive and build up their members to do good within the Simpson community. She hopes their presence will push Simpson to be more inclusive as an institution.
“I think we can build a legacy for BSU so that when I leave, or when someone else takes over, we’re not an unknown group,” said Louis, “I want us to be better than that.”
The group meets on Fridays at 3:30 in the Flemming room of Kent, and Louis encourages everyone on campus to come to a meeting to get a feel for how the group operates. She wants it to be a safe space for everyone to talk about any problems they see on campus or in the world.
“Give BSU a shot,” Louis said, “Don’t be intimidated. It’s an open space to all.”
