• A month-long Pan-African Heritage Celebration will be going on throughout February
• The month's events encompass African, African-American, and Caribbean cultures
• Events include a step show, stepping lessons, and a Pan-African art show
• The Office of Student Development Intercultural Programs and several other student organizations are planning the events

Marquette students are breathing new life into Black History Month this year with a month-long Pan-African Heritage Celebration. The celebration aims to encompass the various elements of African, African-American and Caribbean culture through dance, food, films, discussions and several other events throughout February.

The events are organized by the Office of Student Development in collaboration with a number of other student organizations, and include Chicago-style stepping lessons, a trip to see the Lion King at the Milwaukee Theatre, a Pan-African Art Show and a step show put on by various Greek organizations.

Mary Miro, a senior in the College of Arts & Sciences and one of the event's coordinators, said rather than simply celebrating an overarching view of black culture, the month's events are designed to acknowledge the differences and similarities between the black ethnicities.

"We wanted to do something all-inclusive for all cultures," Miro said. "This is important because the black population is ethnically diverse, maybe in such a way that it's not recognized or acknowledged. It's conglomerated into what has become African-American. This is a more culturally specific way to identify what we're celebrating."

The month's events kicked off on Saturday with food, music and dancing at an opening gala in the Alumni Memorial Union.

"We wanted to begin with a celebration," Miro said. "We wanted to have a fun event to talk about the things that will be going on throughout the month."

John Lee, diversity commissioner for Marquette University Student Government and a senior in the College of Arts & Sciences, said the month's theme of embracing cultural pride is a good way for Marquette students, and the university as a whole, to look at how far they have come.

"This month is a good mirror. It's a good check," Lee said. "We've come a long way as far as being accepting of other cultures and black culture in particular. But, more needs to happen, and that's up to the students."

Idris Odunewu, president of the African Students' Association and a junior in the College of Business Administration, said the event that he believes is generating the most excitement this month is the Afahye Art Show on Feb. 16.

"Afahye means festival," Odunewu said. "It incorporates fashion, dance and music into a really extravagant event. It's like a parade on a stage. If you're interested in the world or other cultures, you have to attend Afahye. It's something you've never seen before, especially not at Marquette."

Miro said in addition to celebrating black culture and history, she hopes the events of this month bring together students of all ethnicities and races.

"What I hope comes to be is that we help the social and racial lines at Marquette to diminish," Miro said. "I hope that we can launch an overall and permanent cross-cultural community. I want this to be a rediscovery year of what the month can encompass."