Zara Musa came to the school looking for a community. Like many students, the transition from middle school to high school served as a new opportunity for her to meet new people.
“[When I came to the school,] I just wanted to find a place that was a community for me,” Musa said.
Today, Musa, who is currently a senior at the school, has not only found her community but is leading it. As president of the school’s Black Student Union (BSU), Musa works to maintain a safe and welcoming space for all students.
“[BSU] is a space for people to feel comfortable in an institution or a school that doesn’t have many students who look like us,” Musa said.
Sean Allen, another senior at the school and the president of the Brotherhood Union (BHU), has a similar mission. According to the school’s website, only 8% of students at the school are Black/African-American. However, individuals such as Allen ensure that members of this minority have a space to get to know one another.
“Brotherhood is basically a safe space for male minorities to carve out a path for themselves,” Allen said.
For Allen, BHU is a way to provide guidance and advice to younger male students of color in the school that he could have used in his formative years. A 2023 study by the Lumina Foundation found that only 34% of Black Americans had earned an associate’s degree or higher, compared with 45.7% of the general population. The study found that many other minorities faced similar disparities in higher education. To combat this racial divide, Brotherhood Union works to conduct numerous activities and tours that are designed to assist members of the club in determining their post-high school plans and potentially even secondary education
“My favorite part of [Brotherhood] is helping somebody out that I know is in need of the same experience[s] that I needed help with,” Allen said.
Together, Musa and Allen work not only to celebrate their culture within their clubs but also with the school. Every year, the Black History Month Assembly is their way of sharing their culture with the school community. However, the planning process is complex and can start months before the event.
“We usually start planning [in] November [and] December. [We ask the members], ‘What are your ideas?’ and we use that to have some sort of framework for [the Black History Month Assembly,]” Musa said.
Black History Month, which was established in 1926 by Carter G. Woodson, is meant to celebrate and spread knowledge of Black culture and history. However, the month has a different meaning for everyone who celebrates it.
“[Black History Month] is bigger than me. [There’s] still so much that I still don’t know about Black history, but I do think it’s about coming together,” Allen said.
For Musa, this month is not only the result of the tireless efforts of many Black leaders but also the culmination of the efforts of minority advocates throughout history.
“There have been so many revolutionary people who have paved the way for not only African-Americans but all minorities in whatever sense. Whether that be people in the LGBTQ+ community or people of other races, [many] have paved the way for more rights,” Musa said.
As graduation draws closer, both presidents will soon have to part with their clubs. For Musa, graduation signifies not only an end but also the start of something new.
“I think I’m ready to move onto the next stage, but I think there’s always going to be a part of me that will look back on [high school] and [miss] my friends,” Musa said.
However, both Musa and Allen are confident of their clubs’ future. Every year, the number of students in Black Brotherhood continues to grow as more middle school students transition to the high school community.
“I’m fine with the way that [I will be leaving the club.] There’s so many [freshman] boys coming in, and I’m very excited,” Allen said.
For Black Student Union, Musa has ensured that her role will be filled by a capable member next year.
“We have a bunch of freshmen, sophomores, [and] juniors who are willing to learn more, and maybe at this current moment might not be the best leaders, but will have the skills to keep developing that,” Musa said.
As the year draws to a close, both Musa and Allen have been reflecting on their experience at the school and the pivotal role that the Black Student Union and the Black Brotherhood played in their lives.
“[In the future,] I want to use the same outlet I’m using for my club to give people who don’t feel seen [a chance] to see themselves in [the] media, and my outlet [will] be through film,” Allen said.
“I’m really happy to have been a part of the BSU, and to lead and leave a little bit of my own history,” Musa said.
