Black History Month Fashion Show Pictures
(Courtesy/CA Flickr)
Instead of beginning the week with the traditional assembly model, members of the Black Organization of Students (BOS) orchestrated the first-ever Black History Month Fashion Show to celebrate Black culture on Monday, February 25. Each student represented a specific country in Africa, and with a supportive Academy audience, the fashion show was one to remember.
The Academy community celebrates Black History Month in February with dance lessons and lectures presented by the parents association called Mobility, Opportunity, Social [Equality], Action, and Impact for our Children (MOSAIC), but BOS wanted to get more students involved. So they produced an event that could enlighten the student body on the different fashions and patterns in Black culture. While we use the umbrella terms of “Black” and “African-American,” this fashion show represented various countries’ culture.
As hosts, Zoya and Alaina introduced Nigerian outfits. Senior Carson who wore a dark blue, lion’s head shirt made with Isiagu (pronounced ee-see-ah-goh) fabric, Adaugo showed off the same print with a gold shawl and yoruba (pronounced yo-roo-bah) hat, and Greyson wore a white, lion’s head shirt as all three models walked and danced across the stage. The prestigious Isiagu (meaning lion or tiger) pattern–the Igbo people wear–signifies power, authority, and pride.
Zoya presented the Ethiopian clothing models. Junior Zoe N. and senior Eliora T. wore white habesha kemis–beautiful dresses with flowing fabric and colorful designsthat matched with their netelas, which are traditional headscarves worn by Ethiopian and Eritrean women.
To conclude, freshman Kendall O., sophomores Brian A., Hanna A., Lizzie B., Gabe D-R., Grant L., and Jason S., juniors Alek B., Anderson D., Isa E., and M.J. J. represented Ghana, the first sub-Saharan African country to gain independence from colonial rule. One of fabrics modeled was kente, which is a native fabric to the Akan tribe in Ghana.
Eliora said, “I really enjoyed participating in the Black History Month assembly. Getting the opportunity to share my culture with my peers isn’t something that I get to do often, so this was a really special experience to me!”
Thank you to Zoya, Adaugo, Eliora, Alaina, and the rest of the models for a thrilling show to kickoff our Monday morning!
