Brown Sugar Brilliance Sweetens the Soul with Black Queer Excellence
How a new club for NYU’s bustling Black queer scene might help me heal my inner child, reconnect with nature, and vibe out in all my vulnerabilities.
(Natalia Kempthorne-Curiel via Washington Square News)
by Ekene Onukogu
This story was originally published on New York University’s Washington Square News.
NYU is far from a historically Black college, but the Black experience in New York City is truly like no other. It’s hard to match the energy of going to a summer block party popping off in Harlem, hearing boom-bap bass blaring from passing cars or munching on meat patties from your favorite Jamaican restaurant.
In my two years as an NYU student, I’ve gone out of my way to explore my Blackness and my womanhood through the school’s numerous affinity groups: the Black Student Union, the African Students Union, the Organization of Black Women, Womxn of Excellence, Strength, and Tenacity, and more. While these groups were undoubtedly productive, I found myself at a dead end when it came to grappling with the specific intersection between my Blackness and my sexuality.
Zuri Alexander, a sophomore at the Gallatin School of Individualized Study, had a similar experience.
“I honestly do find it a little bit difficult to find spaces for Black queer students at NYU,” Alexander said. “My experiences with white queer people are supportive, but at times it’s missing a layer that you get with other Black queer folks. I know that there are Black people out there — they just like to hide out.”
Read the rest of the story at Washington Square News.