Students attended an event to share African and African American culture through food, fashion and poetry in the Health and Life Sciences building on Wednesday.

The Office of Student Engagement partnered with the Black History Month Committee to host the Black History Month Spirit Day event.

“I think people just sometimes disregard what they don’t know,” N’kobe Turner, a second-year business administration student, said. “So I think that it’s a great idea to come to one of these types of events just to learn something about a different culture.”

Black History Month Committee Coordinator Stephanie Smith-Baker said the event was meant to educate others on African American contributions.

“Having events that are intentional, that bring a sense of what African Americans bring to our society … gives us an opportunity to share some special things with the rest of the college community,” Smith-Baker said.

According to Christina Thurston, the program operations coordinator in the School of Health Sciences, the event was meant to offer similar experiences found at “four-year institutions.”

“They would have a feel of, like, what that’s going to be … going to the student unions,” Thurston said.

Fourth-year culinary arts student Sean Tunstall, who volunteered as a chef for the event, said it was pretty cool to celebrate black history at this event.

“I think it’s a good look for the campus,” Tunstall said.

Turner said Black History month is “very important” to him.

“[Black history] doesn’t get as much spotlight throughout the year as it should,” Turner said. “I think it should be more integrated in [general] history.”

First-year mechatronics student Abdouleye Barry said he enjoys going to events like this.

“I’m very deep into my culture, and I love all my people,” Barry said. “I feel like we should represent ourselves every day.”