FEBRUARY 1, 2022 — UTSA will commemorate Black History Month throughout February through more than two dozen events celebrating the history, lives and culture of African Americans.
Organized by a committee of faculty, staff and students, the university’s Black History Month celebration will be rooted in its theme: “Honor the Past, Be the Present, Create the Future.” Events will include lectures, book clubs, workshops, health and wellness activities, volunteer opportunities and more.
Here are some noteworthy Black History Month events to mark on your calendars:
Black History Month volunteer opportunities
February 1 to March 1 | Virtual and in-person opportunities available
Celebrate Black History Month by giving back to your community. Students, faculty and staff are invited to participate in both virtual and in-person volunteer opportunities offered by the Office of Leadership and Volunteer Services. If you are a UTSA student who would like to receive service hours through any of the provided volunteer opportunities, record your hours in RowdyLink and email lvs@utsa.edu with a timestamp or proof of service.
Racial Justice Book Club
Wednesday, February 2 | 2 p.m. | Virtual
Participants will read and discuss Dear Martin by Nic Stone. The book club will meet each week at 2 p.m. on Wednesdays throughout February.
All Black Everything: NAACP Black Business Expo
Tuesday, February 8 | 7 p.m. | H-E-B Student Union Ballroom
Why Are You So Scared? Black Horror in Contemporary Culture
Thursday, February 10 | 4 p.m. | Virtual
Kinitra Brooks, the Audrey and John Leslie Endowed Chair in Literary Studies in the Department of English at Michigan State University, will discuss her 2017 book Searching for Sycorax: Black Women’s Hauntings of Contemporary Horror and provide analysis of recent releases such as the 2021 film “Candyman” and HBO's “Lovecraft Country.” She will also speak about futures for Black women in speculative horror representations.
Civil Rights and Social Justice Experience
Saturday, February 12 | 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. | Various locations throughout San Antonio
The Civil Rights and Social Justice Experience is an intensive immersion that takes UTSA students to historical sites of the Civil Rights Movement to listen to stories and experiences, learn about contemporary social justice issues and develop skills to fight against oppression. This year, students will visit the heart of San Antonio to learn about different Civil Rights and social justice movements. This event will feature a tour of the East and Southeast sides of San Antonio, where students will learn about the Black and African American Civil Rights Movement. A follow-up event in March will feature a tour of the West Side of San Antonio, where students will immerse themselves in the history of Latino social justice movements in San Antonio. An RSVP is required to attend.
Black Student Orientation
Tuesday, February 15 | 6 p.m. | H-E-B Student Union Ballroom (HSU 1.106)
This event will give UTSA students the opportunity to meet UTSA’s Black student organizations.
Afrobeats Barre
Tuesday and Thursdays; February 15-24 | 7:30 to 8:15 p.m. | Recreation Wellness Center (Rec Studio)
Afrobeats Barre blends a fusion of dance and Pilates for a full body low impact class. Afrobeats Barre is influenced by heavily percussive instruments, vocals, house music and funk. Participants will use moves and routines inspired by popular Afro club music hits and dances.
Bokwa
Wednesdays; February 16 and 23 | Noon to 12:45 p.m. | Recreation Wellness Center (Blue Studio)
Bokwa is a cardio-infused blend of boxing (“Bo”) and kwaito (“kwa”) that taps into hip-hop, house, reggae and melodic rhythms and dance. Bokwa participants draw letters and perform dozens of other steps with their feet while engaging in an energizing and addictive cardio workout routine, making it an excellent choice for beginners.
Outstanding Black Student Leadership Award
Thursday, February 17
On February 17, the Outstanding Black Student Leadership award will be awarded to a UTSA student who has shown strong leadership skills and service toward the Black and African American community. Students can be nominated or they can self-nominate. The nomination form will be open until Sunday, February 13.
A Conversation on Amplifying the Black Immigrant Voices
Thursday, February 17 | Noon to 1 p.m. | Virtual
This panel discussion centers around the experience of being a Black immigrant and/or being part of a Black immigrant family. The panelists will explore topics on how their community has inspired them, resources they have utilized while completing their academics, tips for interviews in desired areas of employment, research and other topics.
UTSA Women's Basketball vs. Southern Miss
Thursday, February 17 | 7 p.m. | Convocation Center
Contemporary African Americans in Digital Media & Technology
Friday, February 18 | 10 a.m. | Buena Vista Theater (BV 1.326)
Join University Technology Solutions in celebrating Black History Month to learn about prominent African American figures in digital media, technology and more. Featuring a panel of students in the UTS Bold Careers Ambassador and Internship program, this discussion will celebrate the technology advancements that have been made by African Americans in the past few years. Audience members may join virtually or in-person at the Buena Vista Theater at the Downtown Campus. The event will include a Q&A session with the presenters.
The Portrait and Power: A Workshop with Anthony Francis
Wednesday, February 23 | Conversation at 2 p.m.; workshop at 3 p.m. | Retama Auditorium (SU 2.02.02)
This conversation and workshop are an extension of Anthony Francis’ practice seeking to engage collective memory and Black feminist politics to posit art making as a communal gathering and space holding. Students will have the opportunity to learn from Francis about the art of portraiture and attend a workshop putting lessons in to practice.
Black Girls Rock: A Panel on Black Womanhood
Thursday, February 24 | Noon | Virtual
This panel discussion will explore what it means to be a young Black woman from the perspective of Black women at UTSA.
UTSA Men's Basketball vs. UAB
Thursday, February 24 | 7 p.m. | Convocation Center
Dream. Build. Lead. — A Conversation with Black Entrepreneurs & Community Leaders
Monday, February 28 | 1:30 to 4 p.m. | Business Building University Room (BB 2.06.04)
In honor of Black History Month, the Carlos Alvarez College of Business will welcome leading Black entrepreneurs who are making an impact in the community. Students will engage in an intimate and meaningful conversation on the stories behind their businesses, challenges and accomplishments in hopes of inspiring the next generation of business leaders.
Keynote Address featuring Christian Menefee ’10
Monday, February 28 | 6 p.m. | Retama Auditorium (SU 2.02.02)
In collaboration with several UTSA departments, the Student Union presents Harris County Attorney Christian Menefee ’10 as this year's keynote speaker for Black History Month. As the Harris County Attorney, Menefee is the chief civil lawyer for the largest county in Texas. Menefee is a UTSA alumnus and is the youngest person and the first African-American to serve as Harris County Attorney.
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The UTSA Office of Undergraduate is proud to celebrate National Undergraduate Research with an annual event sponsored by the (OUR) featuring students will showcase undergraduate student research and creative endeavors from all disciplines across campus.
Various LocationsDía en la Sombrilla, formerly Fiesta UTSA, is a festival hosted each spring as a part of Fiesta® San Antonio events. Sponsored by Roadrunner Productions, the event features music, food, confetti, games, event t-shirts, and more.
Sombrilla Plaza and Central Plaza, Main CampusFiesta Arts Fair features contemporary art from more than 100 artists from across the U.S., Fiesta favorite foods, drinks, live music by local and regional performers, and a Young Artists Garden providing opportunities for budding artists to learn, explore and express their creativity.
UTSA Southwest CampusJoin the PEACE Center and Wellbeing Services for Denim Day, a day of learning about the importance of consent and why we wear denim on the last Wednesday of the month each April during Sexual Assault Awareness Month. Stop by our Denim Day display to take a photo in front of our Denim Wall, spin the "Is It Consent?" Wheel, and get a Concha or goodie.
Student Union Window Lounge, Main CampusLearn to use Zotero®, a citation manager that can help you store and organize citations you find during your research. Zotero can generate bibliographies in various styles, insert in-text citations and allow you to share sources with collaborators.
Virtual EventThis event is to achnowlege the graduating seniors and induct the new cohart of scholars to our program.
North Paseo Building (NPB 5.140,) Main CampusCelebrate the accomplishments of College of Education and Human Development, College for Health, Community and Policy, College of Sciences and University College.
AlamodomeThe University of Texas at San Antonio is dedicated to the advancement of knowledge through research and discovery, teaching and learning, community engagement and public service. As an institution of access and excellence, UTSA embraces multicultural traditions and serves as a center for intellectual and creative resources as well as a catalyst for socioeconomic development and the commercialization of intellectual property - for Texas, the nation and the world.
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