LBC hosts annual Fall Fest

By Grace Meiners

Published Sept. 12, 2008

The Legion of Black Collegians wants to place an emphasis on connecting the black community on campus to the black community in Columbia, and students saw representatives of both Wednesday.

The Gaines/Oldham Black Culture Center hosted more than 100 groups, organizations and businesses Wednesday as a part of its annual Fall Fest on Carnahan Quadrangle.

LBC President Anthony Martin said the fair is a way for students to get to know the different organizations on a more personal setting than in a meeting. He said the first LBC meeting informed students of the different organizations, and Fall Fest showed students what each group does.

Student Life Coordinator Deniece Christian said Fall Fest helps acclimate students with most minority groups on campus before they get involved with specific groups.

Martin said one of the reasons he wanted to incorporate black businesses in the community with Fall Fest is to help retain black students.

This year, black freshman enrollment increased by 5.7 percent. Martin said keeping those students at MU is a priority.

For the past seven years, employees from A Cut Above the Rest barbershop has attended Fall Fest, owner Debra Harris said. She said Fall Fest is important because it helps students know what is in their community.

"It allows students to know where to go for their churches and other services," she said.

Martin said he and other coordinators wanted to make the festival include more than just black campus organizations.

Some of the new groups and companies included Harris's barbershop, Ford Motor Company and the McNair Scholars Program.

Sophomore Constance Stanley represented the National Association of Black Journalists at the event and said she hoped to give students a sense of family and belonging on campus.

Stanley said NABJ is not just for black students studying journalism. She said the group can also serve students studying communication or any student interested in journalism.

Another new booth to Fall Fest featured Columbia resident Sally Burnley, a drum circle facilitator.

She said she has been leading drum circles since she got her percussion instruments two years ago.

"It's a rhythmic-based experience with very few words," Burnley said.

Burnley said she starts with a solid beat and then the participants must keep the song going. She said this activity helps to promote unity in a group and can be a great stress reliever for students.

"You must be aware of everyone around you," she said. "You must leave a space for others to play their drums. You cannot just think about yourself."