Black History Month is well underway, and the Institute for Inclusion & Equity (IIE) has its hands full with programming and education. Still, it is important for everyone to de-stress every now and then.
Soulful Creations is a new IIE program designed to provide a space for everyone to create various crafts to relax from hectic college life. This program is one of many changes in the new look IIE that aims to create a more welcoming environment for students.
As the founder of Soulful Creations, Interim Director and W.R. Crigler Program Coordinator Marion McKinney describes the program: “[Soulful Creations] is an opportunity to decompress. Everyone is allowed to come in and create.” As of now, students attending can paint and create vision boards, with clay and bead jewelry coming soon. Soft jazz and amicable chatter complete the ambiance of the recurring events. “Come in,” McKinney said, “and just relax. The campus can get hectic. Soulful Creations can help separate and compartmentalize work and play.”
Soulful Creations is part of the new direction of the IIE for the semester, as well as the office’s Black History Month Celebrations. The IIE was reorganized over the winter break to be more focused and inviting for students looking for a place to belong. Though the IIE currently lacks a director since Ashley Henderson departed near the start of the year, McKinney, Assistant Director Annie Bryant, and LGBTQ+ coordinator Saher Khan have been pushing the office toward the future with programs like the On the Same Page (OSP), Queer Quest, and Conexiones book clubs, workshops, and game nights. All the IIE programs, according to McKinney, are in part held to promote a “growth mindset.”
As mentioned, Soulful Creations is also a part of the office’s Black History Month Celebrations. “We will have special canvasses [for Black History Month],” McKinney stated, “and we have ordered ethnic beads for jewelry-making.” These special Soulful Creations come off the heels of the Chinese New Year’s Soulful Creations held at the beginning of the month.
McKinney emphasized that the IIE’s Black History Month celebrations will extend beyond February, stating, “Black history is 365 days a year.” As part of these ongoing efforts, the IIE will launch a card-writing campaign centered on radical messages of love. This initiative encourages all students to express gratitude to their family members, acknowledging their support, sacrifices, and the legacy of those who came before them. In the coming weeks, the IIE will set up tables outside the office with additional information and recommended readings.
Soulful Creations is held every Thursday in the IIE from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m.