Winner of the “Young, Gifted, and Black” award, Kandice Head, described the atmosphere of the the annual MU “Black Women Rock!” event to be magical.
“Black Women Rock!” is an awards ceremony held at MU where black women in the MU and Columbia communities are honored for their achievements. The event is meant to showcase how black women are also making active contributions to their communities.
Women of all ages were gathered together to sing, cheer and even cry together in celebration of what was referred to as “black girl magic.”
“It was hands down one of the best productions I’ve seen on the campus and it goes in the top five of my favorite memories at Mizzou,” Head said. “It was so beautifully done and you actually felt like black women were being worshipped.”
The awards show was held in Conservation Auditorium Saturday March 5. MU graduate Dreana Johnson held the first “Black Women Rock!” in 2011 after attending BET’s “Black Girls Rock” special.
Head, a senior studying Strategic Communication, has been very involved during her four years at MU. She is the Vice-President of the MU Chapter of the National Association of Black Journalists (NABJ), a Tour Team member, a former Summer Welcome Leader and also serves on the Alumni Association Student Board.
“It’s not that I do what I do for applause or awards or anything like that, but to have someone say ‘hey, I noticed you do this or you impacted me in this way really means alot to me’,” Head said.
Senior Mariah Brannan, coordinator of the show, has been involved in the production process since she was nominated to be a host her freshman year.
“I think it is imperative that people love their culture, in my case that my people — that black women — love their blackness,” Brannan said in an email. “I think it’s important because it counteracts the stereotypes, educates people who do not know the true nature and history of our ancestry and encourages and inspires all in attendance.”
The format of “Black Women Rock!” is similar to a standard awards show. There were performances throughout the event, enthusiastic hosts and a series of awards given out. In total, there were six awards presented, along with a keynote speaker.
The recipient of the “Unsung Hero” award was Dr. LeAnn Stroupe, who is the Director of Visitor Relations at MU. The recipient of the “Making A Difference” award was Brianna Jackson, a student at Stephens College. The recipient of the “Visionary” award was Dr. Paula Roper, a social science librarian at Ellis Library. The recipient of the “Humanitarian Award” was Elyssa Smith, a student in the MU School of Psychology. The recipient of the “Class E” award was Brianna Jackson. Lastly, the recipient of the “Young, Gifted, and Black” award was Head.
To decide the winners of each award, the committee hand-picked judges to distinguish what category the nominees fit under. Nominations can be submitted by anyone and are open to both MU students and community members.
Head cites the reasoning behind her involvement at the university is because her mother instilled in her the importance of taking advantage of what the world has to offer.
“That was my mentality when I came to Mizzou, I wanted to take advantage of everything the university had to offer,” Head said.
Senior Brianna Arps was selected to be one of the hosts of the event, along with Senior Wycla Bratton. Arps was ecstatic when learning that she would be one of the hosts of “Black Women Rock!” and enjoyed the role of being a co-host.
“It’s not celebrity focused, it’s all-inclusive in the fact that women who are doing great things on campus are not going unnoticed,” Arps said.
Arps said that the energy in the air was filled with love, positivity, sisterhood and appreciation. She was moved by the passion displayed by those in attendance.
“Black Women Rock!” is an event that is held annually at MU. Every year the show follows the same format, but different women are honored. Next year, there will be a different coordinator to take Brannan’s place. For Brannan, the show has been a reminder of the importance of diversity and honoring those instigating change.
“This show is about loving yourself and loving others,” Brannan said. “It’s about appreciation, diversity, love and thanking black women who are making a difference. I think this is important because it educates and empowers people.”
_Edited by Waverly Colville | wcolville@themaneater.com_