Angel Percentie (she/her) is a fourth-year English honours student who loves getting involved on campus. She is a resident assistant, peer writing tutor, student content creator, and editor of Estuary, Acadia’s creative arts magazine.

Lights. Camera. Action. Friday, February 27, at 6:00 p.m. in Fountain Commons, the Black student body dressed to the nines as they celebrated the close of African Heritage Month. The theme for this year’s gala was For Us By Us: Celebrating Black Excellence. In the past, this event was mainly hosted by administrators, but this year, Black students took on the planning, and it was a huge success.

Robo Onoriode-Ezire, engineering major, MC, and planning committee member, said that “the night was very amazing and fun to plan.” There was a moment of uncertainty where they weren’t sure they would be able to pull such a big event off, but after months of working, it was exciting for the event to come together.  

The night progressed with Junkanoo and dance performances by the Acadia Junkanoo Club, a Jamaican storytelling medley, poetry, trivia, tributes, and awards.

Base drummer, Carlton Johnson, Business Administration and Innovation and Entrepreneurship student, commented on how it felt to be a part of the Gala.

“This Black Excellence Gala was a true statement. Everyone came out and represented their different cultures, very diverse. We got a good look into every region. It was a good bonding moment for the Black students at Acadia.”

The highlight of the night, which saw Black students coming together to celebrate excellence and style, was the Fashion Show. Votes and nominations were cast as each participant strutted across the stage. We were impressed. We were amazed. But only one person could be chosen as the best dressed. That was the one and only Benjamin Alimele, Computer Science major.

When asked what the inspiration for his outfit was, Benjamin said:

“I kind of just looked into my wardrobe and tried to decide between cultural attire and this,” he pointed to a casual jean jacket. An avant-garde outfit like this had been on his mind for a long time, so he was pleased that he saved it for a special occasion such as this.

Thank you to the entire student committee, the administrators, and the beautiful Black student body who came out to support Black excellence. African Heritage Month might have come to an end, but we continue our excellence in the classroom, on the stage, in the arts, on the court, and every day.

Check out the full flickr album from the gala!