The “Making Space” video project is a lengthy labor of love. When I initially heard the call from The Maroon to submit ideas and pieces for the very first Black History Month issue during the 2022–23 academic year, I was interested but unsure of what approach to take. I then considered the nature of the special issue and a pertinent aspect of the human experience—creativity. Historically, creativity, whether through the arts or any other medium, has been a vital part of how Black people walk through the world. Moreover, so much of how Black people have engaged in creativity is part of an effort to create space for them to thrive and exist outside of monolithic stereotypes and misconceptions placed on them, as well as a multitude of other challenges. This is especially true for not only Black people in the city of Chicago but also for Black students here at UChicago. Although writing is a creative medium I greatly appreciate, I knew that words would fall short of describing this idea. I immediately thought about one of my favorite pastimes: making videos. I felt it was important to capture a glimpse of the creativity of Black UChicago students in a way that truly put them on display. I was fortunate enough to be able to capture three particular aspects/instances of creativity from Black UChicago students, both past and present: dance, images, fashion, and the building of communal ties between Black students.
I was fortunate enough to hear from UBallet dancers Anisa Dye and Hannah Brody, as well as Ankara Magic co-captain Angela Abongwa. In the realm of visual art, it was a pleasure to hear from Destin Bundu, one of the founding creators of the Visuals Series and RSO. Lastly, on the topic of fashion and building community with Black Convocation, I was honored to speak with UChicago alum Dinah Clottey, who is the founder and CEO of T’Kor Couture, as well as one of the students involved in the creation of the annual Black Convocation event put on by OBS and ACSA.
The most important thing that I hope you take away from this project is that creativity is life, but more specifically, that it is a means of making space for oneself and others. Despite some of its progressive efforts to include Black intellectuals and students, UChicago, like many other institutions, has had its fair share of challenges in creating an inclusive and welcoming environment for Black people, amongst other underrepresented communities. This reality, however, has only further encouraged Black students and faculty to keep using their creativity to make space for themselves and those that will come after them; to remind them that they belong here and that the life of the mind is enriched by their experiences, their voices, and their imagination. For Black students in the College, creativity isn’t just a means of expression; the creativity we engage in helps us create space for ourselves.
These videos were originally recorded during the 2022-23 academic year.
Episode 2
Episode 3
