Black Girls Rock to come to campus

Janet Pernell, Staff Reporter

The women of Zeta Phi Beta Sorority are bringing back the event Black Girls Rock for a third time.

This year’s Black Girls Rock will be 7:20 p.m. Wednesday in the Seventh Street Underground of the Martin Luther King Jr. University Union.

At the event people can expect a similar atmosphere to the annual BET award show Black Girls Rock. Women across campus will be rewarded for ordinary tasks.

On BET, Black Girls Rock is an awards ceremony that focuses on African-American women and their accomplishments.

Breanna Young, the public relations chair for Zeta Phi Beta, said it would be a night of acknowledgement.

“(We are) able to acknowledge the people who have done so much work on campus and people who helped in the community,” Young said.

Normally the audience dresses up for awards shows, but Black Girls Rock will be a casual dress event.

The event is not only targeted to African-American women.

Jessica Stallworth, a senior majoring in health studies, said some awards are going to Caucasians.

“Even though it’s called Black Girls Rock (the event is) used to celebrate everyone,” Stallworth said.

Performances will range from celebrity impersonations like Alicia Keys and Beyoncé to other performances, which will include, singing, dancing, poetry recitals and more.

Zeta Phi Beta will also put on a performance.

“Black Girls Rock is different imitations of groups, poets and rappers,” Young said. “We also have new artists.”

If people are still interested in performing, auditions are going on until the day of the show.

Black Girls Rock is an event that returns to Eastern annually during African American Heritage Month to recognize others.

“It’s important because (the month) usually focuses on the main people like Martin Luther King Jr. and Malcolm X, the male leaders,” Young said. “We don’t seem to celebrate our black women.”

Melanie Dyer, the president of Zeta Phi Beta, said the event is something that the campus enjoys and it allows students to showcase their talents.

 

Janet Pernell can be reached at 581-2812 or jopernell@eiu.edu