Black History Month: Student Highlights
Story by Keali‘i Rapozo
Graphics by Caleilah-Estelle Ahyee
Photos provided by interviewees
Black History Month, although recognized in February, should be celebrated throughout the entire year, not mandated to one month. Ke Kalahea reached out to two students on campus, both of whom work at the Women’s Center. Our two organizations have collaborated on multiple events this school year, so we thought their recognition was about due.
Jade Paul
The first individual I interviewed was Jade Paul, a student worker at the Women’s Center. She describes her home as wherever her family is, and who she considers to be family.
“Whoever is in my heart is who I consider family. I don’t agree with the American dream, I come from Nomadic people, so I go with the flow as they do,” says Paul.
She is earning a double major in Biology and Chemistry, with a focus on Ecology, Evolution and Conservation, while minoring in both Philosophy and Women’s and Gender Studies. She truly cares for others, their background and the overall meaning of life.
She answers the pondering question in mind: Is there a difference between being Black and a person of color? “In my understanding, Black as much as white is almost a social and political term. Black and white, social and political. A person of color requires a color that is more than Black and white. A person of color identifies outside of the non-color theory. Usually when people talk about (BIPOC) Black, Indigenous, and People of Color communities–even in that you see that Black is different from people of color,” she says.
She expands on this by saying, “You can be an indigenous Asian person and you can still be a person of color. This goes into a lot of systematic understanding of race. There is a difference, but only in terminology and lived experiences of people around the world. I always say it is best to never assume and ask!”
To Jade, this month of celebration means recognition of the various aspects of success and achievement in her history. “There’s so many people in Black communities that come from various backgrounds of careers and different locations with different passions. ” says Paul.
We should be accepting all the different varieties that share in the community and experience of Black culture. She explains that due to her primary mixed ethnic background and general racial ambiguity has set a foundation of appreciation for her worldview. Seeing through various lenses of race and beliefs from where she has come from.
“The two worlds were so different and I had to adapt to both, and when I come into the world as both, it’s odd to understand. You get different experiences in different spaces. For me, I feel like I’ve experienced kindness and racism from others. It has empowered me to have more belief that people do good things and more than likely unaware if they are doing it in a malicious way. My experience has been a mixed one. Overall, I would rather be mixed than anything else on all the sides and then some,” says Paul.
When asked who the important cultural figures were who played a great role in her life, she said multiple historical and contemporary Black figures stood out as major influences. The women in her family have been there for her from the start. Paul looks up to her mom, her aunt Inga, great aunts Belinda and Mary, along with her grandma, who held down her family. They remind her to keep going and strive for her best, taking care of those around her.
As for historical figures, Chemist Alice Ball, who is credited for her findings on Hansen’s Disease, otherwise known as Leprosy. Alice Ball was a young, intelligent Black professor at the College of Hawaiʻi (now UH Mānoa) who synthesized an ether ester compound that could be administered intravenously and proved highly effective in treating leprosy. She later passed from fluorine poisoning due to poor ventilation in her chemistry lab. Someone else got credit for her work until a colleague rectified the situation. There is a tree standing in O'ahu in UH Mānoa dedicated to her findings. One of the most influential scientists was how selfless she was in helping people. She inspired her as a Biologist”
Graphic by Caleilah-Estelle Ahyee
When asked what it means to be Black, Paul describes it as community.
“I learned more from my Black community than I would have on my own. There is so much I continue to learn, and without them I wouldn’t be who I am today,” says Paul. What she hopes for students to take away is that although this is a month of celebration, we celebrate Black History every day, similarly to all other cultures! “I want them to have more understanding rather than to take away the diaspora culture of Black History. Highlighting another person's culture through being engaged and having these discussions is a good way to lift your own. It only lifts others when you do,” she says.
Jade was asked how she plans to celebrate this month.
“I love cooking soul food such as collard greens, mashed potatoes, pineapple honey baked ham and so many more. Southern cooking had a lot of intentions, we put a lot of intention into our food. With events on campus, I like to find a community to celebrate our existence. When researching my family, it is a lot of work, but it's so rewarding in the end,” says Paul. She encourages that in todayʻs day and age with current events regarding race, safety is the main concern. “In a way to summarize it, we have to stay vigilant in our efforts to create safe spaces for our future generations to exist,” says Paul.
Tiff Johnston
Ke Kalahea also interviewed Tiff Johnston, a Performing Arts major with a concentration in Dance from Cincinnati, Ohio. She shares a similar perspective on the difference between Black people and a person of color. Johnston explains how referring to a Black person can be tricky because it can represent so many things.
“Black people are descendants of African people, similarly to Hawaiians, we all come from a mixing pot of different backgrounds,” says Johnston. She views this month as a time of recognition. “As soon as February first hits, I’m powering up. This is a month where my history isn’t in the background. At a time of celebration and education, and being unapologetically Black as it should always be,” she says. She dives into the Black experience through her own ancestral knowledge.
Her late nana, who recently just passed at 93 years old, was someone who has been a highlight in her life. As an artist herself, Tiff put out an album in 2024 that explains the experience of being a Black woman in this world and all the complexities that encompass it. As the matriarch of her family who has experienced it all, her nana was heavily involved in the project as a source of wisdom and inspiration.
“Her [nana’s] mother was born on a plantation in Kentucky and was able to see the progression of the Black experience in the U.S. through the years. I asked my nana what freedom meant to her, which she described as the ability of being herself. This topic of conversation is still prevalent today, whether it be during Black History Month or year round within the Black community,” says Johnston.
Tiff goes on to explain how her nana views freedom. “[She] explains it as the freedom to express yourself. As simple as that sounds, it made me look into Black History and see the ways in which our progression was suppressed.” As an artist, dancer and appreciator of all of the arts, there are a few Black figures that have had an impact on Tiff’s life.
“My favorite artist, James Baldwin–a famous queer, political and social activist–after extreme racism in the midst of the Civil Rights movement of the 60s, he moved to France to escape the mistreatment. His experience and courage empower me as an activist.”
Through a personal lens, she appreciates how straightforward and poetic he is. Tiff mentioned how she also writes poetry, processing the world with an artistic lens. This is what created a deeper connection to Baldwin and his work for her. “I respect him so much for moving. Do you stay and fight or do you leave? He is an example of the pros and cons that can come from such a choice. He showed me the options available for being an activist," says Johnston.
Graphic by Caleilah-Estelle Ahyee
She also highlights her favorite artist, Marvin Gaye and his album titled “What’s Going On.”
“This was the only political album that he put out before he passed away. He talks about the grief of the Vietnam War, pollution, police brutality and the future generations. He taps into that grief, and I think as a nation, the only way to move forward is to fully unpack and acknowledge the grief itself.”
Her deep appreciation for him on a personal level stems from her family. “He’s the music I grew up with from my parents. There’s one thing to have talent, and another thing to have purpose behind it. I have to make sure that I’m speaking the truth and bringing about positive change in the community, even if it’s just one person.”
Tiff explains that being Black to her is backed by a need to find her own history again. “There is the shared community aspect, but to me, it feels like this will be my personal journey for the rest of my life. Tracing those roots back and finding lost history,” says Johnston.
Johnston celebrates Black History Month by spending time with her family. She talked about cooking soul food with them, and participating in activities that are considered Black, such as spades and dominoes. She also listens to what she describes as “extra Black music” and oldies.
She expresses sentimentality when talking about these activities.
“Celebrating my culture as those who have before me and creating those memories continue to bring me comfort,” says Johnston.
As a Black person in today’s world, she shares the importance of having those conversations of Black identity, Black freedom and Black history early on within and outside of the community.
“It wasn't until I got to college when I first had these experiences. For two years, I studied Black history at Howard University. I wouldn't have as solid of a foundation as I do today. [Black history] needs to be more accessible. For those in higher education, [you should] have these conversations while you can–know the position that you are in with resources that are fading away.”
She notes the current events that are happening today, politically tied into previous historical events and informs us what to do differently moving forward as a community.
“Unfortunately, what’s going on isn’t new, it’s just more uncovered through media accessibility. Critical thinking is being pushed against more with our current political climate. As a college student, I feel privileged to be in the position I am today. Higher education, not being accessible to everybody, is a space where we can critically think about the past, present and future.” says Johnston.
Regarding being more involved with events surrounding this Month, readers can simply be open to learn from other people, places and cultures through traveling, reading, art and conversation.