Influenced by the COVID-19 quarantine and the Black Lives Matter movements, students at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School felt the need to start a Black Student Union. The purpose of the club is to inform people about black history, culture and experiences. While anyone is welcome to join, their initial priority will always be Black students.

“During our freshman year, my friends and I had a conversation about all the rude and ignorant things people in the area and from MSD were saying online,” co-President Nesya Small said. “We were fed up of having to deal with microaggressions, among other things, from our white peers, and decided to start the Black Student Union so that we would have at least one place in MSD that we could feel truly comfortable.”

Four sophomores originally had the idea to create the club and planned throughout the summer for its introduction. These individuals were co-Presidents Nesya Small and Roveschney Veillard, treasurer Jada Lemy and secretary Noldine Belizaire.

Other officers were chosen based on who showed interest and who was truly dedicated to what the club stands for. The other executive officers include the following: Vice President Charlene Noel, Media Director Larissah Tony, Community Giving Director Kendall Slack, advisor Kyle Hill and advisor Chrisner Horace. The sponsor is French teacher Geemps St. Julien.

Although the club was only introduced this school year, BSU has already begun making changes within the campus and the community.

“Throughout BSU meetings, we try to inform others on things the school system fails to inform us about. For example, historical leaders [and] government policies,” co-President Roveschney Veillard said.

Recently, BSU had a meeting where they discussed the history and impact of Historically Black Colleges and Universities. They even hope to take field trips to HBCUs for college tours and community service opportunities.

Moreover, BSU plans to have a meeting with Principal Michelle Kefford on concerns they have, especially regarding racism and colorism in school. The officers plan to have frequent communication with administration as well.

“Black Student Union doesn’t want to divide the student population,” treasurer Jada Lemy said. “We sincerely want Black students to feel safe on a campus that is predominately white. If anything, we would love to have people of all backgrounds join BSU, so we can learn and grow together.”

The executive team spreads word about BSU on their personal social media accounts, along with the club’s social media platforms. They can be contacted and found @msd_bsu on Instagram and Twitter. Posts include upcoming meetings and events involving the Black community.

“Since it is currently [Black History Month], we are posting about leaders who have helped the black community, scholarships, unknown facts, TikToks, and much more,” Veillard said.

Meetings for the club are held every Wednesday at 3:20 p.m. on Microsoft Teams. All in all, BSU hopes to implement real changes on campus and to become a well-respected club over time, gaining members as they grow each year.