Students’ Union to host slate of events for Black History Month
Much of the UTMSU’s programming throughout February centres on Black history, creativity, and community.
Throughout February, the University of Toronto Mississauga Students’ Union (UTMSU) will host a series of events to recognize Black History Month (BHM). This offered students opportunities for celebration, acknowledgement, reflection and dialogue.
The programming began on February 2 with Echoes Through Time, an opening ceremony at The Blind Duck. The event set the tone for the month by centring Black history as a continuous and evolving narrative, foregrounding themes of recognition, memory, and continuity.
The series continued on February 4, with Breaking Barriers, a student success panel in the William G. Davis Building, which the UTMSU hosted in collaboration with Black Future Lawyers. The event focused on navigating academic and professional pathways, highlighting the structural barriers black students continue to face and the strategies used to overcome them.
Creative expression took centre stage the following evening at Timeless Voices, an open mic night at The Blind Duck, where students engaged with black history through spoken word, storytelling, and performances. The event was a collaboration with the Black Literature and Arts Club.
On February 11, the UTMSU and the African Students Association will host Calabash Paint & Sip, a hands-on workshop at the Student Centre. The event encourages participants to explore creativity and cultural expression through guided art-making, emphasizing culture as a vital form of knowledge and resistance.
The series also creates space for conversations around intimacy and identity. Love, Sex and Relationships, a discussion and workshop on February 12, will shed light on Black perspectives in conversations around relationships and personal wellbeing. The UTMSU will co-host the event with Caribbean Connections in the Instructional Centre.
The UTMSU will host Enduring Brilliance on February 25 at 5 p.m. in the Student Centre Presentation Room. Hosted in collaboration with the Black Students’ Association (BSA), Black in STEM, and Caribbean Connections, the event will highlight Black excellence in academic spaces and meaningful conversations with professors and teaching assistants about how resistance and persistence have been shaped by knowledge.
On February 27, the UTMSU will host Carved in Time, a Somali Daboqaad clay workshop scheduled for 11 a.m. in the UTMSU Student Centre Board Room, in collaboration with Studio X. The event will explore cultural preservation through traditional art practices.
Behind-the-scenes insights
UTMSU Vice President Equity Miatah McCallum shared with The Medium that this year’s BHM programming was shaped by both reflection and continuity. Having worked on BHM initiatives for several years, McCallum said her approach this year involved acknowledging the work of previous administrations while building programming that feels intentional and forward-looking.
The theme “Timeless,” she explained, reflects how black history exists across generations as both memory and movement, rooted in the past while actively shaping the present and future.
McCallum emphasized that much of the work for February has been a long time coming. Planning for BHM started at the beginning of her term, with several months dedicated to coordination and decision-making. She noted that many of the smaller details, from event concepts to partnerships, were the result of long-term preparation. “Intentionality is something the UTMSU always aims to have,” McCallum said, adding that they didn’t approach BHM as a symbolic gesture, but as sustained work meant to leave a lasting impression.
To ensure Black student voices remained central, the UTMSU established a committee of executives from black student groups on campus in the fall. These groups proposed events, helped with decision-making, and received support through funding and promotion. McCallum also highlighted volunteer involvement in shaping event details such as décor and food, as well as the role of UTMSU equity staff who had experience working with black student communities.
Reflecting on the broader impact of BHM, McCallum acknowledged that it can sometimes feel like a temporary moment rather than a sustained movement. She said her goal was to create experiences that students could carry with them beyond February, emphasizing connection, joy, and shared memory. For McCallum, the responsibility of the role extends beyond visibility or recognition. She described BHM as part of a broader commitment to accountability, care, and ongoing support for Black and racialized communities on campus, well beyond the month itself.
The month will conclude with Young, Gifted, & Black, a closing ceremony gala scheduled for 9 p.m. at the Panemonte Banquet and Convention Centre. Hosted in collaboration with the University of Toronto St. George and Scarborough BSAs, the gala will centre black identity, achievement, and future-facing possibility.
