“Color Our Dreams” Highlighted Black History and Celebrated Black Excellence

Students asked Cultural Center Director Latoyya Pleasant for an opportunity to express their passion about identity, and Pleasant wanted to spread the word about the “CC,” as the Cultural Center is affectionately referred to on campus. To serve both purposes, she invited students of color from all Five Colleges and community organizations to participate in a performance event called “Color Our Dreams.”

The event, which took place in the Red Barn, comprised an array of creative elements. Artistic work was shaped and selected to mark journeys of Black excellence, celebrate Black History Month, and uplift the legacy of Black history in general.

The showcase opened with a land acknowledgment and a rousing performance by the Five College West African Musician Ensemble, from Mount Holyoke College. Art pieces were on display throughout, along with archival materials from the CC. Instrumentalists, singers, and a rapper performed. The song “Rise Up” energized with its message of ascending from the shadows. Dancers took the stage, writers delivered pieces of the spoken word, and actors performed dramatic readings.

In all, 26 students participated, 11 of whom were from Hampshire. Thirteen were from other colleges, and two were outside performers. Guests included a mix of students, faculty, and staff, as well as families.

The Lebròn-Wiggins-Pran Cultural Center was established in 1989to provide the BIPOC community of Hampshire a safe space and a sense of belonging. The Center offers a range of programs and resources to support students and promote their success. These include opportunities for academic support, multicultural community building, individual expression, and the exchange of ideas. The Center is committed to continually examining the fluidity of race, culture, and identity — specifically how race and culture intersect with other social identities and their impact on one's view of self and of the world.

The CC also engages the campus community at large regarding issues related to race, culture, and underrepresentation with the goal of effecting social change.

The CC is located behind Cole Science Center, between Roos-Rhode House and the soccer fields. Contact Latoyya Pleasant at lpSA@hampshire.edu or 413.559.5779.