Cherry Hill East African American Culture Club’s (AACC)’s annual Unity Day celebration took place on Saturday, Feb. 7, bringing together the student body to honor the start of Black History Month. 

It served as a source of empowerment, as the event is an opportunity to learn about African American history and culture. 

“Unity Day is when people in and out of the African American community come together to celebrate our culture, and learn more about the struggles of being a person of color,” said Christy Mensah (‘26), AACC Co-President. “It is about creating a space and a connection for everyone, no matter your background, race, religion or ethnicity.” 

AACC leaders began planning for Unity Day in early December by solidifying a theme, determining the location for the event and creating committees to ensure that all logistics were accounted for in advance. 

With this event, they hoped to create a safe, comfortable and welcoming environment that encouraged guests to attend and openly engage in deep, powerful conversations. 

In November, the club leaders selected the theme “Empowering Our Voices When the System Doesn’t Acknowledge Us” to demonstrate the challenges that often follow people of color. Simultaneously, it is a way to highlight the resilience of their community. 

The festivities took place in the library annex, accommodating community guests who chose to attend. AACC student leaders and culture club advisers opened with a warm welcome to all guests, introducing them to East and explaining how the event would unfold. 

AACC Officers then led the attendees into an open discussion, which was followed by several group activities. 

Finally, the event concluded with additional recreational activities centered around the idea of giving back to the community — a mission AACC leaders proudly fulfilled throughout the program. 

“The hope [was] that people left feeling emotionally inspired, respected and more connected,” said Mensah. “Intellectually, we [wanted] to leave them with a deeper understanding of African American culture, our traditions and how to improve our knowledge about what we represent as a community.”

Through the program, African American students were encouraged to speak out about their experience. AACC hopes that the program will provide guests with a glimpse into the life of an East African American student and emphasize the importance of inclusivity for these students. 

Overall, AACC was honored to bring the community together and give attendees a chance to be heard, seen and, most importantly, valued during this year’s Unity Day celebration. 

“Unity is not about just coming together for a single day to celebrate and move forward,” said Mensah. “It’s a day we recognize the realities of racism, the structure that silences our voices and emphasizes the need for equal change and recognition.”