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- My name is Angel Culmer.

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I'm in my fourth year
of Biomedical Science.

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And I'm the current president

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of the Guelph Black Students
Association or GBSA.

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So the Guelph Black Students
Association or GBSA,

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it was initially called
the Mumford Centre,

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named after a professor at
the University of Guelph,

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but it's a safe space for
students, black students,

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and BIPOC students on campus
and safe space incorporates

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a lot of things that we do.

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So we host events.

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We host discussions.

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We create opportunities or
distribute opportunities.

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These include work, internships
and study opportunities.

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Our greatest impact is
probably on our discussions,

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and they're weekly.

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We host them every Wednesday at 5:30,

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and they kind of discuss
the black experience.

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So, topics include homosexuality
in the black community,

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mental health and wellbeing
in the black community.

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Just a lot of things that have to do

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with the black experience,

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things that we relate to or
sometimes we don't relate to,

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and where we can kind of like,

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spread information and education.

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We hosted so many events,

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a lot of discussions with
some amazing topics and themes

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that were very well attended, I must say.

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I think the COVID limit was about 20,

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and we've never had like
under 18 for discussions.

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So it was really, I think we
did really well this past year.

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Black History Month is so important,

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because like, it just
celebrates the culture

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of people in the African diaspora.

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There's so many aspects of it.

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Like it's just kind of
a time to come together,

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and celebrate how diverse we are,

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how special we are, how strong we are.

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And also just like how far
we've come from our past.

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So that's why it's important.

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The theme 'cultivating
black joy' was chosen

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because I personally felt
the need to make fun spaces

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for black students on campus.

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I feel like usually we're so
focused on kind of fighting

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for our spaces and just
trying to educate people.

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And we really don't take
the time to kind of relax

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and enjoy ourselves and enjoy the spaces

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that we fought so hard for

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and people before us
have fought so hard for.

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So I really want this year to be focused

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on making safe spaces, making them fun,

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and just incorporating joy

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and just evoking joy in black students.

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(chill music)