On Thursday, January 11, Loyola Academy had a Martin Luther King Assembly with guest appearances from Senite Barih (’20), the step team, and other members of the Loyola community. Together they were able to create a beautiful and unique remembrance of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. and all that he stood for.
When walking into the east gym, students were met with dim lights, the low sound of beating drums, and large tapestries spread out on display. As students took their seats, a monitor was facing them, flashing through images of black historians who contributed to progress in America.
Loyola senior Sinit Gebrehiwet began the assembly with a speech about why the student body was gathered to celebrate the Civil Rights movement and to honor certain individuals like Frederick Douglas, Muhammad Ali, Harriet Tubman, and many more who contributed to the fight for equality.
Then, seniors Karen Asante and Michelle Boitey stepped forward to acknowledge and explain the tapestry that caught everyone’s eye upon entering the gym.
Karen and Michelle revealed that those pieces of art were borrowed from the Smithsonian Art Museum and used specifically for display at Loyola Academy. The art of quilt making was explained as a token of “importance and symbolism for what African Americans were experiencing for over 400 years.”
Once each quilt was explained, senior Eddie Bitew took the stage to introduce Loyola Academy’s step team. He started by touching upon the history of step and the significance of its introduction to America from West Africa.
As the explanation came to a close, the step team entered the stage, putting on a powerful performance that echoed Eddie’s description.
“The step team is always incredible to watch, they really grab everyone’s attention and they definitely know how to put on a great performance,” Loyola senior Sophia Hayes said.
After the step performance, special guest Senite Barih (class of 2020) took the stage to talk about her experiences as a woman of color in the Loyola community. During her time at Loyola, she hosted Loyola Pep Rallies and was a Kairos leader. She also participated in choir, dance, several sports, and was the leading voice for the Loyola morning announcements.
Senite went on to talk about her experiences after graduating, highlighting her business called The.BlkRoom saying it’s “a correlation space and community organization, cultivating musical, recording, and spacial resources for black and brown people in Chicago.”
She also talked about her music career saying, “I recorded my first song on Garageband and released it on SoundCloud while I was in high school… I am currently a gigging performer and artist, have featured on over 10 albums… (and partnered) with Chance the Rapper and Lyrical Lemonade.”
Senite Barih also performed two songs for Loyola students (“Lift Every Voice” and an original song), showcasing her lyrical, vocal, and rhythmic skills.
Overall, the Martin Luther King Jr. Assembly opened Loyola students’ eyes to Dr. King’s message and dreams, while also learning about their African American peers’ heritage and role models.
