Amid President Donald Trump’s recent executive orders aiming to ban diversity, equity, and inclusion initiatives, Cornellians are finding ways to commemorate their diverse student body. In celebration of Black History Month, Black Students United and Cornell Dining have partnered to bring a variety of traditional African dishes to dining halls throughout the month.
Nearly all dining halls have been designated a specific day and country to showcase dishes representing the culinary classics of that nation. So far, dining halls have given students a taste of five different cuisines, ranging from Sierra Leone to Somalia.
BSU Co-President Cameron Smith ’26, played a central role in organizing the collaboration and recognizing the importance of celebrating now more than ever.
“What we are seeing with [Trump’s] administration is that they are purposefully trying to make our role in this country belittled.” Smith said. “We’re taking back ownership of the fact that we are the ones that originated with this [cuisine], and that this is a sole part of American history.”
The event comes in the wake of broader political shifts, including a Jan. 31 statement from the U.S. Department of Defense which ruled the observance of identity months at the DoD “dead.”
“Going forward, DoD Components and Military Departments will not use official resources, to include man-hours, to host celebrations or events related to cultural awareness months, including National African American/Black History Month,” the statement read.
This statement, along with Trump’s executive orders, has already begun to influence the country’s norms. Among many companies who have already made changes in their DEI policies, Google has removed several observance holidays from its calendar service, including Black History Month.
Despite federal agencies and corporations shifting away from the formal recognition of cultural observance months, University students have taken initiative to ensure that spaces for cultural celebration remain intact. BSU and Cornell Dining’s collaboration offers an opportunity to explore a wide variety of African cuisines while celebrating the diverse heritage and history of African American students.
According to Smith, though this event has taken place in prior years, BSU saw this year as an opportunity for more involvement in the partnership. With the ultimate goal of “serving the people” the event was made to serve, BSU took an upfront role in the planning and execution of this event. The club communicated menus and recipes with chefs, decorated halls and chose the countries being represented in each dining hall. Smith expressed that in doing so, a broader diaspora was reached compared to years before.
Smith was dissatisfied with the variation in communication across dining halls. Working with a big team of chefs and directors, BSU found a disparity in accommodation and effort when discussing their visions for the event.
“The amount of work that the chefs and directors wanted to put in was different across the dining halls, where I would like it to be standardized,” Smith said. “During this time period, and during this administration, it’s important to do [things like] this. … But that means that the standard still has to be high.”
BSU had high hopes of bringing traditional African dishes to the University dining halls, and getting the recipes to be as authentic as possible. Smith expressed that this goal was not completely reached this year, due to areas of communication and collaboration that were varied. She is appreciative that the events have still been able to provide a certain level of outreach and celebration to the community, while acknowledging improvements still need to be made.
Cornell Media Relations did not respond by the time of publication to request for comment on the claim that a higher standard could have been met.
Chef and manager at the William Keeton House, Samuel Ramer, has been appreciative of his collaboration with the Haitian Student Association to create the menu for the upcoming Haitian night.
“At the end of these events, I always find myself walking away from the kitchen with a deep appreciation of the cultural history and human experience that encoded such unique knowledge inside the flavors on those plates,” Ramer wrote in a statement to The Sun.
As the month progresses, students across Cornell have already been able to enjoy dishes of the African Diaspora. On Feb. 12, students lined up in Toni Morrison Dining Hall to sample the flavors of Trinidad and Tobago, a Caribbean residing country and the menu offered a variety of traditional dishes such as salt fish, coconut roast bake, roti, callaloo and fried plantain. Plates were filled with Trinidadian specialties, each bite offering a vibrant taste of the country’s heritage.
Sonya Martin ’28 was among the many students sampling the dishes for the first time. While she typically visits Toni Morrison Dining Hall for her usual dinner, was pleasantly surprised by the cultural event.
“It was a really good experience. I loved the variety of food and the mix of savory and sweet,” Martin said.
Students in attendance were also given a chance to engage with and explore the culture beyond the food. Decorative signs, maps, flags and lively music filled the dining hall, creating an environment for students to learn more about the country’s heritage.
On Feb. 20, three West Campus dining halls also joined in the celebration, offering meals inspired by the tastes of Haiti, Kenya and Nigeria. To conclude the dining events, Okenshields will serve Creole Soul Foods as the final traditional flavor of African diaspora on Feb 26.
Despite the event nearing its end, Smith puts an emphasis on celebrating Black History Month year-round.
“It’s important to keep celebrating it, and not even just during Black History Month,” Smith said.
Rafaela Gandolfo Bustamante ’28 is a Sun contributor and can be reached at [email protected].
