Pride, dignity and freedom. These are the three pillars of the St. John’s University Pan-African students coalition, Haraya. A Swahili word that encompasses those three elements, Haraya’s mission is to bring the culture and influence of the African diaspora to SJU.
Founded in 1968 by six African-American students attending the University, Haraya is an organization established with the purpose of creating a safe space for students from African diasporic origins.
According to President Marlie Bien-Aimé, “Something that really draws me to Haraya is how every meeting or program we throw feels like you’re not just part of a campus community, but a family. For students of color, Haraya is home.”
“Every time I leave an event, I feel fulfilled not only because my E-Board had a good event but because I can genuinely see the connection that is being built amongst the members,” she continued.
To join Haraya, interested members must go through an election process for paid members. They have recently created an extenuated application process where students apply and are interviewed by the advisors, Graduate Assistants and the E-Board.
The E-Board consists of main executive positions, with an addition of a “Top Six,” which Bien-Amié described as including a “vice president of services and a vice president of activities” due to their activity-heavy program.
Some events that the club has participated in include museum field trips, discussion based meetings and participating in Black Solidarity Day. A favorite of Bien-Amié, Black Solidarity Day is observed by the society and is “a day of all of us coming together.”
“From the morning to the nighttime, we do breakfast, lunch and dinner together. It’s a day filled with speakers and even administrators attend; it’s great for us all to come together with everyone in our community,” Bien-Amié said.
One of their most popular events requires a lot of dedicated work from the executive board. For the past 33 years, Haraya has been hosting its Black and White Ball in celebration of members of St. John’s who are successful in their academic field. Recognizing both faculty members and students, the ball is a night to celebrate the work students and the society do on campus.
Typically hosted in the latter weeks of February, it also serves to commemorate the ending of Black History Month. This year’s theme is “Afrofuturism,” which Bien-Amié described as a concept “built on what life would look like if people of color, specifically black people, did not face any of the limitations we do in society.”
She continued to explain the main focus is not just on the African diaspora, but “on the idea of technology and all of the resources that are found on the continent.”
On Feb. 15, the organization hosted a hair braiding event from 5 p.m. to 10 p.m. in the D’Angelo Center. Featuring the services of Magic Fingers Institute, students could get their hair styled for only $5, just in time for the Black and White Ball this weekend.
Junior Mya Jacobs, who participated in the meeting, stated, “I’m not in the society but I’ve been going to Haraya events since last year and it feels like a big community. I decided to go to the Haraya Ball because my brother is a part of it, so I was able to make friends within the society.”
When asked if she was planning on joining the club, Jacobs replied enthusiastically about participating in the future of the society.
“It means to be part of something bigger than myself. I found the club to be like a new family,” said Jordon Reefore, the Freshman Representative for Haraya. “I was extremely shy and meeting everybody here brought me out of my shell. I want to do things not just for myself but my community as well.”
A community full of bright and devoted students, Haraya is a society dedicated to cultivating a space to discuss and celebrate the culture of the African diaspora.
