Gallery • 14 Photos

Sophia Manos

CELEBRATING THE BLACK COMMUNITY: While fellow panelist junior Ryland Jones listens intently, junior Noble Pierce speaks during the SOCA (Students of Color Alliance) panel during the Black History Month presentation held on Feb. 25.  Pierce said their favorite event for BHM was the Black Girl Magic Lunch and Learn on Feb. 19.  “Being able to identify Black staff to look up to is nice, and we had hot food, so it was a comforting sense of home,” Pierce said.  Through their participation in SOCA, Pierce said it has given them an opportunity to express themself openly.  “It's cheesy, but I feel like I've gained a community in SOCA as well as a purpose,” Pierce said. “I have been given a gift to spread my ideals freely and have the autonomy to put on and run these events. As it grows SOCA is a place where we can also appreciate others and their culture,” Pierce said.  Overall, as the manager of SOCA, Pierce said they thought the events went well, however they wished there was a larger emphasis on celebrating the current Black community.  “It's important to have a month dedicated to a history of people who have made it through so much. It's not to shame white people for their ancestor's doings or preach about Black suffering but rather a history of resilience and change,” Pierce said. “I think it should also be a month of celebration as opposed to educating others. We spend too much time focusing on Black suffering and struggles as if it is not something that has been known to every African American. It should be a month of appreciation of Black culture for all races. Although all the events went well this year, Pierce says they hopes the events will get more enthusiasm from the student body in the future. “Being the manager in SOCA I was a part of the process of picking the events and it felt nice to see all of the work we put into the program happen,” Pierce said. “Black History Month is not only a time to celebrate what came before us but to celebrate what the Black community is now. In the future I hope we as a school can have pride and that Black students can be excited to attend these events , but it was overall fun though!” Caption by Josie Mullan.

For the month of February, the Students of Color Alliance hosted a number of events in honor of Black History Month. These included two Black history assemblies in the MAC on Feb. 25 and an HBCU panel on Feb. 10, a viewing of the short film Hair Love on Feb. 13, a Black Girl Magic Lunch and Learn on Feb, 19, and the Mac Knight Steppers touring and performing at different schools across Austin. The assemblies held on Feb. 25 featured performances from the Knight Steppers, Mac Dance, Mac Choir, and a student panel as well as Austin-based slam poet, S.C Says.  Many classrooms also participated in the annual door decorating contest, with displays ranging from timelines to spotlights on specific figures, and celebrating Black culture in general, with French teacher Charlotte Favrin’s students taking first place.

The purpose of these events was to shed light on not only the struggles but successes of Black people in both past and present. Performances such as the ones done by the step team, the Mac Dance, and choir brought many aspects of Black culture to life, helping educate the many who aren’t exposed to it.

We are proud to highlight Black History Month for this week’s Tuesday Top 10.

SHARING THEIR STORIES: Senior Trinity Ritcherson speaks at a panel of African American students during a the second Black History Month assembly on Feb. 25 in the MAC.

Ritcherson answered questions about her experience with race at school and health and beauty tips for Black hair and skin. 

“I found it really interesting that a lot of the questions we were asked was about taking care of our hair types and skin, so it was fun sharing our personal tips and routines with our peers,” Richerson said.

Many questions asked were also focused on dealing with microaggressions or being in a predominantly white space. A microaggression is a comment or action that subtly expresses a prejudiced attitude toward a member of a marginalized group.

“I don’t think our experiences are often shared to the whole student body, so I thought it was really important that we were being open and transparent about struggles we have faced in our own lives,” Ritcherson said. “I think it’s important to teach students, especially at McCallum, that there are those of us who have experienced real microaggressions in our community.”

Ritcherson said she hopes the panel allowed the audience to reflect on their inner biases. and continue to learn about other’s experiences.

Caption by Nate Williams. Photo by Adele Seeboth.

CELEBRATING SCIENCE: Social Behavior Skills teacher Paula Hockaday stands with her Hidden Figures-themed door that placed third in the judged Black History Door Contest and first in the fan favorite voting on campus. Hockaday featured renowned Black scientist Katherine Johnson, whose story was told in Hidden Figures as an integral member of the scientific community putting the first men on the moon. Hockaday’s decoration spanned two doors and even included the incredible math equations that Johnson remarkably solved as well as a 3-dimensional aspect with a little figure of Johnson propped up on a ladder. 

Coach Carlin Shaw who assisted with Hockaday’s door said the celebration of Katherine Johnson as a Black scientist helped to incorporate academics into Black History Month. 

“I think it shows the impact that Katherine Johnson had in placing people in outer space, and it incorporates academics especially with Hidden Figures involving math and calculations,” Shaw said. “You get a little piece of information from each subject to each hallway, and their inspiration and take on Black History is each a little different, so I think it’s really cool. It gets the whole school incorporated.”

Shaw said the door contest is an important part of Black History Month as it helps to spark curiosity in students and quickly teach a little snippet of Black history. 

“I think it just makes people inquisitive and makes them want to understand or gain some knowledge on what Black history is and the importance of it in American history,” Shaw said. “It’s a really fun way to incorporate everybody in school in the activity.”

Overall, Shaw said Hockaday fully embodies the spirit of Black history and Black pride everyday. 

“She’s always displaying it, she’ll wear her shirts, she’ll be out and about, she talks about it, so I think she definitely displays it on any day,” Shaw said. “I love what Mrs. Moore and Mr. Featherstone do with the Black History Month activities and the program they put on and we’re coming back for the win next year.” 

Caption by Josie Mullan. Photo by David Winter.

SHARING THEIR EXPERIENCES: On Feb. 19 during lunch, the Students of Color Alliance put on the Black Girl Magic Lunch and Learn which is aimed to celebrate African American women and recognize what African Americans go through on a daily basis either outside of school or inside of the school environment.

For junior Kimora Hale, the whole event was very successful and had a good turnout.

“We had a student and teacher panel at the lunch and learn,” Hale said. “It was just really nice to hear about how other teachers feel that they’re getting treated at McCallum and how other students feel too.” 

Many speakers talked about how they get treated decently at McCallum but still struggle with peers having a stereotypical mindset about Black people.

“Some people believe that Black people are supposed to dress a certain way so when they meet somebody the other person doesn’t get the idea in their mind that they’re automatically different or they’re just not fully Black,” Hale said. “[All the speakers] kind of stood out in their own way.”

One thing about having the event during lunch is that there’s only 40 minutes to run through everything which made the event feel rushed in Hale’s opinion.

“I feel like everything went really well but I just wish we had a little more time to go a little more in-depth into each person’s thought instead of having to kinda rush through it,” she said.

Reflecting on the event as a whole, Hale really enjoyed the food that was served and the conversations she had. The Students of Color Alliance served green beans, chicken, collard greens, mac and cheese and cornbread to the attendees. 

“I’m going to be completely honest, the food was absolutely amazing, but I did really enjoy the socializing with different people that I usually don’t talk to,” Hale said.

Photo by Tegan Hahn. Caption by Maya Tackett.

IN HER OWN RHYTHM: Sophomore step captain Paityn Jones leads her team at the Black History Month assembly on Feb. 25 in the MAC. The assembly featured an array of student talent, from the Mac Youth Dance Company to a panel of Black students sharing their experiences. Jones spoke on the panel as well, and is a member of the Students of Color Alliance. 

Jones said she regards stepping as a crucial way to embrace her heritage.

“I heard about step in middle school, and then I joined the team as a freshman,” Jones said. “I joined because I heard Ms. Moore would be leading it, and now I’ve fallen in love with it.”

Jones said that the team starts their numbers with their choreography for the pep rallies, which is typically on the easier side, and then launches into more complex combinations for events like Black History Month. Despite the difficult of the Black History Month routine, she felt confident overall in her team’s performance. 

“This was one of our best performances so far”, Jones said. “We keep adding new members throughout the year, but I think we’ve done a good job adjusting the choreography to account for that. We worked three days a week on the choreography until the week of the performance.”

Jones said part of her passion for stepping stems from her experiences navigating McCallum as a Black student in a predominantly white school.

“It’s really important for people to be able to see how step works, to see an art form that isn’t often shown,” Jones said.

Jones also stressed the importance of Black History Month in fostering community.

“I really love the Black History Month presentations,” Jones said. “I wish more teachers decided to come to them. It’s a really educational experience, and it’s really important that people try to show up for it. It’s really important to be able to go to something like this and highlight Black students and teachers.”

Jones sees her myriad roles on campus—as step captain, SOCA member, Black History Month panelist and one of a handful of Black theatre majors—as a way to lay better groundwork for future students. 

“I joined the step team in hopes of getting more people to join, with every passing year,” Jones said. “I do the panel so that teachers listening really listen and hopefully can improve things for the students that come after me. Everything we do with SOCA is focused on the future.”

Caption and photo by Beatrix Lozach.

LIFT EVERY VOICE AND SING: Senior Helena Loomis, sophomore Elora Clarke and junior Lea D’arcy sing at the Black History Month Assembly on Tuesday, Feb. 25. The McCallum Chamber choir performed “Lift Every Voice and Sing” at the beginning of the assembly for the sixth and eighth period assemblies. 

According to Clarke, the choir did a good job of performing the Black National Anthem despite only having a few weeks to prepare. Clarke believes that Black History Month is about being able to tell the story of Black people’s struggles throughout all history, including American. 

“Everyone is equal to each other,” Clarke said. “We [chose] ‘Lift Every Voice and Sing’ because it was the Black National Anthem and has become more of a movement to sing it more.” 

Clarke’s favorite lyric of the whole song is “We have come over a way that with tears has been watered, / We have come, treading our path through the blood of the slaughtered” because of what it represents. 

“It really represents Black history and the things that African American people had to go through.” 

Caption by Riley Pita. Photo by Sophia Manos.

HYPE FOR HBCUs: Coach Carlin Shaw poses with fellow teachers wearing historically Black college shirts on Feb. 3 for the HBCU themed collegiate shirt dress-up day. 

Shaw said repping Prairie View A&M was important to him because it’s his alma mater.

“Prairie View A&M is where I went to college,” Shaw said. “When I knew it was College Day, I knew I had to bring some awareness to where I went to school.”

Shaw emphasized the importance of the HBCU-themed day as it helps to inspire students of color.

“They are symbols for African American kids, that they have an opportunity to attend colleges,” Shaw said. “Some of the people we learn about in Black history, their only option for school were HBCUs and couldn’t attend predominantly white institutions. Wearing these clothes lets kids know these places are still around and they can attend them and follow in the footsteps of people they’ve learned about.”

Overall, Shaw said Black History Month is an important part of celebrating the Black community and their extensive contributions.

“[Black History Month] teaches us about the history involving African Americans and making sure their importance is on display,” Shaw said. “I love the way McCallum makes it a whole event. Everybody gets a chance to participate in the door decorations and assemblies. McCallum does a great job of making sure Black history is celebrated.”

Caption by Fletcher Vandegrift. Photo by Lilah Lavigne.

CELEBRATING THE BLACK COMMUNITY: While fellow panelist junior Ryland Jones listens intently, junior Noble Pierce speaks during the SOCA (Students of Color Alliance) panel during the Black History Month presentation held on Feb. 25. 

Pierce said their favorite event for BHM was the Black Girl Magic Lunch and Learn on Feb. 19. 

“Being able to identify Black staff to look up to is nice, and we had hot food, so it was a comforting sense of home,” Pierce said. 

Through their participation in SOCA, Pierce said it has given them an opportunity to express themself openly. 

“It’s cheesy, but I feel like I’ve gained a community in SOCA as well as a purpose,” Pierce said. “I have been given a gift to spread my ideals freely and have the autonomy to put on and run these events. As it grows SOCA is a place where we can also appreciate others and their culture,” Pierce said. 

Overall, as the manager of SOCA, Pierce said they thought the events went well, however they wished there was a larger emphasis on celebrating the current Black community. 

“It’s important to have a month dedicated to a history of people who have made it through so much. It’s not to shame white people for their ancestor’s doings or preach about Black suffering but rather a history of resilience and change,” Pierce said. “I think it should also be a month of celebration as opposed to educating others. We spend too much time focusing on Black suffering and struggles as if it is not something that has been known to every African American. It should be a month of appreciation of Black culture for all races.

Although all the events went well this year, Pierce says they hopes the events will get more enthusiasm from the student body in the future.

“Being the manager in SOCA I was a part of the process of picking the events and it felt nice to see all of the work we put into the program happen,” Pierce said. “Black History Month is not only a time to celebrate what came before us but to celebrate what the Black community is now. In the future I hope we as a school can have pride and that Black students can be excited to attend these events , but it was overall fun though!”

Caption by Josie Mullan. Photo by Sophia Manos.

STAFF SPIRIT: McCallum staff celebrates Black History Month with a show of spirit. Students of Color Alliance and Knight Stepper Tonya Moore purchased Black History Month shirts for her students, and decided to offer the shirts to faculty members and about 40 teachers decided to purchase shirts to support Black History Month on campus. Moore coordinated a spirit day for faculty members to wear the shirts together as a staff.

Tara Hedlund, a AP World and U.S. History teacher, participated in the faculty spirit day as a way to show thanks to SOCA and the hard work they put into this month.

“I am new to McCallum this year, and I appreciated all the work that the Black Students Alliance and the effort that the teachers put into it, so I wanted to make sure I showed up for that and for our whole McCallum community,” Hedlund said. 

Hedlund’s position as a history teacher has given her a unique perspective on Black History Month and its importance.

“Especially teaching social studies, I feel like Black history is U.S. history,” she said. “It isn’t just a one month kind of thing, so I want to make sure that we’re acknowledging that,” she said.

Even with all the events held, Hedlund believes everyone can do more to honor Black History Month.

“I think all classes including myself could be better at highlighting the accomplishments,” Hedlund said. “With U.S. history it’s a lot of the struggles, but we also want to celebrate all of the wonderful things that occurred throughout history and continue to happen.”

Caption by Daniela Di-Capua. Photo by David Winter.

MOVIE TIME: On Feb. 13, the Student of Color Alliance hosted a screening of Hair Love, which highlights the struggles of having curly hair but learning to love it.

Sophomore AJ Brown explained that SOCA wanted to show the movie in order to show people some struggles they may never have thought about.

“Essentially we just wanted to spread the love and showcase Black history, and be able to showcase struggles that people of color go through,” Brown said.

The highlight of the movie is to love yourself and your hair, Brown explained that the movie was chosen to emphasize that point.

“The struggles that people of color go through especially Black people with curly hair, and how it can be hard to manage sometimes, but to really love it and love yourself.” Brown said.

Overall, Brown said he was glad to be able to showcase his culture through the events of Black History Month. 

“I wanted to showcase a different part of different cultures, especially during Black History Month. I wanted to be able to show the different struggles that Black people can go through and experience.” Brown said.

Caption by Piper Norfolk. Photo by Tonya Moore.

LIFTING EVERY VOICE: Freshman Laelani Croan performs a scene from “Lift Every Voice,” a 2021 one-act play by G. Riley Mills on Feb. 10 during the Black History Month HBCU panel. In the second BHM panel on Feb. 25, Croan also participated in the panel of students presenting for the assembly answering questions about the Black experience at McCallum and generally.

Caption by Josie Mullan. Photo by Jasmine Aung.

FOOD FOR THOUGHT: Black Girl Magic took place on Feb. 19 during Black History Month. It was hosted by the Students of Color Alliance in the library, during lunch. There was food served to the group of about 30 students and staff. The menu included mac n’ cheese, green beans, chicken, cornbread and collard greens.

“For an event we’ve never done before, I think it went really well,” senior Brianna Miller said. She was on the Black Girl Magic panel, in which there were questions prepared for them to answer.

“I decided to be on the panel to have the opportunity to share my experiences with others,” Miller said, “and educate people about what Black young women tend to go through.”

The purpose of the panel was to educate those who don’t know much about the community, and talk about the culture.

“I feel like it gives us the opportunity to shed light on many of the accomplishments made in the Black community,” Miller said.

Miller is also a Students of Color Alliance officer m@and is glad that the club sponsors events such as these. “I’m in SOCA because I wanted to be a part of a space that was inclusive and supportive, which resulted in being a part of a great community,” Miller said. “I love that we learn and appreciate a multitude of cultures.”

Caption and photo by Tegan Hahn.

HONORING AN ICON: Senior Analise Bady strikes a pose with her fellow company members after they concluded their dances in the first Black History Month assembly on Feb. 10. The assembly included performances from the Knight Steppers, Paityn Jones and Laelani Croan  as well as a panel of HBCU graduates talking about their experience at either Grambling or Jackson State.

The dance students danced to a Beyonce song. Bady said the choice of music was appropriate because Beyonce is an influential Black artist, and her music therefore empowered their dance.

“To me, she is a powerful symbol of Black culture and excellence,” Bady said. “Many of her songs focus on empowerment and pride in being who you are.”

The dance, called “Flames,” was choreographed by senior dance major Zoe Maxwell. Bady said that the dance was performed by a different group of dancers than last year’s performance, but there were some returning dancers.  

This was Bady’s first year in performing for Black History Month. She said she was happy to perform at the assembly because it felt like she was honoring Black History Month in a meaningful way. 

“I believe us dancing to [Beyonce’s] music was a way of celebrating,” she said. 

Caption by Priya Thoppil. Photo by David Winter.

S.C. SAYS: Slam poet Andre Bradford, a.k.a S.C Says, performs at the second Black History Month assembly on Feb. 25 as part of his poetry show dedicated to empathy and entitled “Kintsukuroi.”

Bradford performed three poems, the first one named “Crayon Box” describing his experience growing up in a small town in Texas and coming into his identity as a Black man and all the challenges that come with it. The second poem helped to explain racism and microaggressions to people who have never experienced them by comparing racism to the act of sneezing. The third poem emphasized  the importance of never assuming things about people. In the poem, Bradford conveyed his experience growing irritated with a woman in line taking a long time to check out only to find outside the store that she was purchasing items for homeless people.

During the presentation, Bradford explained the reasoning behind the title of his show, “Kintsukuroi,” which is a Japanese art form in which ceramic plates are broken and mended back together using a beautiful gold paste. Bradford said this art form can be seen as a metaphor for purposeful empathy to heal a very broken world.

“I think it’s so obvious there is so much brokenness out there—racism, poverty, political divides, you name it,” Bradford said. “I believe purposeful empathy is the golden lacquer we need right now to start mending our pieces back together and hopefully make something beautiful.”

Caption by Josie Mullan. Photo by Lilah Lavigne.

HBCU HONOR ROLL: The headline event of the first Black History Month assembly on Feb. 10 was a panel of distinguished alumni from historically Black colleges and universities: Carlisha Brown-Robinson of Grambling State University, Booker Eubacks of Jackson State University, Darren Featherstone of Grambling State University, Mitchell Lee of Jackson State University, Stephanie Featherstone of Grambling State University and Ladeitra Lee of Jackson State. Photo by Kiara Henry.