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WT’s Black Women’s Association to Celebrate Black History Month with Speakers, Banquet
Copy by Chip Chandler, 806-651-2124, cchandler@wtamu.edu
CANYON, Texas — Prominent Black men and women from Amarillo will offer their stories and insights during West Texas A&M University Black Women’s Association’s celebration of Black History Month.
Each speaker will address the association’s month-long theme: “We must be the change we want to see.” That’s the same theme that’s the focus of BWA’s Martin Luther King Jr. video essay scholarship contest; deadline for entries is Feb. 19.
“We are thrilled to welcome this outstanding slate of guest speakers, and we expect that our students and the entire audience will benefit greatly from hearing them discuss their lived experiences,” said Janeth Stewart, BWA adviser.
The lineup includes:
- Feb. 3: Joseph B. Peterson Jr., a WT graduate and Edward Jones financial adviser
- Feb. 10: Ta’keira Benoit of the National Nuclear Security Administration and Kourtney Punch-Russell of Pantex Plant
- Feb. 17: Melodie Graves, community activist and Amarillo College associate director of academic advising
“I hope the students learn about my journey and are empowered to overcome obstacles and know they are capable of anything,” Graves said.
All speeches will begin at 6 p.m. each week in the Legends Club in the Jack B. Kelley Student Center. Face coverings and social distancing will be required. Zoom options also will be available: wtamu.zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_dsEhHtuFQmu4aupqGqoMIA.
BWA’s Black History Month celebration will conclude with its second Black History Commemorative Banquet at 6 p.m. Feb. 26 in Legacy Hall inside the JBK. More information will be released closer to the event.
For information, contact Stewart at 806-651-2654 or jstewart@wtamu.edu.
The events are in line with the University’s mission of creating a diverse and inclusive student body, as outlined in WT’s long-term plan, WT 125: From the Panhandle to the World.
About West Texas A&M University
WT is located in Canyon, Texas, on a 342-acre residential campus. Established in 1910, the University has been part of The Texas A&M University System since 1990. With enrollment of more than 10,000, WT offers 60 undergraduate degree programs, 38 master’s degrees and two doctoral degrees. The University is also home to the Panhandle-Plains Historical Museum, the largest history museum in the state and the home of one of the Southwest’s finest art collections. The Buffaloes are a member of the NCAA Division II Lone Star Conference and offers 15 men’s and women’s athletics programs.
—WTAMU—