On Saturday, Feb. 10, the Black Leaders Aspiring for Critical Knowledge hosted their 29th annual Image Awards in the Williams Auditorium.
The Image Awards are an annual award show that highlights and celebrates minority student, faculty and staff achievements whether it’s on campus involvement or academic excellence. This year, there were 20 awards given out to students and Ferris organizations.
The award show embodied Black culture with a performance by Ferris’ Golden Majorettes along with introducing each award with music beloved by the Black community. Each award was named after many important Black figures, including Dr. Martin Luther King, Thurgood Marshall and Rosa Parks.
B.L.A.C.K. president Jahlyn Wynns notes why he feels it’s important for minorities to come together and celebrate each other at the Image Awards.
“As a minority on campus, we need to stick together,” Wynns said. “[We need to] award ourselves for things that we do on campus.”
Member of B.L.A.C.K. and business administration junior Khi Hunt believes it’s important to celebrate Black excellence at a predominantly white institute because of the lack of publicity that is shown.
“There was no excellence being shown by minorities out here at Ferris,” Hunt said. “This whole event was put together to do that. To show excellence.”
Winning an award made psychology sophomore Nadia Mausi feel acknowledged for her hard work. She won the Mordecai Johnson Underclassmen Award for academic achievement.
“All my hard work over the years has been recognized,” Mausi said. “It makes me feel proud.”
Multiple organizations were also acknowledged for their involvement on campus including the Zeta Rho Deltas. The sorority won the Prince Hall Female Greek Award two years in a row.
Radiography senior Taliyah Garrett, a member of Zeta Rho Deltas, notes that it feels good for the organization to get praise for everything they do on campus. Garrett also won an individual award, the Mary Church Terrell Award.
“On behalf of me, it feels even better,” Garrett said. “I don’t really get any recognition so I like when people are able to see when I do right and wrong.”
The last award of the night celebrated one of B.L.A.C.K’s achievements, the 2024 B.L.A.C.K. Image Award. This award was given to business administration graduate student Rick Bradley. Wynns believed that Bradley deserved the award for his hard work and influence in B.L.A.C.K.
President Bill Pink admires B.L.A.C.K. and what they do. During his speech, he speaks about how it’s great to celebrate these awards during Black History Month.
The night was sent off with B.L.A.C.K. giving roses to the You Beautiful Black Woman, their sister organization. The Image Awards is a way to remind students and organizations on campus that their efforts do not go unnoticed.