The University of New Mexico (UNM) has announced the 39th Black History Month Kickoff Brunch, organized by the UNM Department of Africana Studies. The event is being conducted in collaboration with UNM African American Student Services and will feature keynote speaker Aja Nicole Brooks, a UNM alumna and the Executive Assistant United States Attorney for the District of New Mexico.
The brunch is designed to mark the beginning of community celebrations and reflections leading up to Black History Month. Departments, units, and organizations are urged to purchase tables to enable their students, faculty, and staff to attend. According to a press release by UNM, the brunch is scheduled for Saturday, Jan. 27, at 10:30 a.m. in the UNM SUB Ballroom.
"Associate Chair Kathy Powers and I thought it would be a good idea to be more deliberate in how we choose our honored guests," said Africana Studies Chair Kirsten Pai Buick in a press release by UNM. "This year and going forward, we will select a national or international speaker who has contributed to the intellectual advancement of U.S. society and politics through the lens of Black Studies."
In another statement from the same press release by UNM, Pai Buick said: "With Attorney Brooks, we begin our focus and theme ‘New Mexico: Someone You Should Know.’ We chose her not only because she is from New Mexico but also due to her emphasis on educating the general public about their rights as well as her exceptional record aiding Indigenous people of New Mexico. Brooks best represents our motto: ‘Lifting as We Climb.'"
The UNM Africana Studies Department offers an interdisciplinary major that provides students with a comprehensive understanding of the political, social, and historical connections among people of African descent. According to information on its webpage provided by UNM, the department uses Black diasporic methodologies to analyze the global impact of the Black Diaspora on cultural, revolutionary, and technological advancements.
