Twenty-five of SMU’s African-American student leaders will be attending the Annual Big XII Conference on Black Student Government. The conference will hosted by the University of Colorado in Boulder beginning Thursday, Feb. 17 and concluding on Sunday, Feb. 20.

SMU’s African-American student leaders will represent on campus chapters of National Associations of Black Engineers, Voices of Inspiration, Association of Black Students, Sisters Supporting Sisters, National Association of Black Accountants, Phi Beta Sigma Fraternity, Inc. and Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, Inc.

Each year a Big XII institute opens it doors and welcomes students from other Big XII and non-Big XII institutions that have a low minority demographics to discuss the recruitment efforts, leadership and cultural issues.

This year marks the fourth time SMU students will attend the annual conference.

The conference started in 1977 when the Big XII was then the Big 8. The representatives of the eight universities all recognized similar issues and circumstances at their institution. The need for alliance and advocacy was and still is the basis for the annual meeting.

This year, the meeting will focus on equipping students with the skills needed to be leaders on and off campus through workshops and seminars.

Students will have a chance to be in the room with like-minded peers and hear words of wisdom from guest speakers such as:

—Tricia Jones PhD, American Studies professor at University of California at Santa Cruz, author of essays with topics of music, sexism and culture. Ras Baraka, deputy mayor of Newark and poet.

—Dr. Juwanza Junjufu, educator and author of books looking at the culture of African Americans.

—Toni Blackan, a 27-year-old rapper, actress, poet and founder of Freestyle Union, an artist development for rappers in New York.

—Amon Rashidi, a spoken word artist and musician that mixes R&B, hip-hop, jazz and blues defying generational gaps in preferences in music.

After the speakers and seminars, the conference will offer students and staff something naughty and nice by hosting a Gospel extravaganza and after party.

For more information on this event please contact Jennifer Jones, Director of the Department of Multicultural and Student Affairs, at [email protected].