On Wednesday, Feb. 18, during fourth block, Westview’s Black Student Leadership, or BSLC, will be joined by other BSLC chapters from around the city to perform their BSLC showcase.
There are many different chapters of BSLC around Omaha. The chapters involved in the showcase this year include multiple OPS schools like North, Burke and Central, as well as schools like Benson, Mercy, Marian and Roncalli.
The chapters have been working together to prepare for the showcase, meeting multiple times a week to prepare.
The showcase is meant to put Black history on display through different acts like poetry, singing, dancing, drill team, trivia and more. According to founder and president of Westview’s BSLC, Brooklynn Freeman, it’s a showcase of Black excellence and Black history throughout the United States.
Different segments like trivia about black history with the crowd, interpretive dance related to different traditional dances and culture in Africa, and poetry about people’s personal experiences and perspectives on social issues that black students face will be showcased.
Though not the first showcase Westview has participated in, this will be the first year that it will be hosted in the building.
“We call it a tour, so we go to different schools [with the showcase],” Freeman said.
The showcase will also be shown at other schools like Burke and Omaha North, as well as a longer showcase taking place at Burke after school at 6 p.m, Feb. 23.
“Obviously, we couldn’t have a three-hour showcase during school, so this showcase at Westview is just a shortened version of it. That longer show has ballerinas, it has a D9 roll call, a fashion show. It’s a lot going on in the nighttime show,” Freeman said.
While the shows during the school day are only open to students, the nighttime show will have both adult participants in the showcase and an audience open to anyone.
Freeman said that the most exciting part of the showcase for her is having people see what BSLC will be showing and reminding them of Black history.
“I’m just excited for people, like especially for non-Black people, or just nonmembers, who are not part of BSLC association to see what we have going on,” Freeman said. “It’s also just the display of Black excellence. I think that’s really important, within this current state of the United States. I think it’s important to remind ourselves how rich Black history is, and how Black history is American history.”
To attend the showcase, email Shayette Wilson by 3 p.m, Feb. 17. Freeman encourages students to show up, enjoy the showcase and be loudly supportive to those participating and performing.
