As February marks Black History Month, East Middle School embraced the opportunity to honor and celebrate the rich contributions of Black individuals to our history and society.
Students and faculty all gathered in the auditorium for East Middle School’s celebration of black culture. Always an event everyone looks forward to each year, this year’s edition was one of the most interactive yet. Student-created posters lined the edge of the stage, showcasing prominent figures in black history. Seventh-grader Liam Saintus composed and read a beautiful poem displaying the power and inspiration. A band got the crowd involved by performing songs in Haitian Creole, and had everyone in the auditorium singing parts to join in on the fun.
The Nukporfe African Dance-Drumming Ensemble from Binghamton University also stopped by to provide some heart-thumping energy. The group and dancers’ upbeat performance both educated the crowd and got them out of their seats to take part by learning and doing the dance moves on-stage.
To serve as a bit of inspiration to those in attendance, a special guest stopped by to tell her story of black excellence and persevering to reach her goal. Tenesha Smith, owner and operator of R&B Soul Food here in Binghamton. Tenesha started her business during the COVID-19 pandemic – originally selling individual plates of her food. Tenesha had previously received her CDL license and was originally a bus driver, but she decided she wanted something better for herself, while providing people with delicious soul food – no matter the obstacles.
“Don’t let anybody set a limit for you. There’s always a way around. Where there’s a will, there’s a way. Don’t take no for an answer,” Smith says.
Her way around not having a standard restaurant was through finding a unique setup. Her restaurant is a “ghost kitchen”. She rents out a commercial kitchen, and people purchase her creations on Doordash and Uber Eats. Now, she’s making her mark by serving up delicious food to the Southern Tier!
Tenesha, along with all the other performers showcased the black excellence in our district!