With all the tables filled, people ate their food standing against the walls and chatting with one another. The room was full not only with people, but with a positive energy that was seen everywhere in the small, decorated room. Every year during Black History Month, Steps to Success—a program that works to create equity at the high school for kids coming from low income families—hosts their annual potluck to celebrate Black History Month. This year, the potluck occurred on Feb. 26 during X-block.
While the potluck was hosted by Steps to Success, it was a celebration that everyone was welcome to attend, according to Steps to Success adviser Adebukola Ajao. Students came to the potluck whether it was their first Steps to Success event they had attended, or if they had gone to many before.
“During Black History Month we do a lot of different events. This is actually for the broader Brookline community, not just Steps, so the PTO actually paid for all of this,” Ajao said.
Sophomore Motse Pena has been to a few events similar to the potluck before, and said she always enjoys herself.
“This is such great programming. Everyone is really connected, everyone is so nice as well,” Pena said. “It’s just so fun.”
Sophomore Chibuifem Adaora Egbueze said this was the first event she has been to at the school relating to Black History Month or hosted by Steps To Success, and she was really glad she had attended.
“I like that they’re embracing cultural food and different aspects of being Black and from being from different places around the world,” Egbueze said.
Egbueze said that events, such as the potluck, are enjoyable and important.
“[The potluck] also brings together the community, which is very much a minority community, so any events that bring the community together is definitely good and fun,” Egbueze said.
Students lined up to be served chicken and rice, and then turned to the buffet table filled with drinks, sides and desserts. Although junior Shola Okoujou originally came for the food, the community in the room stood out to him.
“I always like food and events that come from different cultures,” Okojuo said. “Somebody told me and I was like ‘I have to show up for my people’ and when I saw the food I was excited. Then I saw everyone just laughing and having fun together, people of different cultures and stuff like that even though we dont all look the same.”
The annual potluck had previously been held after school, Ajao said. The problem this presented was that students with full afternoon schedules or those who just couldn’t get to the school were unable to attend the potluck. For this reason, the potluck was moved to during the school day.
“Usually parents come to this, it usually happens after school in the evenings and it’s usually a really big event but we’re doing it during the day so the wider highschool community could be here,” Ajao said.
Pena said this is the first time she has been in attendance to the Black History Month potluck and that she was really glad she went, because it was a fun respite in the middle of the school day.
According to Pena, the potluck brought the community together, giving students a chance to just have some fun.
“The food’s great, the community that just came together is also great,” Pena said. “I just think what they’re doing is an amazing opportunity for everybody to just get food, mingle and just share common interests with each other.”
