What started as Ntozake Shange’s choreo-poem “For Colored Girls Who Have Considered Suicide When the Rainbow is Enuf,” was adapted into Tyler Perry’s hit film “For Colored Girls” in 2010. Florida A&M has joined the movement and is using the production’s themes to encourage female empowerment among students.
PUSH Productions, a newly formed campus organization, held a series of events varying from relationship discussions to the role of black women in politics last week.”This year we added the book of colored girl stories,” said Rondrea Mathis, an English professor. “There are about 25 different letters from phenomenal FAMU women who wrote about their experience here and advice they would’ve given themselves.” The book of letters, called “The Colored Girl Stories,” was distributed at the kickoff event last Tuesday.
Tonight, Kianta Key, faculty health communication specialist for student health services, will help present the last part of the five event series: “One Night Stand for HIV/AIDS.”
The event will be at the Meek- Eaton Black Archives from 6 p.m.-8 p.m., and includes guest speakers Rae Lewis- Thornton and Jason Panda of B condoms. “So many times you’ll have young women in relationships getting caught in the moment and not using condoms,” Key said. “We are trying to show the importance of using condoms and being safe.”
Panda, a Moorehouse graduate, combined his background in social media, nightlife, entertainment and business to spark change in communities affected by the AIDS epidemic. Also speaking at tonight’s event is AIDS activist and educational speaker Rae Lewis-Thornton. At 23, Lewis- Thornton was diagnosed with HIV and today, at 49, lives with AIDS.
“Events like these are here to show young women that they do have a voice and they can speak up,” said Key.