Black student societies bring back Y2K at dance party

Over 20 years after Y2K, the Dalhousie Black Business Student Association and the Dalhousie Pan-African Society hosted a turn-of-the-century-themed bash at the Auction House on Feb. 28. 

We Are One, a Y2K-themed party, celebrated culture and community among Dalhousie Black youth during Black History Month.

“The best way to describe it was a sense of oneness and everybody being together, because everybody really came through,” said Emmanuel Tabiri, the president of the Dalhousie Pan-African Society.

Approximately 150 attendees arrived at the event in jerseys, baggy clothes, double-layered shirts, headbands and skinny jeans.

Eve Wedderburn, the vice-president of the Dalhousie Caribbean Connection, said that her outfit, including capris, a yellow crop top and pink sunglasses, was inspired by Destiny’s Child and Beyoncé.

“That whole era, it goes out of style and then back into style,” said Wedderburn. “But I try to dress like that when I can.”

Tabiri said Y2K culture is rooted in Black culture. He said artists like Nelly, Ashanti, Usher and T.I. shaped much of Black culture in the 2000s.

DJ Fovah and DJ Webber provided a Y2K soundtrack that kept people dancing until 3 a.m., according to Tabiri.

We Are One aimed to bring together the entire Black student population at Dalhousie. 

Gabriel Thomas, the vice-president of the Dalhousie Black Business Student Association, said the societies involved play a critical role in fostering friendships and community at Dal.

“International students are coming from across the world, right?” said Thomas. “So, it’s good to have people who actually want to take you in, walk you through everything, and be there for you.

Tabiri found community on campus when he discovered resources like the Black Student Advising Centre and societies like the Dalhousie Pan-African Society.

He said that black people are underrepresented at Dalhousie.

“It can be a shock for [Black] students who are coming from schools that have a big Black student population,” said Tabiri.

Building these societies and Black culture on campus is important so future students have a place to belong, according to Tabiri. He said events like We Are One build that culture and keep it alive among Dal’s Black student population.

“You don’t really realize the damage that it can do not having people who look like you around you.”