On a typical Thursday night at Colby-Sawyer College, the African Student Association (ASA) can be found in Ware Student Center having their weekly meeting. Led by President Ameesah Cotton ’24, the club always has something interesting going on. Some nights it’s a screening of a film with a discussion afterwards; other nights, discussions on particular topics are held or the meeting is focused on future plans.

In the past, the club has held the successful Taste of Africa event and the fan favorite Beauty Expo. For Black History Month, the group has a slew of events planned, including a screening of Michelle Obama’s Becoming, a collaboration with the PRIDE club making quote pop-up books and a coffee house featuring poet Panama Soweto.

At the end of the month, they will be participating in International Festival Week by raffling off Beauty Expo baskets as a fundraiser for the club. Senior Nina Hills ’22 loves being a part of ASA; to her, the club feels community based and allows for a bonding experience during the meetings. She also enjoys being able to hang out with members after meetings. Cotton believes that the club’s main focus isn’t necessarily to make an impact on the campus community, though it is important that as a Black-oriented club they are active in the community, but rather to make students more aware and understanding of the transition into a mostly white campus and to work together through the tough time. She also believes that the focus is more about building friendships and acclimating themselves to the campus. The club is open to everyone and meets at 8 p.m. Thursday nights.