Grand Rapids — When the leaders of the Black Student Alliance at City High Middle School gather to talk about their group, its purpose and its future, an almost familial camaraderie fills the room.
The founding members — seniors Jayda Burton, IMara Smith Skyers, Elijah Jones, Miklet Mesay, Jaydon Burton and Anna Wetzel — are a tight-knit unit. They chat and joke with an easy warmth that demonstrates the closeness at their group’s core.
“The reason why we flourished so well with BSA,” observes Elijah, “is that we were already friends.”
Since launching around two years ago, the BSA has grown beyond that group, now boasting around 25 members from throughout all grade levels at City. And though built on friendship, the club is all business when it comes to preparing for Black History Month — the event that helped bring the group together in the first place.
‘We just wanted to make a space where everyone was welcome and we could teach others about Black culture.’
— City High senior Anna Wetzel
When the seniors were in 10th grade, they joined a Black History Month planning committee, and enjoyed it so much that they decided to expand on it.
“We liked the idea behind everyone coming together to participate in activities,” Jayda recalls. “One day we were like, ‘We should honestly just create a club.’ So we started jotting down ideas and we ended up bringing it to the rest of our group, and everyone was down with it.”
Members bonded over a shared desire to expand the celebration of Black culture, beyond just the month of February or the lens of history.
“We wanted to shine a light on Black culture in a different way — when it comes to music, when it comes to pop culture, when it comes to art, when it comes to all these different factors,” says Anna. “And we wanted to teach our peers about the Black culture that we know, and that we celebrate every single day.
“We came together and we were just like, ‘This matters a lot to us, and we really want to share it with our peers.’ We just wanted to make a space where everyone was welcome and we could teach others about Black culture.”
Celebrating Cultures
The BSA is deep into the planning process for this year’s Black History Month activities. They’ve stepped up their normal biweekly meetings to once a week, with the leadership team also convening outside of school.
The plan for this year is to celebrate Black cultures from all over the world.
“Our main theme this year is a family reunion, because we’re kind of diving into the topic of Black diaspora,” IMara said.
“We’re doing a multicultural thing within the Black community,” added Miklet. “Not just focusing on African Americans, but other cultures as well.”
Ideas for the month include a Black hair show, a soul food catering event and a celebration of Black culture in the Latinx community.
Some of the details still need to be worked out, but it will all culminate with an assembly at the end of the month, featuring skits incorporating the “Family Reunion” theme, as well as games, trivia, a slide show and more.
Updates can be found on the BSA’s Instagram page.
‘Black history is every day’
The group’s focus goes well beyond Black History Month, and that’s part of the point, said Jayde.
“Black history is every day, and I think that’s the biggest thing that I want people to take out of Black History Month: It doesn’t have to be something that’s only talked about for 28 days,” she said.
Throughout the rest of the year, the BSA hosts movie nights, discussions and other activities, open to the whole school.
‘The BSA is more than a club — it’s a community where students can celebrate their culture, support one another and advocate for change.’
— Black Student Alliance adviser Aaron Fillenworth
Educating non-Black students about the importance of Black culture is one of the group’s primary goals, said Anna, adding that the BSA is uniquely positioned to educate non-Black students in a welcoming and non-intimidating way.
“It’s a big difference when you’re being taught by a teacher than when you’re being taught by an upperclassman or other students,” she said. “We want (students) to realize that they do have a space amongst this club.”
IMara said it’s important for students to recognize that Black influence is everywhere, even if it’s not always discussed.
“Like the music all these kids listen to — Black people had such an influence on that. And fashion, art, just everything. And people don’t really realize that,” IMara said. “They like the product, but they don’t really give props to the creator. So we’re shedding light on the Black voices, because American history is Black history.”
Future of the BSA
With all the founding members graduating at the end of the year, the responsibility of leading the group will fall on younger students. In anticipation of that shift, the founders are coaching younger members to take on leadership roles.
Club adviser Aaron Fillenworth thinks the founders will leave the club in good hands.
“The future of the BSA is strong,” he said. “The graduating members are leaving a lasting legacy that will inspire the next generation to continue their impactful work.”
Fillenworth said the BSA serves an important purpose at City.
“The BSA is more than a club — it’s a community where students can celebrate their culture, support one another and advocate for change. It serves as a platform for amplifying Black voices and fostering conversations that promote awareness, equity, and inclusion within our school. The students involved are passionate, driven, and deeply committed to making a difference.
“They’re not just shaping their own futures — they’re creating a more inclusive environment for everyone. It’s inspiring to watch them lead with such confidence and purpose.”
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