Students and other creatives put their paintbrushes to the task of celebrating Black History Month and honoring the legacy of Black leaders in the Makerspace at the Student Center.

The event, titled Paint by Quotes, was hosted by the Creative Leaders of Columbia. Canvases, paint and paintbrushes were provided for the students, along with quotes from Black artists and changemakers for the paint session, which took place on Feb. 7.

Ryhen Miller, a junior communication major and student facilitator for the Creative Leaders of Columbia, decided to host Paint by Quotes for fellow co-workers and students as a way to celebrate Black History Month, and as a way to mix her strengths as a painter and her desire to foster a comfortable and relaxing environment for students.

“I think it [was] relaxing. During the event, I felt like everyone was kind of in their own flow, talking about things they were going through,” Miller said. “And I like fostering those kinds of environments where it’s kind of like, almost therapeutic in a way.”

In the hour and a half long session, students painted and mingled with each other, while being given creative freedom with their canvases.

Miller said modernizing Black History Month was on her mind when planning the event and picking quotes.

“We wanted to pick quotes that were modern and something that [people] could relate to now, even if you’re not a person of color,” Miller said. “Quotes that can go beyond things about race [and can] build on people’s work ethics and mental health. Things that go beyond just activism in a way that’s always marching.”

Christalyn Barker, a junior photojournalism major, was inspired to attend the event to celebrate Black History Month, as well as a way to meet more people. 

“I find a lot of Black History Month things are darker,” Barker said. “Like, look at the horrible history that [Black people] had to go through. Whereas this is like, be inspired by these people and find joy in painting.”

Geda Alsharif, a senior graphic design major who also attended the event, said celebrating Black history and Black lives is important because it is a pertinent part of society today and how we, as a society, need to “open our eyes” to fix the current problems in the U.S.

Alsharif’s sentiments mirror the painting she created during the event, that featured a circle of people with varying skin tones, piling their hands on top of each other, with the hashtag “we are all equal,” painted on the bottom.

“I just thought of putting [skin] tones together like hands to show that we all matter and that we are all humans, no matter what color we are, no matter what shade we are,” Alsharif said. “[In this painting], all of the humans’ hands in [all] shades [are] putting their hands on top of each other as one.”

Kristi Beltran, the coordinator of student leadership, serves as the staff advisor for the Creative Leaders of Columbia. Beltran said the event was meant to give students a chance to have a form of expression, admiration and inclusion.

“We wanted to commemorate [Black History Month] and give students a chance to express honor [and show] appreciation for Black leaders, and Black creators, and do that in a way that they can physically create something,” Beltran said.

Beltran referenced Columbia’s diverse student population and how it influenced their decision to host the event.

“There is a very diverse population at Columbia, and we want to make sure that every student feels seen and heard and included,” Beltran said. “I think having events that specifically highlight certain identities and celebrate those are the kind of moments that make students feel more included and seen on campus.”