Fans with body paint cheer during an ASU football game. (Photo by State Press staff)The Black African Coalition thanked the University for urging fans not to paint their faces during football games, in a statement issued by BAC President Kyle Denman on Friday.
The University announcement and the BAC's response come after several students were photographed wearing blackface at ASU's blackout football game against UCLA on Sept. 25.
“While we were disappointed with the actions of some of our fellow classmates, we are pleased to know that ASU officials are moving in a positive direction towards rectifying the situation at hand,” the statement said. “It is not simply the act of painting their faces and bodies but some of the actions then taken, by some when wearing whole face and body paint at the games.”
The BAC prides itself with being an organization that supports all campus endeavors and celebrates spirit, pride and tradition while being culturally sensitive of other cultures, Denman said in the statement.
The BAC will continue moving forward with a student government bill permanently banning blackface at football games, which will be presented at the Nov. 15 University-wide senate meeting.
‘The Black African Coalition will continue our work to make this campus a diverse and inclusive environment,” the statement said. “At this time, we are still moving forward with our bill, asking our University to introduce alternatives to full face paintings, either they be black, red, yellow, etc.”
Denman said in the statement that he hopes the situation can create a platform towards building opportunities for education and awareness.
“As students and change agents, we recognize that at this time education is the key component to creating a culturally aware university,” he said. “By providing education on issues relating to identity, we are bringing together the students and the community by making Arizona State University an inclusive environment.”
Reach the reporter at jshanco2@asu.edu or follow him on Twitter @joey_hancock
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